Given that my first term as your councilman of Ward One in Whitehall is finishing up and due to my seeking re-election to a second term, I thought I’d take a moment for reflection on what transpired in that time.

In my time in office, my voting record has been 541 YES votes and 29 NO votes (as of late Sept.), voting with Administration around 95% of the time, not bad for someone painted as so contrary with the two mayor’s I’ve served with. To date, I’ve missed only 6 meetings out of a total of 180, and that was with a bout of Covid, a pacemaker installed and two hip replacement surgeries.

LEGISLATION:
I have introduced 4 pieces of legislation, more than any other councilor on the dais during my term:
1. Legislation to bolster the responsibility of dog owners to control their dogs to prevent escape and/or harm to neighbors and the community. It was poo-poohed by then Director Woodruff, Mayor Maggard and Councilor Bailey stating that the Ohio Revised Code already had the verbiage in it that dealt with such things. As such, and being new on Council, I dropped the legislation. Later, a resident’s small dog was mauled to death by a neighbor’s dog who broke through the fence adjoining the properties.
2. Legislation to bring back the Fairway Estate District that was taken away in the Zoning Code changes in 2022. The City Attorney, Mayor and Team Forward did their best to challenge this with charges of spot-zoning and the specter of ‘litigation’, invoked to scare people away from the legislation. Ultimately, Team Forward Together tabled it indefinitely, with then Ward Four Councilor Lori Elmore trying (wrongly) to accomplish it during an Agenda Meeting, which team member Harcar seconded:

3. Legislation to investigate charges of wrongdoing in the police department. Supported by the F.O.P., opposed by Mayor Bivens and Chief Crispen and everyone else on council, I did this to get answers from a contentious situation that wasn’t going away. I didn’t care WHO prevailed in the investigation but felt that the community deserved answers, plain and simply. It ultimately failed with myself the only ‘yes’ vote. Just because an issue isn’t ‘popular’ amongst council or just because Administration themselves didn’t introduce it, doesn’t mean its not worthy of focus on council, despite any push-back one might receive from having done so. I am not here just to offer popular delights but also to do the right thing. Sometimes that right thing is not pretty or popular.

4. Fireworks legislation. I introduced it earlier this year because of the citizens consistent complaints of the noise, the pollution and the frightened animals. We CAN do better and so I introduced something to attempt that. After discussion in one Committee meeting, I pulled it for later re-introduction.

FIGHTING FOR YOU:

>When the police wanted to buy a drone, I asked questions and fought for accountability regarding citizens privacy and against any possible authoritarian abuses.
>When there was legislation for golf carts on our streets, I negotiated that the 20-25 mph golf carts not be allowed on 35 mph streets, which prevailed. Because of this, the citizens now don’t have to be behind a slow-moving golf cart on Broad or Main or Hamilton tying up traffic and frustrating drivers.
>Brought up eliminating property taxes for Senior Citizens which was shot down by Mayor Maggard and others.
>Worked on doing something about companies buying up residential properties to rent out. After discussions with Columbus Realtors, the city attorney and another councilor, I gave it over to Community Standards and Enforcement to further it along where it was not heard of again. If re-elected, I want to bring it back for consideration.
>Discussed utilizing the city-owned property on Doney for a wildflower meadow. The suggestion was positively received by the Parks and Recreation Department and installed just this year, WITH bee hives with the assistance of a Ward 1 resident who is a bee keeper. Thanks to Shannon Brady for that.
>I approved legislation for new stop signs at Elbern across ‘The Woods’ in attempts to slow speeders.
>Questioned the use of TIFS and CRA’s as both an advantage and disadvantage for a community.
>When there were arguments being made to lessen council meetings to only two a month and to change the way the meetings were shared with the public, I fought against these proposals. So too, I suggested continuing the pandemic rule that citizens could submit poll public opportunities by email, fighting then for more communication with council from citizens. In both instances, I fought for more speech against those who would restrict and curtail broader council access and communication.
>When it was discovered that emails weren’t being received by or to the Fraternal Order of Police, I brought it to light and fought for council and others 1st Amendment rights.
>Asked the city to install ‘Wildlife Crossing’ signs at the bridge on Doney to ask caution of drivers for the wildlife who cross there because they use the creek as a path and are too often killed.
>When the Zoning Code was being changed, while waiting at Honda East for my vehicle to be repaired, I combed through the entirety of the thick code book highlighting and writing down all my questions which I then asked at the next Committee Meeting. That volume of questions which seemed to generally irritate and bore most of those on council.

CONTROVERSIES:

Gay Pride Crosswalks– The issue at hand was that there had reportedly been an incident where, while painting the crosswalks Pride colors, someone had thrown items and verbally abused the street crew doing the job which stopped the project in its tracks.
https://youtu.be/5EtS4BGPuFU?si=Uhy_9PtY4AfkHCXa
This was later found to be a false or dubious claim. After community outrage over the stoppage, a crosswalk in front of City Hall was painted Pride colors. When asked about this, by me, at a council meeting, the mayor was unfriendly to my inquiry and the matter was ultimately dropped.

Fairway Cliffs-This matter went on for nearly two years. When Ward 4 residents couldn’t get any satisfaction from their own Councilor, Lori Elmore (and after calling them ‘The Peanut Gallery’ at a council meeting) they entreated my help which I provided. I introduced legislation to return the Fairway Estate District to their neighborhood (which was tabled but later brought back in a similar form this year as Initiative 28 on November’s ballot, the SAME question Councilor Elmore didn’t want to consider). A herculean effort was made by the citizens to make their case and try to be heard but, in the end, their representatives on council (largely) didn’t listen.
https://cwcolumbus.com/news/local/whitehall-city-hall-packed-for-contentious-council-meeting-lgbtq-fairway-cliffs-city
IN SUMMATION:
Generally, even before I stepped foot on council, I fought for the citizens and their rights and the Public Trust and against morally corrupt government*. The entirety of the blog I produced shows this:
https://whitehallwatchblog.com/

The only difference in my point of view and the fight I undertake while being on council has been my restraint. As a citizen, off the council dais, I fought in a way available to me that is not the same while on council. The diplomacy and esprit de corps of council are different than as a citizen and so I have acted accordingly. However, my promise to you remains; to question them when I feel they’re doing wrong, play devil’s advocate and fight for the citizens and not a ethically questionable ‘team’, hasn’t wavered. For that, I am hated and disliked…that treatment that is the price I’ll suffer any day in this fight for you.
God bless and thank you for your support.

*