Tuesday’s municipal elections included a number of contests that will bring new leadership to a number of Ohio’s legacy cities as well as two of Ohio’s largest #GOPCThread
There were also a few smart growth-related ballot issues that we were excited to see get approved by local voters. This week’s #GOPCThread provides a rundown of the results and a look at who will be leading Ohio’s cities in the coming years.
After Mayor @FrankJacksonCLE’s 16 years in office, Cleveland will be experiencing a changing of the guard with the election of @BibbForCLE, who defeated @kevinkelleyCLE. Bibb, 34, becomes the second-youngest mayor in the city’s history #GOPCThread
.@AftabPureval was elected by a wide margin to replace @JohnCranley as Mayor of Cincinnati. Mayor Cranley served for 8 years and was not eligible to run for re-election due to term limits. Pureval defeated longtime councilman @mannforcincy#GOPCThread
In Dayton, @JeffreyJMimsJr2, will succeed @nanwhaley, who chose not to run for re-election, as Mayor. Mims previously served as a city commissioner, a representative of the state school board, & president of the city school board
For the Dayton City Commission, @turnersloss was elected to succeed Mayor-elect Mims. Incumbent Commissioner @darrylfair was re-elected to a new four year term #GOPCThread
Mayor @wadekaps successfully secured a second term as mayor of Toledo. He had been challenged by former Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, who failed in what would have been his 3rd time as Mayor of the glass city (mayor from 1994-2002 & 2006-2010).
Toledo will see the return of former councilman George Sarantou, joined by newcomer @michelegrim on city council next year, joined by 4 incumbent who retained their at-large seats
Voters in Lucas County also decided the fate of @TARTA_Toledo’s proposal to switch from a property tax-funded transit system to one that is funded via a sales tax piggy-back. The proposal was approved with about 55% of the vote.
In Youngstown, Mayor @YtownTitoBrown won a second term as mayor, defeating rivals Tracey Winbush and Richard Vincent Hill. Also elected in Youngstown was Tom Hetrick as City Council President. (Tom is an alum of @YoungstownNDC, one of our favorite orgs)
One of Ohio’s longest serving Mayors decided last year to retire. In 2022, @mayor_berger will be passing the baton to @sharettaforlima, who won with about 54% of the vote. Smith becomes the first black & first woman, to lead the @CityofLimaOH
Another small legacy city held mayoral elections. Mayor Pat Moeller won a fourth term as mayor of Hamilton. On City Council, @MichaelRyan316 & @TimothyNaab were re-elected to new terms, and joined by newcomer William Joel Lauer.
Xenia mayor Sarah Mays won reelection on Tuesday, as did council members Levi Dean and William Urschel. Council President Wesley Smith was also reelected for an unexpired term.
In Columbus, City Council President @SG_Hardin has retained his seat and will be welcoming 2 new members to the city’s legislative body. @NickBankston & @loubar76 won the most votes in the city-wide vote and will join council next year.
As October draws to a close, it’s once again time for GOPC’s annual look into the scariest, creepiest, most sinister thing around: the alarming rise in roadway fatalities. Prepare yourselves, if you dare, for #SpookyStreets
Even as vehicle miles driven dropped by 13% in 2020, preliminary estimates by @NCSsafety indicate that the rate of death on the roads spiked 24% over the previous 12mo period.
What’s worse: the trend seems to have continued into 2021. @NSCsafety estimates total motor-vehicle deaths for the first 6mo of 2021 were 21,450, up 16% from 2020 and up 17% from 2019.
The #Halloween season is upon us, and as you can see, we are in a festive mood here at GOPC. This week, we are devoting our #GOPCThread to highlighting some of the spooky, creepy, and hunted locals across the great state of🎃hi🎃
Vacant & in disrepair, the apparition of #USA’s oldest 19th century theater haunted downtown #MtVernonOH for decades. Thru a restoration fueled by #taxcredits & persistence, the @woodwardopera rose from the dead & is a part of the downtown renaissance 👻 #GOPCThread
To the north in @MansfieldOhio lies the @OSReformatory, abandoned in 1990 and purportedly haunted by the spirits of its past occupants, the ex-prison is a major tourist destination and a favorite filming location for #Hollywood films, tv & music videos 👻 mrps.org/paranormal
Diverse coalitions drive #equitabledevelopment. @Transit4Indy a multisector coalition included nonprofits, national experts, regional mayors, anchor institutions, advocacy groups, relators, CDCs, minority orgs, & labor groups. All encouraged support for mass transit #GOPCThread
.@Transit4Indy created a data-intensive slide deck that made the case for reliable public transit as a way 2 provide access 2 jobs, education, healthcare, and amenities. The slides shared startling statistics about income, crime and segregation in #Indy. #GOPCThread
Last month, @cbusmetroclub hosted a forum on the “LinkUS Columbus Mobility Initiative” w/ representatives from the initiative partners commenting on the project’s goals and current progress. You can view the recording here #GOPCThread:
The LinkUS initiative was created to address the transportation and access issues of a growing region, and builds off of several previous studies, including Insight2050, COTA NextGen, and the Insight2050 Corridor Concepts Study #GOPCThread
This month’s #OHCommunitySpotlight features Marietta, one of the oldest European settlements in Ohio, first capital of the Northwest Territory, and one-time shipbuilding powerhouse #GOPCThread
The history of this area of the state begins in the prehistoric era, when several indigenous cultures lived along what is now the Ohio River & its tributaries. Many of these societies built earthwork mounds, monuments dedicated to cosmology & astronomical events #GOPCThread
The earthworks in the Marietta area were constructed by the Hopewell, a pre-Columbian Native American civilization that lived in the region from roughly 100 BC to 500 AD #GOPCThreaden.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marietta_…
Last month, @JobsOhio announced the recipients selected for the first round of the Vibrant Community Grant Program – a new program launched by JobsOhio to provide economic development assistance to Ohio’s distressed communities #GOPCThread
The Vibrant Community Program was established to assist distressed small and medium sized communities in executing a catalytic economic development project – with favored projects including real estate development and operated shared spaces #GOPCThread
96 Ohio cities are eligible, as these cities have populations between 5-75K and poverty rates at or above the state’s average. Applicants for the Vibrant Community Program are business, nonprofits, developers, port authorities, or local governments #GOPCThread