Recently, the Amplify Worthington Podcast hosted all seven candidates for City Council so viewers can learn more about each candidate’s positions. Please feel free to watch the 42-minute podcast here.
The candidates are interviewed in alphabetical order.
Below are some bullet points from each candidate’s statements relating to general comments and to development in Worthington.
Development is the key issue in this election and it is important for all voters to know each candidate’s stance.
Felicity Beck
General Comments:
Grow into the future while preserving the thing that we treasure
Good government by listening to residents
Development Specific:
Support development that enhances the city, not degrade it
Provide clarity to developers and residents about want the city wants
Pete Butcher
General Comments:
Promote sustainability programs
Development Specific:
Strategic and fit into existing community
Some level of diverse housing
Is there anything we can do in the Industrial corridor to bring positive impacts from the Intel project?
Tom Burns
General Comments:
Lot of issues and fundamental problem: a lack of compassion and empathy
Development Specific:
I want to build housing and affordable housing
Rachael Dorothy
General Comments:
Live into our visioning goals to have a diverse and equitable community.
Development Specific:
We need more housing in Worthington. Would love to expand mixed use housing and retail up the High Street corridor, Wilson Bridge Road, Huntley Road
Mike Duffey
General Comments:
We need a council that can make decisions on things like the UMCH site, swimming pool, deer population.
Development Specific:
We have a sense of what the community wants based on the resident feedback that already exists. Majority of Council not making decisions that the residents want.
Maximize tax revenue through commercial development. UMCH site should have offices on High Street and park. Park-facing Class A offices are in high demand.
Amy Lloyd
General Comments:
School district should be involved in what happens to the pool. Part of the funding mechanism could be a joint recreation district.
Development Specific:
Plan for the future. Analyze where attainable housing can be built.
Address the aging swimming pool, which I have done as a school board member.
Attract more businesses
Housing study to provide more information about what types of housing we need in the city.
Not opposed to housing density in certain areas of the city. Likes the Hartford project as a model for other housing projects.
Doug Smith
General Comments:
Friendly to businesses and economic development
Led the renewable energy aggregation program
Believes we need good neighborhoods and family-friendly historic community
Development Specific:
Some individuals want to fundamentally change Worthington
If wrong candidates are elected to council this year, it’s possible a settlement will happen allowing 600 apartment units on the UMCH site and paving the way for other developers to do the same all around Worthington
Warns against a density-based paradigm shift that’s already happening.
Does not agree that Worthington is broken. Does not believe we need to “fix” Worthington’s future. Instead, we need to do what the residents want.