Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop delivers the annual State of the City address at The Commons in Columbus on Monday.
In delivering his final State of the City Address, Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop showed he’ll be a tough act to follow. In eight years leading the city through challenging times, Lienhoop earned a reputation for sure and steady leadership, usually with a smile and a kind word.
Regardless of your politics, it’s hard to find fault with Lienhoop’s calm, inclusive, responsive and knowledgeable stewardship these past two terms. Simply put, he led capably and effectively. He placed his confidence in the team that surrounded him, he leveled with the public about the city’s problems and its opportunities, and he nurtured and cultivated partnerships benefitting the city and the region.
Since Lienhoop took his first oath as mayor in 2016, our city has seen some things.
On the public health front, we endured the COVID pandemic and the continuing scourge of addiction. There is only so much a mayor can do in dealing with such challenges, and much of it involves facilitating broader responses.
As The Republic’s Jana Wiersema noted in covering Lienhoop’s speech, last week’s address that drew a sizeable crowd to The Commons was the first in-person State of the City since 2020. Lienhoop gave credit where due in looking back at the response to COVID.
“Frankly, there was no better example of The Columbus Way,” he said. “We became an example to others of how a community can come together to face challenges. And, while we still contend with COVID and its variants, our community response in 2020, 2021 and early 2022 was a bright spot amid a dismal time.”
Lienhoop also discussed formation of the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress (ASAP) in response to the area’s chronic substance abuse problem — another result of partnership between the city, county, and health care and community stakeholders.
Meantime, Columbus undertook transformative projects during Leinhoop’s tenure. These include the State Road 46/State Road 11 interchange and railroad overpass completed in 2021 and the ongoing redevelopment of the former FairOaks Mall as NexusPark.
The joint partnership with Columbus Regional Health will produce a health and wellness facility, a fieldhouse, a new home for the parks department, community spaces, restaurant and retail areas and CRH facilities. Downtown, the Taylor apartment and grocer project is also on the rise.
Mayor Lienhoop has served Columbus well. We believe that had he chosen to seek a third term in office, the voters of this city most likely would have rewarded him with another four years. But there is much to be said about going out on top — particularly in politics — and, as Lienhoop plans, doting on grandchildren.
We in Columbus have been fortunate to have Mayor Lienhoop’s leadership through hard times and into a promising future. In our view, Lienhoop set a high bar — and a good example — through his kind spirit, his openness and his selfless service to the community, through good times and bad.
