As with anyone running for office, people ask me what I stand for and what it is I hope to accomplish by service in public office. The first part has been thoroughly laid out here on this blog, most all of which still stands. I feel no need to further expound on what these posts already elaborate:
https://votedixon.com/2015/09/03/an-open-letter-to-whitehall-citizens/
https://votedixon.com/2015/09/05/my-positions-1-legislatorcouncilperson/
https://votedixon.com/2015/09/10/my-positions-2-policecrimesafety/
https://votedixon.com/2015/09/28/whitehall-ohio-the-city-of-no/
https://votedixon.com/2017/05/18/giving-a-damn-about-the-poor/
What I can provide though is a list of things I wish to focus on and hopefully bring to fruition while on council. (While this list is numbered it by no means suggests a prioritization)
#1 Pursue stronger anti-littering initiatives.
A couple years back Mayor Maggard rightly brought forth an initiative to tackle the littering problem. I was on the committee to pick people to sit on the anti-littering group but wasn’t on the ultimate committee. While they had a few ideas, I’m not certain what actually materialized or the success rate it had. I still see the same trash up and down Doney Street, in the creek and other parts of Whitehall.
I want to focus on a couple areas: the fines that we have on the books but have never heard of anyone receiving, more informative signage regarding Whitehall’s attitude regarding littering, requesting people not litter and fines associated with littering. (If we can put up signs suggesting all panhandlers are alcoholics and drug abusers, surely we can put up a few cautioning people against littering) and the trash/plastic producers themselves. What responsibility do they have in the creation of trash to the swirling trash-vortex the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean? There is a connection and if the rest of America and the world can take concrete steps to do something about this very real problem, I don’t think Whitehall should be at the back of the line of communities stepping up.
#2 Pursue more citizen-friendly, citizen-centric code enforcement policies.
In the past several years, the overarching implementation of code enforcement in Whitehall has been as a means to whip citizens into the shape amenable for your elected officials tastes (Pat Legg Jr.) or, as a tool to either rid the city of people they didn’t like (Dave Deluca) or to punish those who didn’t tow the ‘company line’. They have abused the rights granted them by you, the citizens, to punish those who didn’t ‘comply’ or were hostile to Whitehall’s governance. This has usually been done to entice the money men, the profiteers who see unique, organic community character as distasteful and ‘substandard’ and abhorrent to the dull, standardized vision of their corporatocracy; where individuality and freedom and character are sacrificed for increased tax revenue sought by ego-driven politicians making a name for themselves and ever-increasing profit margins by ever-monopolizing multinational corporations who don’t care one lick about our Whitehall. You see it increasingly throughout America where whatever town you find yourself in is exactly the same as your town with all the same chain stores blandly lining the streets.*
http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170925/does-columbus-zoning-board-bulldoze-area-commission-decisions
Code enforcement is supposed to be there for the ultimate reward of the citizens themselves, not to be used as a political tool to harm citizens and enemies and further enrich millionaires and billionaires bank accounts, particularly at the sacrifice of the community’s character**. That’s the code enforcement I want to see implemented.
#3 Designate the neighborhood known as ‘The Woods’ either as historic or as Whitehall’s first neighborhood.
My family and I have lived in Ward 1 for over 50 years. The neighborhood bound by Main, Broad, Maplewood and Robinwood were, I believe, nicknamed ‘The Woods’ by the police and constitute Whitehall’s first real neighborhood. Carved out of farms (including Abram Doney’s) nearly 100 years ago, it foreshadowed the coming suburbia over 25 years later. Its older homes and big trees are certainly worthy of this distinction. It creates interest for people to live there and certainly increases the cache for the homes and Whitehall itself. I think, even unofficially, with signage to allow visitors and passerby to know what the neighborhood is, it would be a win-win for Whitehall and Ward 1.
#4 Quality of life issues.
Something which has become increasingly apparent as the years have worn on since my return to Whitehall 10 years ago has been the assault to the quality of life Whitehall, and certainly Ward 1, has suffered. Daily are the motorcycles revving their ear-splitting engines and tearing down the streets going forty and fifty miles an hour, as well the trucks and cars too. There are the huge trucks which have no business coming down small residential streets to cut across or save themselves time delivering or going to and from Walmart and Target on opposite ends of ‘The Woods’. City Hall remains apathetic to the problem as the mayor and most councilpersons live where this isn’t an issue (except for Ward 1 councilman Chris Rodriguez who used to live on Robinwood Avenue and who finally took a half-hearted stab at doing something about it only after I involved him in it, that which was fought by the mayor and asst. city attorney and thus, dropped). People feel emboldened to speed and roar across Whitehall and ruin the quality of life for citizens and homeowners because there aren’t enough speed traps and the current administration is too busy building up businesses, careless to and seemingly blind to the detriment of the actual day to day quality of life of its citizens who live here. Something has got to give and I intend to be proactive on restoring some semblance of sanity to our neighborhoods again. With like-minded councilmembers, I hope we’ll achieve that goal.
#5 Create distinctions among neighborhoods within Whitehall.
In years past, different neighborhoods grew and lived as their own unique enclaves. (Not dull and standardized) It lent a friendly spirit of competition amongst different neighborhoods within the same city. I say, that can, and should be, promoted again. Youth sports teams can be brought forth (imagine the Norton Field Tigers!) and create fun and friendly competition amongst various Whitehall neighborhoods. It also creates a lively spirit exemplified in what the different neighborhoods bring to various events (their talents, their cooking skills). Different neighborhoods can host their own festival or fair that promotes and highlights their people and their assets. Tee-shirts can be made and worn, neighborhoods get an added real estate boost by having the cache their particular neighborhood brings to the table. It may increase desire to have particular businesses or attractions which burnish neighborhood pride. Signs not only signifying lines of demarcation but also names of neighborhoods, slogans, etc. I believe its a unique way to make the city livelier and interesting (as long as profiteers with only dollar signs in their eyes are kept away and not allowed to destroy the individuality, ingenuity and spirit this sort of grass-roots, citizen-based neighborhood initiative can bring).
#6 Act as the watchdog I’m supposed to when representing the citizens as their elected leader.
Too often in the past several years, I have seen council avert their eyes when decisions affecting the citizens, in various fashions, are made. There was the near thievery of the Woodcliffe neighborhood (see: profiteers) by our city’s leaders who were given this pass to do so by disinterested, uninformed, careless (or duplicitous) council representatives who weren’t minding the people’s business. (Which includes your current Ward 1 Councilman, Chris Rodriguez)
There are issues with code enforcement robbing people of their civil rights and yet, no watchdogs on council, no one looking out for the law, for ‘right’ and making sure the citizens were being protected from nefarious dealings by underhanded city leaders. Its really quite shameful. As your elected representative in government, it is my responsibility and obligation to the citizens (and the Constitution) to be their watchdog in governmental affairs. Plain and simply.
#7 Also acting as (and continuing to be) a watchdog for our democratic processes and the sanctity of the moral principles that guide and secure them.
This blog is rife with examples of the corrupt moral failings of your elected leaders in Whitehall politics who endlessly choose either the most expedient course of action, regardless of inherent conflicts of interest or, the one which, while wrong, is best for them personally or politically. Whitehall City Hall is sick with it. The public needs to pay attention to what is going on and insist upon candidates who actually discuss and promote ethical cleanliness of public officials in their campaign. It is not enough to simply trust them. Simply trusting them is exactly what caused the sickness at city hall in the first place. The prescription to heal it is demanding an ethical stringency in your candidates. It is vital and why I wish to focus on it when in office. This blog post explains why it is so vital:
https://votedixon.com/2015/07/04/why-ethics-in-public-office-matter/
#8 Insist on increased awareness of diversity in the movements of city events and such.
While I grew up in the Whitehall of the 60’s and 70’s where it was 99.5 % white, I also lived in NYC and LA for 17 years where ‘white’ was just one of several racial distinctions. Growing up in a majority white community I found it refreshing and wonderful to be surrounded by so much rich racial, ethnic and cultural diversity: Dominicans and Africans and Spaniards and Columbians and Islanders, etc., that all brought their unique selves to the table of experience and life. New York City, who are used to a rich diversity of peoples, are very comfortable with all their citizens. Everybody is celebrated and appreciated each in their own way and as a whole too. Here in Whitehall I feel a lack of comfortability with diversity from our city, in various ways. From my experience in NYC and LA, it feels non-inclusive and off-putting. Whether it was the harsh blanket criticism of the Commons at Royal Landing neighborhood (where many people of color who didn’t cause problems also lived and who were forced out of their homes), or the distinct lack of diverse choices of music at the various free concert venues ( I believe this is a WCCA event) Currently, its primarily always country music or 70’s rock tribute bands. It seems like stuff that those in charge enjoy regardless of whether a broader scope of people would enjoy or attend it. How about something for the Somalians or the Senegalese that they may like? What about the Latinos? How about a festival or band celebrating one of their cultures? It must feel terribly dismissive to some citizens to never have their particular niche of humanity celebrated and made to feel specifically welcome by their own town.
My point is, I feel a lack of thought in regard to diversity of city events separates the citizenry. Whitehall is what it is now, not what it once was. As such, we need to acknowledge more of the reality of the current us and display it more in the events and such that we put on and enjoy. Its my hope to keep an eye on and speak up about and defend this position when decisions are discussed and made.
In closing and in consideration of your vote, I ask you: when was the last time you saw an actual council candidate in Whitehall put this much effort and consideration into, not only into letting you know all about them but also proffering a list of actual ideas to better the city (innovative or otherwise)? If you can elect silent candidates who lack proactivity in their job and sneak in and slide by doing little to nothing, why not elect one who actually has passion, ideas and care to see betterment?
GERALD DIXON WARD 1 NOVEMBER 7TH
* “Visitors come to a place because the locals have given it character. Without authentic character, there is no vitality, only predictability and a dehumanizing banality. Appeal for either the local citizen or visitor does not exist.”- Roberta Brandes Gratz, Award-winning journalist and urban critic
** https://votedixon.com/2015/10/24/the-petty-tyranny-of-whitehall-code-enforcement-part-3/
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