GOVERNMENT REFORM

In general, the government of Upper Arlington has fulfilled the expectations of its residents since its founding more than 100 years ago. However, there remains room for improvement.

As a council member, these are common-sense reforms that I believe will allow UA to take the next step forward:

• Changing the way we elect our council members

  Right now, each of our seven council members is elected at-large, which means that every person in the city votes for every person on council. The problem here is that UA is a large and diverse community, and the needs of families near Barrington are different from those of families near Burbank.
  
  Changing to a ward system means that our council will be elected in smaller divisions. For example, people in Orchard View and Squirrel Bend in Ward 6 will elect a council member, Dover Heights and Westwood Acres in Ward 5 will elect another council member, and so on. This ensures that every part of our city is represented. In addition, one council member will be elected at-large to make sure that there are always an odd number of council members so that no vote is ever tied.

• We need to have a Mayor elected by all voters

  At the present time, the seven councilors appoint a President who fulfills the role of the mayor. However, residents of UA should have the right to elect a leader to represent the city as a whole and take responsibility for city policies. Our city is no longer a small town as when our government was instituted; we will benefit by having a central leader.

• Make the City Attorney an elected position

  One of the most influential positions in our community is an appointed one. This limits the participation of residents in the selection. The citizens of Upper Arlington should have a voice in who represents their city in legal affairs.

• Increase transparency requirements

  We need to improve transparency as to how each proposed policy, mandate, rule or regulation originates. Residents deserve to know who and what kind of bills each council member or city staff member is initiating and whether they have any conflicts of interest. We need to use technology to our advantage by using social media and the UA city website to seamlessly connect with more residents and communicate clearly with our constituents what the council is doing for you.