Originally Posted on TAPinto Summit | March 7th, 2025 | By Chris Wightman
Kevin Smallwood, a financial advisor, longtime Summit resident, and first-term Councilmember-at-Large, is quickly making his mark as a thoughtful, hands-on leader committed to solving real problems while protecting the community spirit that makes Summit special.
A former college basketball coach turned civic advocate, Smallwood jumped into local service through his work with Summit Downtown Inc and the Summit Police Athletic League. His drive to serve comes from a deep belief in helping neighbors directly — like when he coordinated with city leaders to transform the old firehouse into a donation hub for a local grassroots effort.
What He’s Working On — The Big Issues that Matter
Smallwood’s approach to leadership is practical, people-focused, and fiscally responsible. He’s tackling the city’s most important priorities head-on:
Public Safety: Championed the Resident Protection Ordinance and hiring of new police officers. Advocates for more downtown foot patrols and additional staff for fire and police departments.
Overdevelopment & Affordable Housing: Concerned about Summit losing its suburban charm to dense high-rise development. Supports responsible planning and negotiating the state-mandated 345-unit housing target with solutions like Broad Street West.
City Staffing Gaps: Acknowledges City Hall’s understaffing and the budget challenge of adding key roles — especially in engineering and public works — while protecting taxpayers.
Beautification of Downtown: Leading efforts to revitalize sidewalks, clean up tree wells, and restore “gum buster” cleanup efforts. Advocates stronger partnerships between the city and Summit Downtown Inc to get it done right.
Renewable Energy & Cost Savings: Pushing for solar installations at city facilities and energy aggregation to cut costs. Estimates a $300K+ savings from solar on Rec Center alone — a win for both environment and taxpayers.
Parking & Infrastructure: Helped reopen 32 new resident commuter spots. Supports major renovations to the aging Tier garage and smarter management of city lots.
Tatlock Field Lights: Supports the project with guardrails — for Summit use only, not rentals. Addresses public concerns with transparency, reduced costs, and a new neighborhood committee for feedback.
WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?)
If you live, work, or raise a family in Summit, Smallwood’s priorities hit home: safer streets, smarter development, a cleaner downtown, lower energy bills, and stronger fiscal oversight. He’s focused on solutions that work — without the politics — and puts people first in every decision.
His Vision for Summit
Smallwood wants to keep Summit’s hometown feel while embracing progress that respects its character. He sees real potential in collaborative leadership, open dialogue, and respectful disagreement that puts residents first — not party lines.
Call to Action
Summit deserves leaders who listen, act, and deliver results — not just headlines. Kevin Smallwood is showing up for our community with clear goals, a servant’s heart, and the courage to lead. Let’s support leaders who protect what matters and fight for what’s next. Get involved. Speak up. Summit’s future depends on it.
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