How Far Have We Gone in One Year?

A workable solution to the building at the center of controversy seems farther away than ever

One Year Ago Today…

Today's edition carries a personal reflection. Exactly one year ago, during a specially called city council meeting, I highlighted my role as Council President, emphasizing my obligation to remain impartial and ensure orderly proceedings. I am not allowed to express support or opposition to resolutions, but there were pertinent observations I needed to share dealing with those items on the agenda.

As President of Council, I am bound by Rule I of the Rules of Procedure of Council.  In part Rule I states, “The Presiding Officer shall avoid any appearance of partisanship on any question.  He is solely to see that the business properly brought before Council is conducted in an orderly manner and that the members of Council observe the rules of procedure adopted by this Council.”

My role is not to speak in support or opposition of resolutions or ordinances brought forward for discussion and to participate in the debate around such issues.    However, there are important observations that I wish to share at this time.

It has been 1,024 days since a tornado struck buildings in our downtown core and tonight marks the first time that the Mayor and our Service and Safety Director has specifically asked this council to take any action on the building at 112-118 West Main Street.  Tonight’s votes on Resolutions number R-69-2022 and R-70-2022 are the first votes that our city council have cast when it comes to this issue.

That is not to say that this council has been quiet when it comes to the consequences of the tornado.  Under the initiative of Council Member Schilling, this council adopted a moratorium on all downtown demolitions which led to a comprehensive review and subsequent amendments to our zoning code dealing specifically with demolitions of historically significant structures in our downtown core.  A vacant property ordinance was brought up for discussion in front of the council’s Community and Economic Development Committee.  If it is within the prerogative of a council president to be proud of city council, I certainly am.

While absolutely no one can be happy with our city’s continual inability to open up a heavily used public sidewalk and seven badly needed parking spaces, it should be known that the responsibility for this inaction does not lie with your city council.  As previously stated, our city council has been proactive in dealing with the consequences of the issues that have been presented to it.

It can not be overstated.  Before tonight, this council has not been asked as a body to provide their advice or their guidance on the building at 112-118 West Main Street.  

Now, at a specially called meeting of council, the Mayor and the Service and Safety Director are asking this council to adopt two resolutions.

The first resolution would in effect be a blank check to legal counsel “related to the Decision and Judgement Entry Affirming in Part and Reversing in Part the Decision of the Troy Board of Zoning Appeals, Case No. 21 CV 378 and any future appeal.”

The second resolution would authorize the Director of Public Service and Safety “to file, or to have filed, a Notice of Appeal regarding Common Pleas Court Case No. 21 CV 378 in support of the City of Troy Board of Zoning Appeals”.  A resolution that as time goes on, appears to be more in the financial interest of a few select individuals, rather than the interest of the general public.  

My question to the second resolution is has the Troy Board of Zoning Appeals, as a body, indicated their support for this decision to appeal?  If so, when and where was this decision made?  Would it not be prudent to get the advice and guidance of the Board of Zoning Appeals on any future appeal, since that is the body in which this litigation is pertaining to?

If this Mayor and Service and Safety Director have treated the Board of Zoning Appeals anything like City Council, we know the answer to that question.  Of course, the Board of Zoning Appeals have not been asked for their advice or guidance.  Why would those that have the responsibility of running this community start looking for guidance and advice now?

Those individuals that have the responsibility of running this community on a day to day basis have again failed to clearly communicate any strategy to our elected Council Members of this community and have placed City Council in the most precarious position.  

Where do we go from here?

It’s been one year since I stated those words and yet our community seems to be regressing on finding a resolution to the issues with this building. The rising number of lawsuits, the closure of a major street, and struggling businesses paint a bleak picture. No matter how quickly a resolution is found, it is not an exaggeration to say it will take years for small busineness to recover their losses and that is if they have the time to weather the storm. As a community, we are at a critical point where hard working and caring people are beginning to have their livelihoods at stake.

Historically, our community thrived on mutual collaboration to meet challenges. In the 1950s the growing community needed to provide much needed recreational opportunities for its citizens. Landmarks like Hobart Arena, Troy Memorial Stadium, and Miami Shores Golf Course, were all born from partnerships between the community and local industrialists.

The 1980s and 1990s was a time of severe disinvestment in downtown. Local merchants worked together with property owners to create Troy Main Street. Since that time, downtown has largely thrived when other downtowns stagnanted thanks to the vision and hard work of many people that worked on common goals, rehabilitated buildings and started their own small business.

Over the past year, all that hard work and goodwill seems to have taken a back seat to opaque agendas and never ending legal battles. The ones on the losing end of these arguments are the ones that have the least to lose and have the quietest voices. our residents and our downtown stakeholders.

A few years ago, our city came up with the new motto or tagline, or catch phrase of "Make it Yours." While it invites individuals to settle and establish roots here in town, it wholly fails to capture the spirit of this community that has existed for over two hundred years. 

This community was never meant to be yours, nor was it meant to be mine. This community has always been meant to be built for the benefit of future generations. This was meant to be a community of builders, not merely consumers.

In the end, we must ensure our time’s legacy isn't just a prolonged debate over a building, but rather a testament to moving our community foward and not putting the future of our downtown at risk. This can only be done through leadership that is exhibiting an ability to collaborate on solutions for our community, not leadership that is intent on creating winners and losers and failing to articulate a cohesive vision for our community.