Benjamin is one of 10 candidates for Bluffton council on Nov. 7. The Icon's interview with him follows. To read interviews with each of the candidates click here.
• Benjamin Stahl, 414 S. Main Street
Why are you seeking a seat on the council and why should someone vote for you?
I am seeking a seat on council because I think there needs to be more two-way communication between Bluffton residents and local government. In the last year, I’ve seen cases of council members showing open disdain for their constituents and of residents not being aware of what is discussed in council meetings. I know that I can help bridge that gap and hope people will vote for me to serve as their champion in town hall.
What are the major issues facing Bluffton in the next 4 years?
To me, the biggest issue is a stagnation of ideas. Looking into the history of Bluffton, it has always been a pioneer: early to get electric street lights, pushing for Fair Trade business practices before many people even knew what that meant, and now working to be one of the best multi-use path destinations in the state. I don’t want Bluffton to stop moving forward out of a fear of losing what we’ve already accomplished. In the spirit of continuous improvement, I hope to use my time on council to investigate and push towards investment in solar energy, increased internet speed, and modernized record keeping and storage. Now is not the time to rest on our laurels or to start being afraid of new frontiers.
If you were to grade the current council based upon an A, B, C, D, or F grading system, what grade would you give it?
As a whole, I would give the current council a low “satisfactory” rating of C, C- if we’re allowing half-steps. While I have definitely been in committee meetings that were easily “good”, if not “excellent” – where council members were focused on problem resolution, the betterment of Bluffton, and understanding the concerns or feelings of impacted residents – I have also been in several committee meetings and open council sessions that can only be described as “unacceptable.” I hope I can help shift the balance towards more of the former and eliminate the latter entirely.
How should the village resolve the Shannon Cemetery issue?
The initial contention and resolution occurred before I moved to Bluffton but, from what I have learned, there is legislation on the books that seemed to appease both sides when it was drafted and passed. Unless something has changed since then, local government needs to abide by that resolution and move forward with it, whatever that might entail.
Within the past 12 months the village administrator was fired and the village fiscal officer resigned. Is there a communication problem in town hall or were these isolated incidents?
I firmly do not believe that these were isolated incidents. In my opinion, we could draw a causal relationship from the firing of the administrator to the creation of the conditions that the fiscal officer described as intolerable in her resignation. When the village sets the precedent that it can and will fire any employee – without notice, without cause – it creates a weight to hang around the necks of all the other employees. The recent executive sessions regarding “Personnel - Changes” had a large turnout of village employees wondering if it was their job on the chopping block this time. It’s not a surprise to hear the working environment described as toxic; village employees are definitely communicating but it seems village leadership is unwilling to listen.
Feel free to address any other subject here that you’d like to provide to voters.
Communication, communication, communication. As a candidate, I have been receiving and publishing the agenda for council meetings and trying to keep people aware of what’s going on in town hall. I participated in Sunshine Week this spring to raise awareness of Ohio’s “Sunshine Laws” that deal with what government records need to be available to the public and requirements for public communication between government employees. I promise to continue those efforts, whether or not I’m elected, and push for a reduction of legislation passed “by emergency,” which oftentimes limits the ability for the public to be informed about a particular issue or have the time to voice an opinion.
Are there issues that you disagree with that the current council passed?
I have only been in town for just over a year but, in that time, there have definitely been issues with which I’ve disagreed with the current council. I disagreed with their decision to fill in the pond at Village Park without any engineering work to see what impact it would have on the surrounding area and I vehemently disagree with Councilman Warren’s assertion that we should have just done it without any clearance or sign-off from the EPA.
I disagreed with the firing of former village administrator Jamie Mehaffie, both in the outcome and in how it was handled. Firing a long-time village employee without any warning for, ostensibly, job performance without being able to provide any performance reviews is asinine. I understand village employees serve at the pleasure of the mayor but, without some form of justification, such a rash decision makes the council look petty and spiteful.
The council eventually came around but I disagreed with the reluctance to approve the bike route through downtown merely because the recommendation was brought to council by ODOT. Alternative transportation, like alternative energy, is the future and we should embrace it for the good of the village and the residents; resisting a wonderful opportunity for our village because of a grudge from actions almost a decade ago benefits no one.
How would you make your voting decisions as a council member?
As a candidate, I have been extremely fortunate to be able to participate in discussions with residents, whether through Facebook, email, or in person. It is my sincere hope that, as a council member, I’ll be able to continue and grow these conversations so that I never lose the pulse of the community. If elected, I will be one of the six to cast a vote for or against legislation but I’ll never forget that I am there as a conduit for the will of the people.
