Candidates for City Council plenty

By Michael Edwards
Contributing Writer
Columbus Post

Five Columbus City Council seats are up for grabs, the most since 1995.
A seven–member entity, city council is the city’s legislative and policy-making body. Council is charged with providing overall leadership for the city by enacting laws and allocating city resources for programs, services, and activities. Council members are elected as at-large community representatives for the city and serve for a term of four years. In the November 6 general election, the four top vote getters for council will earn a four-year term.
Currently, democrats fill all positions and are running as a stay–the–course team with Mayor Michael B. Coleman, a democrat.
In a head-to-head race, Incumbent Priscilla Tyson and Heidi Samuel are vying to fill a two-year seat that was vacated. The other four council seats will go to the top four vote-getting candidates.
Tyson was appointed in 2005 to serve the last two years of a term vacated in 2005 by Mary Jo Hudson, who resigned to serve as director for the Ohio Department of Insurance.
Tyson is a member of Columbus City Council’s Creative Columbus Policy Steering Committee, which is reviewing a comprehensive and strategic policy that grows and strengthens the city’s and region’s vital arts communities.
Priscilla Tyson, an experienced business executive within the Columbus area for more than 29 years, has held roles as Vice President of Community Relations at Ohio Health, and Vice President of Community Relations at National City Bank. Tyson is President of Star Arts Gallery Limited. She has also served on the boards of Phoenix Theatre Circle, National Black Programming Consortium, Opera Columbus and the Community Shelter Board.
As chair of Columbus City Council’s Recreation and Parks Committee, Tyson has sponsored legislation to enhance signs on over 50 miles of bike trails throughout the city as well as increased security initiatives at city recreation centers. Tyson is currently pursuing funding to restore programs and park hours that have been cut in recent years.
Heidi Samuel, Tyson’s challenger, a republican, served as the special assistant to the Chief of Staff for the Ohio Department of Transportation. She led the initial working group that designed the I-670 cap that serves as a link between Downtown and the Short North.
“ While community activists are often forced to take a confrontational posture to encourage government action, I have been able to draw on my experience in the executive levels of government and transportation planning to work in coordination with city departments to bring lasting change,” said Samuel.
As a member of the ECA&B, Samuel has overseen the closing of Motel One on E. Main St. as well Club XXX-tacy by use of precedent–setting public nuisance laws.
On the November 6 council ballot are: Andrew J. Ginther, Charleta Bell Tavares, Hearcel F. Craig, Michael C. Mentel, Paul Bingle, Bill Brownson and Larry W. Thomas.
Ginther joined Columbus City Council in January 2007. As chair of the Public Safety Committee, Ginther says his first priority is to ensure that Columbus Police and Fire forces have the resources they need to serve and protect the city. “I believe the best measure of our quality of life in Columbus is the safety of our residents,” said Ginther. He went on to say: “Accordingly, that is why more than 70 percent of the city’s annual budget is devoted to police, fire, and support agencies, and why [I] will continue to fight to adequately fund our safety forces.”
Ginther sponsored legislation that provided funding for bulletproof vests, police vehicles and laptop computers that were used as part of the expanded Columbus Police Strike Force initiative.
Ginther said that upon joining Council, he delivered on his pledge by championing budget amendments in excess of $500,000 to preserve and expand critical crime prevention strategies, including Community Crime Patrol (CCP) and Central Ohio Crime Stoppers.
Tavares has served as a member of Columbus City Council since 1999, having been elected to Council twice. Tavares’ prior advocacy work in the areas of health and human services in the Ohio General Assembly was key in her appointment to serve as the Chair of Council’s Health, Housing and Human Services, and the Workforce Development committees. In addition, she serves on the Finance, Development, Utilities, Rules and Reference, and Zoning Committees.
Prior to joining Council, Tavares also served as Chief of the Children’s Protection Section in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. She also served four years as Associate Director of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio and as a Legislative Assistant and chief staff person to the Human Resources Subcommittee of the Ohio House Finance–Appropriations Committee.
Craig was sworn in as a member of Columbus City Council in April 2007. Craig has dedicated his professional career in the private and public sectors to helping others. He continues to serve on numerous community boards, many of which focus on education.
Craig has also served as Executive Director of the Hilltop Civic Council, where he managed a comprehensive social service agency and a 35–person staff with a $1.2 million annual budget. The Hilltop Civic Council provides a comprehensive community health care center, youth and senior services, a resettlement center for new Americans, and a food and clothing pantry.
“ I have had the chance to serve on many diverse boards around Columbus, working with young people, senior citizens and people with disabilities,” said Craig. “It gives me tremendous pride and humbles me to have the opportunity to continue my service to the public as a member of City Council.”
Paul Bingle, a north side resident since 1979, believes his experience as former Chair of the Clintonville Area Commission, as well as leadership in other environmental, neighborhood and city projects has prepared him for a seat on council.
“ I look forward to drawing upon my familiarity with the city government to get a quick start as an active City Council member that is able to respond to community issues by facilitating ‘relationship bridges’ between City Hall, Columbus residents and businesses,” said Bingle.
Michael C. Mentel has been a member of the Columbus City Council since 1999 as currently serves as council president and as chair of Council’s Rules and Reference Committee.
“ Keeping citizens safe and protecting their families is the surest measure of our quality of life and the City’s highest priority,” said Mentel, who emphasizes his record of helping to secure high-tech thermal imaging cameras for firefighters, funding increased police presence in “hot spot” crime areas, and championing for the deployment of vehicle extrication equipment in high-accident areas for better emergency response. He has also overseen the development of new police and fire training facilities.
The polls open at 6:30 a.m. on November 6.

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