This year's mayoral election was more than just interesting.  It was historic.  For the first time, Bedford elected a woman to the position of Mayor.  And not just any woman.  This was a  business woman,  a mother, the wife of a prominent doctor and yes, a woman not affiliated with a political party.  When Shawna Girgis announced that she would run for mayor as an independent candidate last spring, many (maybe most) of us didn't give her any chance at all of winning.  Her campaign throughout the spring and summer against an established Republican machine and ultimate victory in the fall election could be a story in itself.  But, we weren't writing that story, yet.  We wanted to get some answers to some of the questions that  didn't get asked in the forums and that some of our readers had sent to us.

We sat down with Shawna this weekend over coffee at Starbucks.  Shawna, the mother, arrived with two of her children.  Later, husband, Kamal arrived with the third.  Surrounded by family and coffee lovers, we started our conversation.

Now that the election is over, would you share your thoughts about the campaign?  Was it what you expected?? 

 It was a good experience.  The favorite thing about it was the fact that I got to meet so many really wonderful people that I had never gotten the opportunity to know.  I’m very busy with my life; I have a full time job now and I’m raising kids.  I didn’t make the opportunity before, I’ll put it that way, to go to places like the UAW Retiree meeting or even the Edgewood Park Build Day.  But I made time for it, so I got to know a lot great people from our city that are investing in our community.  I’d say, just meeting a lot of wonderful new people. 

Why do you think the voters overwhelmingly voted for you? 

I could be wrong, but I think that people wanted a change.  If you looked at the results across the state, like Indianapolis, I can’t believe he got beat; I was very shocked, a very popular mayor doing good things.  I’m a total change from what’s happened before, it doesn’t matter what party you’re in.  I’m younger than most mayors have been.  I’m female, that’s different.  I think across the state people in general have been looking for a change.  We had 66 new mayors this year.  

Having a doctor in the family, what is your position on the proposal to merge the two hospitals? 

First, let me say, that the mayor actually has no impact on this, but I’ve said in other forums that I believe that we have the two leaders in place with both our hospitals to make this thing happen.  Having a job that is health related I know that a lot of good things could happen if we had a merged hospital. Number one, we would decrease the duplication of services and could offer more.  Two, if we had a larger facility we could attract more specialists here in Bedford.  The other thing, the economic piece, for every dollar we spend in health care, eight other dollars follow.  For example:  we stop at Starbucks for coffee, we go shopping at the local retailer, all those other things.  Right now over a third of our people go to Bloomington for health care.  And I love the folks in Bloomington; I’ve worked with them.  But I’d like to keep the patients here.  

Many of our readers have asked whether you would support a smoking ban in public places.

I am a health advocate, and I know that smoking is bad.  But this is what I’ve said, and I really believe this.  The problem with the people who want the smoking ban is that they are not as vocal as the smokers.  If I’m going to support a smoking ban, I want the people who want it to be more vocal and more out there than the people who don’t.  Because right now in Lawrence County that is not what happens….that’s not what I see.  But there a lot of things that we can do to promote health and reduce smoking without having to make an ordinance.  A lot of restaurants have voluntarily gone to a non smoking policy and we could promote that in the community.Essentially you support it, but you need the citizens to rise up and make it an issue. 
Absolutely!    

Not being affiliated with a party, how easy do you think it will it be to work with the city council? 

I’m in the process of meeting with each one of them.  I personally think those folks were elected and that they want the best for Bedford, too.  Don’t get me wrong, there will be personality issues or non-party issues that will come up, but when you get down to business in the council meetings,  you’ll do what’s best for Bedford.  And if it’s not, then the voters should let them or me know. 

How will you encourage business to locate in Bedford? 

I think we need to do multiple things.  I think we need to find a way to support businesses that are here…the small businesses.  Because, if people are here and they’re investing in their community and business here, they are less likely to leave.  So, I believe that the community should be committed to supporting local businesss and providing resources and tools that they need so that they can ultimately grow. I don’t know all of the resources that are available, but I’ve been doing some exploring and trying to find out.  And when I go to conferences they all say it.  We are in a global marketplace. I think we need to look outside of  Indiana and outside the United States to see what we can bring here.  We also need to partner with the region and the area surrounding Bedford.

 Noting that you had the support of the city’s “sign man”, what are your feelings about enforcing the city’s zoning laws. 

I don’t know how the zoning laws impact the “sign man”.  I don’t really currently know what they say.  But, I do think whatever they are, they should be enforced throughout the community.   

Have you filled any of the administration posts or city positions? 

I have not officially done that yet, no.  I know there is a vacancy for the chief of police and the Utilities Director.  I hope by the first of December that I will have the Chief of Police position filled.  And technically, I can’t do that now.  Joe would consider my recommendations and decide to fill the positions…because he is still the mayor.   

With your husband, Kamal (a doctor),  who is on call all the time……and your new job that is will be on call most of the time, how will you manage being a working mom, wife and mayor? 

That’s a very popular question, actually.  I think a lot of people don’t realize how demanding my current job is.  I really don’t think that I’m going to be any more stressed out and any more busy, just about different things than I am now.  I’m a director of a statewide association, so I make frequent trips to Indianapolis, Terre Haute and Washington.  I travel, I’m busy.  I work with a board of 20 individuals so that can be demanding at times.  My mother-in-law obviously is helpful. I have god parents for our children who are helpful.  We have a young lady that helps with the house a few days a week who also helps with the kids.  Kamal doesn't have office hours on Friday.  So, we just make it work, like every other family does.   
You’ll probably have less traveling.
I think I’ll be home more actually.  The demands will be different because I’ll have to be available at all times for the city.  It will just be a different set of challenges. 

Finally, what would be three goals that you would hope to accomplish as mayor? 

There are so many things.  I think people are looking for change.  And I can look at things through fresh lenses and we can think of how to address problems in a way that is out of the box so they can be done more efficiently or better. 

I would like to engage the community in more areas.  We need a community wide plan….a comprehensive plan developed.  And the city employees and the residents need to have a voice in it. 

And the last is really the first.  The economic issue is the issue.  So, how do you partner with those folks who are in business with the economic growth council to pursue industry and business to come into Lawrence County, Bedford specifically, but Lawrence County?  It’s got to happen.  That is my number 1 item.  It was a promise.  I’ve got to figure out how to balance the day to day things and still get that accomplished.  And that is not an easy task.

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