The Village of Walden will host a substantial election on March 18, featuring open seats for the mayor, the village justice, and three trustees. Of the current trustees whose seats are up for grabs this year, Deputy Chris Batson and Kristie Hall recently confirmed that they will not be running for reelection.

Trustee Ralph Garrison Jr., on the other hand, announced last week that he will be running to keep his seat, hoping to continue serving his community and looking out for the village’s youth.

Garrison is a fifth-generation Walden resident whose family has an extensive history in the village; his great-great-grandfather, A.B. Garrison, operated Garrison’s Coal and Lumber in the village during the early 1960s. After graduating from Valley Central High School in 2007, he served in the U.S. Army Reserves for over 15 years, being deployed twice. Currently, Garrison has worked at Hunter Insurance for the past 12 years.

As a lifetime resident, Garrison adores Walden and considers the village a great place to raise a family, take a nice stroll, enjoy several parks, and meet many friendly faces.

“I grew up here, so I just love everything that Walden has to offer. I can walk down the street with my kids and get a lot of smiles, waves, and hellos. It’s a very tight-knit community,” Garrison said. “I feel like everybody here is very nice and caring, and if you take the time to stop and talk to people, you’d realize that it’s actually a very good community to raise kids and grow up in.”

Around 2021, Garrison grew interested in local law and began participating in Walden’s meetings to learn more about his village government. Yearning to serve his community and address neglected issues, he ran and was elected trustee in 2023.

“I got old enough where I started understanding the ins and outs of how the government works. And if you want to make change in your community, you have to start at the lowest level,” Garrison said. “I started following the meetings, listening and speaking during them, and there were things that I thought could use a little work or change. I started throwing the idea around of maybe trying to get onto the board, and then an opportunity was presented to me about two years ago.”

As a trustee, one of Garrison’s biggest incentives is serving as a liaison for the village’s younger demographics, including children, teenagers, and young adults. He seeks to close the gap between the board and youth, giving them more opportunities for engagement and representation in the government process. Outside the board, Garrison extends his outreach to various parts of the community, such as helping the Walden Rotary Club with its food bank mission and coat drive, or the Ortiz Family with their backpack drive.

“I’m 35, and I want to be the bridge for my generation, and maybe the generation below them,” Garrison said regarding his role as a liaison. “I want to give them a voice and be someone they can look up to on the board and say, ‘Hey, that guy is just like me. He’s a hard-working, average middle-aged guy, and so am I, and so is my brother, and so is my cousin and my friend.’ I want to carry that voice over for them, so they feel like they have a place on the board.”

If reelected, Garrison wants to continue developing Walden’s infrastructure, including road and sewer, push the board to think more proactively, and ensure proper funding for the village’s parks and recreation programs. He hopes residents give him the opportunity to serve for another term, emphasizing that he will do his best to address their questions and concerns during and outside of meetings.

“I think my last two years have spoken for themselves. I feel like I’m a very key component to the board, and I hope to get reelected to continue bringing that diversity, keep building with my team up there, and do the right thing for the community and residents,” he said. “And I’m always available to talk to. If I don’t have the answer, then we’ll find the answer, and I will never give you an answer that’s not correct.”

There are three seats on the village board up on the March 18 village election. In addition to Garrison, former Village Trustees Lynn Thompson and Cheryl Baker are seeking to return to the board.

There are two candidates for mayor: Inclument John Ramos and Village Trustee Becky Pearson.