Tyler and his dog, Wren

Hi Neighbor! 

I’m Tyler Owens, and I’m running for Wooster City Council in your Ward 4 this November. 

Why I’m running

Wooster has become a real home to me, and I want to see it thrive and grow. I appreciate and love the things that make Wooster special, from the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market (a staple of weekends in the Agsten-Owens household) to all of the parks, and the thriving local businesses. I understand that these parts of what make Wooster special don't happen by accident. They happen because communities come together and make them happen. I am running for City Council in order to contribute to this community and its members and help us reach our shared goals. 

I’m running to help make Wooster a better place to live for everyone. I’m focused on affordability, specifically when it comes to housing and the cost of living, which means building more housing that working- and middle-class families can actually afford. We also have to make sure we’re bringing good-paying jobs to Wooster, especially if we’re giving out tax incentives to businesses. People can’t appreciate our community and contribute to all it has to offer, if they can’t afford to live here. 

I also want to make City government more transparent and accessible to all residents. The City has a duty to keep you informed, as many changes directly affect your daily lives. For example, you should have plenty of warning if there’s a vote to change the frequency of your recycling pickup or if a roundabout is being considered for your neighborhood. Please know that if elected, I plan to keep my website updated with information about pending and passed City Council legislation so you can stay informed. I also want to expand possibilities for residents to weigh in on important decisions and speak to their representatives through City Council Chat sessions and other community events. Together, we can make sure Wooster City Government works for all of us, not just some of us. Join me.

Tyler standing in front of trees

Who I am

I grew up in Sandusky in a working-class union family as both my dad and grandfather worked for the local Ford plant. In my senior year of high school, I started dating my now wife, Elora Agsten, and we’ve been together since. We will celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary this Fall and 16 wonderful years together. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science from Ashland University. 

After we both graduated, we got married and moved to Cleveland Heights for a few years. In August of 2018, we moved to Illinois so Elora could go to graduate school at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. We originally intended to move right back to Ohio once she finished, but as she graduated in May of 2020, world events had other plans. We stayed in Illinois a few more years before ultimately returning home to Northern Ohio in July 2023, when Elora accepted a job at her alma mater, the College of Wooster. I also found my way back to my alma mater, as I am currently the Help Desk Manager for Ashland University’s IT Department, where I manage our student employees. While we appreciated our time in Illinois, Ohio has always been home for us and we are thrilled to be back. Our families are pretty happy about it, too! You may see us walking around the neighborhoods with our greyhound, Wren, while our two cats, Murphy and Shrub (whom we recently adopted from the Wayne County Humane Society), are at home.

Here’s how you can help!

If you’d like a campaign yard sign to let your neighbors know you support me, we can get you one! A voluntary $10 contribution will help us buy more signs, but I’m happy to get you a sign either way. Contributions can be made here

And be sure to check that you’re registered to vote and then come out to vote. Early voting begins October 7 and Election Day is Tuesday, November 4! 

Thanks!