MANSFIELD, Ohio — Attracting business to Mansfield, blight, downtown living and the candidates’ goals for office were topics at Tuesday evening’s Mansfield mayor debate.
Mansfield mayoral candidates Ron Abrams, Gloria Curtis and incumbent Mayor Tim Theaker fielded questions before an audience of approximately 700 people Tuesday evening during the debate at the Renaissance Theatre.
The debate was a collaborative effort of Richland Source, WMAN radio, Renaissance Theatre, Richland Young Professionals, Richland Area Chamber of Commerce, and DRM Productions.
Candidates answered questions from moderators WMAN radio host Rusty Cates and Richland Source Editor Rhonda Bletner. They also responded to a question from surprise guest former mayor of Mansfield Lydia Reid. Additional questions were submitted via social media by members of the community.
Abrams, a Democrat, said he envisions a “dynamic” Mansfield.
“I believe that the best days of Mansfield are ahead of us,” he said. “I believe that Mansfield has a lot of undeveloped talent, unrecognized resources and that Mansfield can benefit from leadership that will take advantage of that undeveloped talent and those unrecognized resources and bring various aspects of the community together to address the issues that we face today.”
Some of his priorities include bolstering job creation, enhancing safety services, addressing the drug issue, supporting efforts that improve the quality of educational institutions, reducing blight and focusing on the union of workforce development and economic development.
“We can’t do effective economic development unless we have a qualified and an energetic workforce,” he said.
Note: The full debate will be available to see later this week, courtesy of DRM Productions.
Curtis, a write-in candidate who is also a Democrat, talked about the need for income tax, noting, “If you don’t have income tax coming in, we can’t pay for safety services, we can’t pay for fire, we can’t do anything.”
She believes the development of a “transportation hub” can help with that.
Using the bus service that the city already has, the “hub” would transport people to such places as Columbus, Cleveland, the Honda plant in Marysville and Rolls Royce Energy Systems in Mount Vernon until rail service begins.
She also said she would like to implement a recycling program, rehabilitate blighted housing and bring “green energy” to the city through the use of wind turbines and solar fields.
Theaker, the Republican incumbent who was elected mayor in 2011, said he receives numerous calls from the residents of Mansfield about what they view as priorities. Those priorities, he said, include the desire to feel safe and protected from crime, having the streets plowed in the winter, the roads paved, leaves picked up, blight reduced and more jobs created.
“That’s what I have already been working on and will continue to work on–to take these priorities and make them realities,” he said.
Candidates were asked what they think is the city’s biggest opportunity or resource.
Curtis said the city’s transportation system is its biggest opportunity.
“With that transportation system we already have half the battle won in getting jobs…Our transportation system is ready to use and we can use it to transport us not only to jobs in Marysville, Mount Vernon, Columbus and Cleveland, but we can bring people into our city,” she said.
Theaker noted the importance of teamwork, saying, “We need to work together. We are a diverse community and we have to embrace that.”
Abrams said, “I firmly believe that our biggest resource or opportunity is our people…If we’re going to be great in the future it’s going to be because of the people.”
Candidates shared their thoughts about reducing blight in the city.
Theaker started off by sharing that his administration has acquired over $700,000 from the state attorney general’s office to clean up blighted houses. He added that over 375 structures have been torn down during his time in office, with 22 more house slated for demolition in the near future.
He also talked about the city’s partnership with the county land bank. “We’re partnering together to make sure that we do not tear down a building, even though it might be dilapidated, until there is a buyer of that building,” he said.
Abrams has concerns about blight appearing in “nicer neighborhoods,” saying, “Once we allow that kind of activity to begin creeping into all of our neighborhoods, we’ve got an uncontrollable problem.”
He also said that the city lacks a “master plan” when it comes to determining what happens after a property has been demolished.
To help address the blight issue, he said the city needs to engage with neighborhood organizations and be more cognizant of opportunities in which historic preservation funds could be used to rehabilitate buildings.
Curtis doesn’t believe in demolishing properties. “When I see a dilapidated house, I see opportunity,” she said.
She believes that homeowners and renters should take it upon themselves to help beautify the city. She used the analogy of having company over, saying that people typically like to tidy their home up before having visitors over.
“We need to have a ‘company is coming’ attitude in Mansfield,” she said.
Reid prefaced her question to the candidates by saying, “We have lost so many businesses to Ontario and I think it’s sad that we aren’t able to keep those businesses here. For example, FedEx went to Ontario.
“My question is why in the world didn’t they go out to our beautiful airport industrial park?”
Theaker responded, “Jobs in Richland County helps everybody in Richland County…We are the county seat and we need to work with everybody, just like we’ve worked with Ontario to get their sewer contract in place.”
Abrams thinks the city needs a more “business-friendly” environment and that there should be a “one-stop shop” for prospective businesses to go to so that they don’t have to visit various offices to get the information, licenses and approval they need.
Curtis believes in establishing a “Mansfield City Chamber of Commerce,” “because the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce I feel no longer serves what’s best for us,” she said.
Each candidate explained why her or she deserves the citizens’ votes.
“I am a creative person and I am a hard worker. Vote for me and you will see a big difference in Mansfield,” Curtis said.
Abrams said, “I’m running for mayor because I believe I’ve got something more different to offer than what we currently have.”
Theaker said, “I am moving Mansfield forward…I want to thank you for trusting me the last four years to be your mayor and I am asking for your vote Nov. 3.”
A reception, the food furnished by Holiday Inn Mansfield, followed the debate for guests to talk with the mayoral candidates as well as candidates for other offices. The reception was sponsored by CenturyLink, MT Business Technologies and the Richland County Democratic Party.
