Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop’s 2022 State of the City address was virtual again, as the pandemic remains with us, at least for the time being. You could sense that Lienhoop, like the rest of us, wishes it was otherwise. He respectfully recognized the moment.
“To say we’re fatigued by this experience is an understatement,” he said. “But, there is a group among us whose dedication to our health and whose efforts to keep us healthy have been pressed to the limit. Of course, I’m talking about our healthcare professionals, our nurses, aides, physicians and others, whose professional response to this pandemic, while tiring for them, has filled the rest of us with awe.”
This can’t be said enough. While we’ve all sacrificed throughout the pandemic, none have lived it day in, day out, like those our health care providers. The debt we owe them is incalculable, but kind words and empathy do have value.
Excepting the pandemic, Lienhoop is presiding at a pretty good time to be mayor. We’ve got our problems, sure, but the city on the whole is thriving compared with our regional peers.
The mayor sized up what the city has going for it, including the soon-commencing redevelopment work at the old FairOaks Mall, now NexusPark. Lienhoop connected with Columbus residents’ collective memory of what used to be in making a case for what will be. “My kids learned to use chopsticks there,” he reminisced about the mall. “My daughter had her ears pierced there. But, times change. What had been an economic plus became an economic minus.”
Lienhoop and city leaders hope the next generation will build memories at the site, too — as the place where they played a great soccer match or where their school graduation ceremony took place.
NexusPark is one of multiple ongoing redevelopment efforts. Most of the others are downtown, including a new apartment complex and urban grocery, and a planned hotel. These are in various phases of pandemic-induced stops and starts. When COVID eases, these projects are likely to be more appealing to investors.
Lienhoop is leading a dynamic city at a challenging time, focused on expanding our tax base and diversify our local economy. That’s not to say that manufacturing, the backbone of the region’s economy, isn’t still king.
The mayor recognized that the continuing shift from fossil fuels to electric and alternative-fuel vehicles is a puzzle for a community where some 8,000 people are employed making parts that could be phasing out. Lienhoop wisely put this on the community’s radar.
“Think about such mundane parts as drive shafts, transmissions and differentials,” he said. “We make components for all of those. Some electric vehicles will still need those items. Many won’t. Why do we care? We care because we currently have a robust economy and a strong tax base.
“… Change is a given,” Lienhoop said. “Nothing remains the same for long. While these paradigm shifts bring challenges, they also bring opportunities. We can succeed at this game. For us to do so, we need to focus on the horizon, not at our feet.”
A mayor can only do so much to shape a city’s circumstances and its future. A mayor can, however, set the tone, the vision, and the direction for a city. On those measures, Leinhoop is leading thoughtfully and effectively.
