What needs to be done differently?

The Lima News will share the four Lima mayoral candidates’ answers to a different question each week through the May 4 primary.

Candidates were given up to 200 words to explain their answer, and they had four days to respond. Their answers appear as they submitted them, with minimal editing.

This week’s question: Is there anything that needs to be done differently in governing the city of Lima?

Joshua Hayes

With a background as a military veteran and business owner, I have developed skills in leadership and team building. I am ready to deliver a people focused administration to Lima and restore true values in our local government.

Two core values that my administration will bring to Lima are inclusivity, to form an office and way of government where everyone is considered, listened to, and valued. And transparency, to allow your government’s business to be your business. To restore a government that represents the people and not just small special interest groups.

Our local government has been an insider’s club for too long, and it’s time for the people to see that we can have something different. This has gone on for far too long, and it’s time for the people to make a stand.

Sharetta Smith

It has been an honor to serve as Chief of Staff for the city of Lima. While I have learned alot about the challenges of city government, Lima’s next chapter will require leadership that brings experience, fresh perspective, and expertise with a focus on:

Growing businesses by:

• Aggressively assisting businesses in navigating government processes

• Regularly seeking feedback and streamlining policies to ensure we aren’t unnecessarily burdening businesses

• Expanding workforce development through partnerships with employers, schools and unions.

• Building on our record of $52M in downtown investments and 1,800-plus available jobs

Supporting Safety Services by:

• Allocating the resources; including fully staffed departments and fair compensation;

• Expanding recruitment of minority police & firefighters

• Working with LPD and community leaders to build mutual trust and targeted crime prevention.

• Continually reviewing LPD use of force policies and effective use of body cameras

• Dispatching social workers on calls to serve as an additional resource

Improving Housing & Neighborhoods by:

• Implementing a balanced approach to ensure safe, decent & quality housing at all price points.

Moving Government into the 21st Century by:

• Strengthened partnerships with our county and state leaders

• Actively listening to neighborhood residents

• Keeping partisan politics out of city hall

• Working to increase diversity

Autumn Swanson

When people decide to construct a house, they must first agree on what the house will look like, what rooms and layout will look like, so they are able imagine living there. To do this they need a plan. City government is very much like this; people need to imagine the city as they would like to live in it, create consensus and lay out in a plan how they will make it happen.

As a former city employee and long-time resident of Lima, I’ve seen what can happen to government without a plan. Our neighborhoods have become neglected, new development is scattered and incoherent, and projects look more like Band-Aids than a planned direction for the city.

If elected mayor, my first order of business will be to fix our permitting processes and make growing a commercial enterprise easy. We will provide neighborhoods a voice by creating a department of neighborhood engagement, we will improve customer service with an ombudsman, and we will assign our police officers on a consistent geographic “beat.” These changes will allow our administration to begin the process of working with throughout city government and our community to start our roadmap to the future.

Elizabeth Hardesty

Bringing a fresh set of eyes, there is much I will do differently in governing the City of Lima.

It appears any challenge to this current Administration’s philosophy is met with fierce rejection and retaliation. My administration will be open to new ideas rather than taking a “my way or the highway” approach.

My Administration will continuously review how we provide critical services, where we can be more diligent and efficient in spending, and how to better serve the people of Lima. All things we do everyday in the private sector.

My administration will work to improve communications and cooperation between the City of Lima and its partners; including the county, the townships, Chamber of Commerce, Allen Economic Development Group, Greater Lima Region, African American Chamber of Commerce, and Ohio Means Jobs to name a few. Too often, the current administration played a lone hand instead of partnering with others during early stages of projects. Being open and transparent by including others from the beginning, benefits our entire community!

I will also partner with local businesses and organizations to close the employment gap in our community and help people get back to work to fill the many open jobs.

Lima’s mayor candidates for the 2021 primary are, top row from left, Elizabeth Hardesty and Joshua Hayes; and bottom row from left, Sharetta Smith and Autumn Swanson.

Hardesty

Hayes

Smith

Swanson