Three Columbus business owners are seeking the Republican nomination for two at-large Columbus City Council seats.
The seats are currently held by incumbent Republican Laurie Booher and Democrat Tom Dell.
Booher is seeking the Republican nomination for a second term in the May 7 primary, challenged by Josh Burnett, a political newcomer, and John D. Counceller. Counceller sought the Republican nomination to represent the 59th District at the Indiana Statehouse last year, but lost to the eventual winner, Rep. Ryan Lauer, R-Columbus.
Booher, Burnett and Counceller have a lot in common: They’re Republican, each owns a small business and each wants to serve the community.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
Over the last three and a half years, Booher, 55, said she has become acquainted with how local government works.
But four years is only so much time to understand the ropes, she said, and that’s why she’s running for a second term.
“I feel as though I was just getting started,” Booher said. “I want to continue to serve the people of Columbus. I have met a lot of people I would’ve never met. Any time I get a chance to meet new people and learn new things, I’m all about it. That’s what this has been for me.”
Her heart for giving others an opportunity shines through her local business, Popportunity, at 1122 25th St.
She established the popcorn business in 2015 after realizing just how many limitations exist in traditional jobs for people with disabilities. Her son, Collin, uses a wheelchair, and she wanted to give him and others with special needs a chance to work at a location that works with employees with disabilities.
Having grown up in Columbus, Josh Burnett, 31, thought he knew everything there was to know about the city. But it wasn’t until Burnett and his wife moved away for one year and returned to Columbus that he said he started to realize just how special Columbus really is.
His passion for serving the city especially bloomed when he was awarded the Columbus Young Professionals Next Gen Leader of the Year in 2017.
“I’ve always cared about the community and I’ve tried to find a way to make some type of positive impact,” Burnett said. “But that was a big moment. I thought, ‘Whoa, these people see me in this way. These people see me as a leader. How am I going to serve?”
Through that desire to serve, Burnett founded Celebrate Columbus, an online project aimed at celebrating what the city has to offer. Burnett said that organization allowed him to build relationships with community leaders and residents.
“I want to help represent families who are coming to live in Columbus or who have been here already,” Burnett said. “I want to be their voice. I’ve got this huge passion for making sure each of the decisions we make will be both beneficial for today but ultimately for the long-term future of our community.”
Counceller, 72, said now he finally has the time to sit down and do what he’s always wanted to do — serve the people.
Since stepping back from his work as owner and president of First Metals and Plastic Inc., Counceller said he has the time to make his opinions heard.
“If you get enough people together in a room with the right kind of attitude, you can typically get a solution to a problem if you work on it,” Counceller said.
Talking about the issues
Several major projects are taking shape across Columbus while others are still in the beginning stages. The future of FairOaks Mall as a sports and recreation center complex is being planned and the State Street corridor is already seeing some results, according to city officials.
The need for a $25 million hotel conference center in the heart of downtown is being explored, while the proposed Riverfront Project remains under negotiation between the city and the state.
Burnett said most conversation among constituents he has talked to has been about the city’s long list of projects.
“The biggest things is people say, ‘I don’t know whats going on,’” Burnett said. “I do think people can be as informed as they would like to be, but that doesn’t give me the excuse to not go to them and make them come to me.”
Counceller said the city is making good decisions when it comes to the multitude of projects. He worries, however, about who will pay for some of the proposed projects.
On the proposed $25 million hotel conference center, Counceller said it’s a great project so long as it pays for itself through private money.
Booher said she supports the idea of the downtown hotel conference center, as well as a potential downtown urban grocer.
“If we did it right, it might work as far as an urban downtown grocery area and then place that fairly close to a hotel conference area,” Booher said. The need is obvious after the city lost the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center on the city’s west side, which has been demolished, she said.
Meanwhile, Burnett said there is a definite need for a conference center, leaving off the hotel portion. He said he would like to understand more about the studies that have been completed and how Columbus can get the most for its money.
On the riverfront
On the topic of tourism, the three candidates agreed that safety is key when considering the Riverfront Project. They said the low head dam should be removed before doing anything else such as adding recreational activities.
“The dam needs to be fixed. The erosion problem needs to be fixed,” Booher said. “We cannot let that go. I’m not a big fan of drawing people into that water yet, though.”
And Booher said she’s not sure she’ll ever be a fan of the water recreation.
“We’ve had drownings — the water still has some contamination issues,” she said. “I’m all about creating a walkway through there and creating benches or adding a coffee shop and sitting there to look at the water.”
Booher said no matter how safe someone may say it is for kayaking or some other water activity, there will still be people who don’t know what they’re doing and may run into issues.
Counceller also said he approves of adding walking trails to the area but is unsure whether water sports besides canoeing and kayaking should be allowed.
“Riverfront projects in small towns such as ours have not always been real successful,” Counceller said. “There’s been other attempts to do things down along the riverfront, and there are various parts of that that have not been successful.”
Burnett said if the city is going to continue to use that area as a front door to Columbus, then it needs to be safe, usable and attractive.
As for projects of their own that they’d like to take on if elected to city council, Booher said she wants to take a deeper look into the city’s infrastructure, specifically dealing with sidewalks and curbs.
Currently, if the sidewalk or curb in front of a homeowner’s property is in poor shape, it’s up to the homeowner to pay for repairs, she said. Booher said it shouldn’t be up to the homeowner, but instead she wants to start a sidewalk project to build up the city’s funding to pay for sidewalk and curb repairs.
“We cannot wait for a homeowner to decide that their sidewalk is dangerous and rough before they either can fix it or still cannot fix it because of money,” Booher said.
Burnett said he would focus on retaining Columbus’ homegrown talent. He said there’s a constant tension of attraction and retention when it comes to talent in the city. Burnett wants to see a greater focus on making sure the people who grew up in Columbus know that they’re welcome to stay and invest in the community.
“I want people to know through our local government that we care just as much about retaining our homegrown talent as we do in our efforts of making our city attractive to those who are looking for a new place to call home,” Burnett said.
Counceller said he did not have any specific concerns with the city as is or suggestions for future projects. “I would like to have the chance to serve the citizens,” Counceller said. “I believe in our system of government. I would like to have the opportunity to serve.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About Josh Burnett” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Age: 31
Education: Cincinnati Christian University (2011)
Occupation: Co-founding partner and CEO of JAB Media Group
Previous elected offices held (and when): None
Community involvement: Columbus Young Professionals, Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation board member, Rotary member, First Christian Church member
Family: Wife, Katie; two sons and one daughter
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About John D. Counceller” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Age: 72
Education: Trine University (1969)
Occupation: Owner and president of First Metals and Plastics Inc.; president of Orinoco Properties Inc.
Previous elected offices held (and when): None
Community involvement: Former state president of Indiana Society of Plastic Engineers; former board member of Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Bartholomew County; member of Harrison Lake Country Club, Columbia Club of Indianapolis, Columbus Elks #521, Columbus Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus, St. Bartholomew, the Moose, Eagles and Sons of the American Legion
Family: Wife, Diana; seven children; five grandchildren
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About Laurie Booher” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Age: 55
Education: University of Indianapolis
Occupation: Business owner, Popportunity
Previous elected offices held (and when): Columbus City Council At-Large member (2015-2019)
Community involvement: Columbus Service League; St. Peter’s School Board, member; Turning Point Domestic Violence Services board, member; Freedom Field All-Inclusive Playground, co- chair; Columbus Redevelopment Commission, member
Family: Two sons and a daughter
[sc:pullout-text-end]
