Husband. Father. Barber. Business owner. Volunteer.

Dowagiac’s Patrick Bakeman can now add one more title to his name: city councilman.

The 38-year-old defeated incumbent Lori Hunt to become one of the Dowagiac’s 1st Ward councilmembers during Tuesday’s citywide election. Bakeman, of Green Street, received 65 percent of the vote, 81 to 43, according to unofficial results from the Cass County Clerk/Register Office.

The downtown business owner celebrated his Election Day victory in the warmly-lit dining room of Front Street’s Round Oak Revisited, surrounded by his family and friends. As soon as he learned the results, his daughters rushed to embrace him while the rest of his supporters stood to give the newly elected leader a standing round of applause.

Still basking in the glow of his victory, Bakeman thanked the many who supported his run for city council, and announced that he was anxious to get to work representing the citizens of the 1st Ward.

“I already have my list prepared,” he said shortly after his victory Tuesday night. “I’m ready.”

Bakeman will not have long to enjoy his victory lap, though. He will begin his four-year term on the city council at its next meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, at city hall, when he will be sworn into office.

The Dowagiac native will join fellow 1st Ward Councilmember Danielle Lucas on the six-member council, who are responsible for approving new regulations, payments and other activities on behalf on city residents.

The 1st Ward council seat was the only contested race in Tuesday’s city elections. Councilmembers Bob Schuur, of the city’s 2nd Ward, and Mayor Pro Tem Leon Laylin, of the 3rd Ward, both ran uncontested. The three will join 1st Ward councilmember Lucas, 2nd Ward councilmember James Dodd and 3rd Ward councilmember Charles Burling.

Bakeman, a 1998 graduate of Dowagiac Union High School, has owned Bakeman Barbers, located at the intersection of Front and Division streets downtown, for the past 12 years, opening the business after he and his wife, Ravan, returned to the area after living outside Detroit.

The husband and father of three is the vice chair and one of the founders of The Young Professionals of Greater Dowagiac, a member of the Dowagiac Lions and does play-by-play commentary for Dowagiac Chieftain football games for the local radio station.

His bid for 1st Ward councilmember marked his first bid for political office. He made the decision to run after being approached by several people asking him to consider getting involved with the city’s leadership, Bakeman said.

“People come into my shop all the time, telling me about what kind of problems they are facing,” he said. “Now, I feel like I have a chance to help them, and that’s exciting to me.”

The business owner said one of the main reasons he decided to get involved in city politics is due to the fact that he believes that residents desire some new blood to step up and get involved with local decision making, he said.

Bakeman said that he is humbled by 1st Ward residents’ decision to put their trust in him, and will work hard for every person living in the neighborhood, especially those who voted for his opponent, he said. The new councilmember also thanked Hunt for her service to the city over the past decade, saying she is a role model for the amount of effort she poured into the position.

While he has a number of concerns he interested in addressing, in particular the future of Dowagiac’s public services, Bakeman said his first priority upon assuming office next week will be learning more in order to determine what direction he would like to help the city take in the future, and to learn more about the rest of the city council.

His hope that is that the success of his campaign will also inspire other younger city residents to get involved in local government, be it on the city council or on one of the many other decision-making boards. He would also like to see more people get out to vote in the future, as only 124 people voted in the 1st Ward election Tuesday.

“I think people in Dowagiac are ready for change, and I can be the face of that change,” Bakeman said.

Dowagiac Mayor Don Lyons was also re-elected without contest Tuesday, and will begin his sixth 4-year term next week. He has served as mayor since 1997.

Latoi Wilson — who, like Bakeman, is a 1998 graduate of Union High and a member of The Young Professionals — also won her first election as Dowagiac treasurer. She has served in the position since the council appointed her to the position in April, following the retirement of previous Treasurer Robin Coffey.

The Dowagiac Daily News reached out Hunt for comment, but had not received a response by press time.