Sanburn seeks to be ‘Crystal clear’ council member

Former Kokomo school board member running for 6th District city council

As a lifelong resident of Kokomo and Howard County, Crystal Sanburn has seen the community during great times and times of real challenge. Through it all, she recognized that the power of Kokomo resides in people’s willingness to help each other.

She wants to be a part of that process as a member of the Kokomo Common Council. A Republican and “unapologetic Christian,” Sanburn is running to represent the city’s 6^th District.

“We are in the midst of a transformational moment in our community,” said Sanburn. “With my collaborative spirit and experience, along with my ability to bring people together for a common cause, I will provide leadership on the opportunities before us to ensure more great days ahead.”

Sanburn ended a lengthy tenure on the Kokomo Center Schools Board in 2022, but she is convinced that her work in the community is far from finished. She currently serves as the executive director of Cross America. A seat on the Kokomo Common Council will only enhance her opportunities to benefit the community, she feels.

“I just feel very led to at least make the effort to try to serve our community,” said Sanburn. “I loved every minute of being on the Kokomo school board. I felt like if I didn't like something that was going on, I could affect change better if I was a part of a solution as a board member. People like to complain, rant, and rave about stuff. But if you can get yourself in a position where you can help affect change and understand truly what's happening, that's the most important thing.”

Transparency is the central theme of Sanburn’s campaign. She is convinced that explaining not just what government is doing, but why as well, is vital to building trust with the community. At a time when open and accessible leadership in government is needed, she believes her approach will be effective.

“We should explain to people, ‘this is what your taxes are paying for, and this is why we're doing it,’” said Sanburn. “Give the reasoning behind things. That is most important. There's no hiding behind any agenda.

“Just taking five minutes to explain why government does things, where the money comes from. I want to be a servant and help people. That's really why I'm doing it. This is me, making sure people know they can call me to say, ‘hey, let's talk about this.’ Let's figure out how we can make something happen together.”

Sanburn considers herself a “rule follower.” She wants to ensure the city follows the requirements of its contracts, that it doesn’t bend or break laws to accomplish its goals, and that it follows through with its duties to the people. Within that framework, she is certain that Kokomo can grow and prosper, especially when it comes to economic development.

“I want to continue and accelerate the current economic momentum happening in Kokomo and Howard County by ensuring collaboration between the public and private sectors,” said Sanburn. “This will facilitate additional job opportunities and growth for our families.

“I want to advance the quality-of-life measures currently in place while working to create new opportunities for our families, which in turn will also help attract new homeowners and businesses to Kokomo.”

Like most officials and candidates for office in Kokomo, public safety is at the top of the list for Sanburn.

“I'm all about the police and the firefighters,” said Sanburn. “We are blessed to have people who put themselves on the line for us every single day. How can we make their lives easier? I will support efforts to plan for and replace retiring officers and firefighters. I will also work to ensure staffing levels are appropriate to provide the level of public safety our community needs and deserves.

“With appropriate staffing levels, I will make sure our men and women protecting our community have the tools and resources they need to do it effectively.”

Sanburn also wants to be an advocate for those suffering from mental illness and addiction.

“I recognize that we have a huge problem with drug addiction in our community,” said Sanburn. “That breaks my heart more than anything else. How can we help those people know that there is hope? Drug addiction, suicide, and mental illness are concerns in many communities across our country.

“For our community, I want to support quality existing programs and explore ways as a community to strengthen families, marriages, and relationships to provide hope and recovery for individuals currently suffering from these challenges.”

At the end of the process, Sanburn has faith that she will be where she is needed, whether that is on the city council or somewhere else. She isn’t running for office for herself, she said.

“I kind of feel like if God would have this for my life, it'll happen,” said Sanburn. “I'm going to do whatever I can to be a good steward of the monies that I've been given by friends to help me get elected. But if I don't get elected, then the Lord must have something else for me. And that's okay. I'm going find it. It's all right.”