WARDEN - Kayla Kight believes she can bring a positive change to Warden by serving as the city's next mayor.

"I want to find out what Warden as a community wants and needs for its future and I believe I can make that happen," she said.

Since she came to Warden, Kight has been actively involved with several aspects of the community. She's attended city council meetings, assisted on the Warden Development Council, helped with Warden Community Days and worked alongside the police department with the Neighborhood Watch program.

If elected, her primary goal would be to address the city's gang issues, reduce graffiti and lower crime rates, she said. In her opinion, the city council's biggest challenge in the coming years will be to address the many issues gangs bring to the city.

In order to improve efforts to fight gang activity, Kight said, "We need the involvement of our community and the city to stand together with our police department."

She believes parents should be fined for their children's crimes because parents should be accountable for their children.

"Children are parents' responsibility," she said.

Warden should employ speeding cameras, Kight said, but only for the safety of children in the high-traffic school zone on South County Road.

Kight would like to work on bringing economic growth and more revenue into the community. Part of this involves the efforts of city council and staff who must improve the city's image by working hand-in-hand with the community to fix up run down businesses and clean vacant lots, she said.

As to why people should vote for her, Kight said she finishes what she starts, sees goals through and respects the people in the community.

The best single thing about living in Warden, Kight said, are the people.

"When we need one another, in any situation, we're here for each other," she said.