These last few weeks, there has been a lot of public discussion about growth, change and the results they can yield for a community. Most notably, the subject came up at two separate events. The first, a luncheon at The Ohio State University-Mansfield campus, was fascinating. The second, a county commissioners meeting, was disappointing.
A group of undergrads from The Ohio State University in Columbus (with very little first hand knowledge of Richland County) revealed, to well over one hundred attendees, their analysis and recommendations for the economic development of our communities, which Richland Source reported on April 22.
It was revealing to hear the students admit that they were initially skeptical about what Mansfield could possibly offer as a quality of life. What was even more revealing was what they found during their research. Turns out they like it here.
The researchers recognized enormous potential in our downtowns and the further development of them. They saw many great reasons to live in Richland County.
Interestingly, the students didn’t mention who was in charge of the downtown redevelopment during their presentation. They appeared to be utterly unconcerned with which person or agency was credited with the progress. They simply saw the change and growth in communities like Mansfield, Bellville, and Shelby, liked the results, and asked for more.
Guess what the researchers found to be our biggest obstacle?
A self-defeating attitude and resistance to change. Unfortunately, that attitude was on full display at the other event where the topics of growth and change came up, a recent county commissioners meeting.
According to a News Journal report, Commissioners Ed Olson and Tim Wert spent a great deal of time during the meeting taking RCDG Executive Director Bridget McDaniel to task. Apparently, in Olson and Wert’s mind, the wrong people were being credited for the organization of a job fair which helped the recently displaced employees of Voisard Manufacturing (now owned and operated by G.B. Manufacturing).
That wasn’t all Wert had to say. He continued his criticism of McDaniel by asserting that she (and by extension, RCDG) had nothing to do with the creation of the newly formed Richland County Land Reutilization Corporation (RCLRC). The RCLRC was recently awarded $773,750 in Hardest Hit Funds to demolish, purchase, or refurbish vacant properties in Richland County.
Seriously? This is how our commissioners react when a recently closed company is purchased and local jobs are saved? This is how our public officials talk when – shortly after the formation of the RCLRC – three quarters of a million dollars were secured to help restore the county’s housing infrastructure?
Rather than focusing on the impact of both accomplishments, the commissioner’s reaction is to complain about who gets the credit?
Even if the commissioners had a point and McDaniel had failed to recognize everyone involved, they picked a terrible way to get it across. Worse, such territorial parochialism demeans the results of the county’s public-private partnership with RCDG – which were positive all the way around. There is a better way to do this sort of thing and it can be found happening all over our community, including the example below.
Two years ago this past April 25th, an Italian contractor at the 179th Airlift Wing named Giuseppe Maino, crashed into a center bollard on the B&O bike and died as a result of his injuries. A bollard is a vertical pole placed on a road, path, or sidewalk to divert or discourage traffic.His was the second death resulting from a collision with bollards on the B&O.
After Maino’s service, a small group of private and public citizens quietly went to work to remove the center bollards and improve the trail’s signage. What began as a tragedy quickly became a constructive public-private partnership with the Richland County Parks Board, which oversees the B&O. The results? The B&O is now safer for users and a more attractive asset for our community.
Who got the credit? Nobody seems to care. In fact, the persons involved inevitably deflect praise and point out the hard work of their partners.
When representing a community that was recently cited as losing population at an alarming rate, yet was among the ten most affordable small cities in the country, our public and private officials should be working to invite into the fold anyone willing to help. Richland County needs its leaders to focus on the road ahead, look for ways to change for the better, and support the collective efforts that bring huge results.
And when we have an opportunity to celebrate a victory or two, the best thing our leaders can do is just look around and say, “Thanks for the help.”
