MANSFIELD, Ohio–When mayors in other Ohio cities start asking for input and guidance, you must have done something right. Mayor Nan Whaley of Dayton has been in office for little over a year and is gaining popularity for her positions on immigration and education in revitalizing Dayton.
Dayton’s mayor was the guest speaker at the Richland County Democratic Women’s Caucus Monday night at the K.E. McCartney Memorial Building on South Park St.
“The Mayor of Cincinnati is on record as following her footsteps … She has made Dayton a city to watch, and she is the lady to watch,” said Vickie Eichof, Vice President of the Richland County Democratic Women’s Caucus.
Mayor Whaley admits that Dayton has seen its “dark days”, but Dayton is now moving forward. She shared some of the major signs of progression.
“The unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level in 25 years. Dayton has been identified as the hottest housing market in the nation. Last year the city recorded its first population increase since the 1960s, said Whaley.
“Dayton is moving forward because we are committed to some basic core values, like education. In my first year as mayor I declared education to be a major priority.”
She believes that with strong education, children are better equipped to enter the workforce and to succeed. She also feels that Dayton’s focus on bolstering their local schools will benefit their citizens in the long run and trigger a positive chain of reactions; better prepared and better educated workers leads to more attainable jobs.
She added, “Our belief in building an economy that lifts up everyone has led us to leverage our resources to retain, attract and create good paying jobs.”
“We have been designated as an all-star city for our progressive nondiscrimination policies, and our ‘Welcome Dayton’ program is being used as a model for other cities that are working to build a more diverse and inviting community,” said Whaley.
The Welcome Dayton program started as a grassroots movement and then turned into a city policy while Whaley was serving as a city commissioner. The policy basically states that Dayton has an open door to anyone and is a nondiscriminating community, welcoming new citizens of Dayton regardless of their backgrounds, orientations, or cultural differences.
“What we value makes a difference, what we believe makes a difference. Staying true and being prepared to defend and fight for what we value and what we believe can and will make a difference–in Montgomery County and in Richland County,” she concluded.
