Reelect Kenny Oswald in Elyria's 4th Ward

There's an old saw in carpentry that goes like this: Measure twice, cut once. It's also a useful reminder of the thoughtful way in which Elyria City Councilman Kenny Oswald approaches his job representing the 4th Ward. (The 63-year-old Democrat is a semiretired carpenter.) Oswald's way has served his constituents well, earning him a well-deserved reputation for responding to issues raised by his constituents, including economic development, flooding and damage caused by deer. "It's the little things that don't make the headlines," he told us during an endorsement interview. One of Oswald's opponents, Elyria Republican Party Chairman Jeff Baxter, 70, was critical of Oswald's constituent services, arguing that the councilman wasn't good about responding to residents. "I will communicate better with voters," Baxter said during a separate endorsement interview, "and I will do everything I can to address citizens of the 4th Ward." We haven't found Oswald to be unresponsive, although his other opponent, independent Patrick Spears, 34, told us during his endorsement interview that the incumbent sometimes took too long to deal with issues. Speed, however, isn't everything, and Oswald seems interested in examining all the angles before making decisions. That means gathering input from residents and building consensus. For example, he has shown his ability work with Mayor Frank Whitfield, an independent, who has clashed with Council over various issues, including what to do with the former Oakwood School. "It's not that we're against him," Oswald said, "it's that we have to be good stewards of the money." That's the sort of mentality that voters should want to see in their Council representative, especially because Elyria could face budget shortfalls in the next few years. Dealing with shortfalls and other issues requires the ability to set aside personal differences and work together, regardless of who is on Council or mayor. Oswald has that ability. Not even the friction between the mayor and Council stopped Oswald and Whitfield from collaborating on the well-received Spruce Up Elyria program, which provides grants of up to $5,000 to homeowners to improve their properties. Oswald didn't seek to hog the glory for the program. He shared the credit with Whitfield and readily admitted a similar undertaking in Sandusky inspired him to suggest it. Baxter, a retired information-technology manager who now volunteers with local charities, has long argued that adding voices from different parties would disrupt the power dynamics of city government for the better. (All but two Council members are Democrats.) For example, he placed much of the blame on Council's Democratic leadership for the disharmony between Whitfield and Council. Neither side, however, has been entirely innocent in those disputes. We also have long worried that, if elected, Baxter would use his seat on Council to engage in partisan sniping. Baxter told us that concern was overblown. He said he recognized that most of the issues that come before Council have nothing to do with national politics. Although we agree, Baxter made a similar argument two years ago, when he was running for an at-large Council seat, saying that candidates' political parties shouldn't matter, but he also used political affiliation to attack perceived political foes. We also remain disappointed in his decision two years ago to put up billboards criticizing Elyria, including one that referred to the city as the "largest ghosttown in Ohio." Baxter told us at the time that he was trying to start a conversation, but we felt then, and still do, that the billboards hurt rather than helped because they offered no solutions, only criticism. Although Baxter told us that a few things had changed over the past few years, he argued it wasn't enough. "Elyria is in as much trouble today as when those billboards went up," he said. Elyria does have problems, but it also has a lot going for it and, as Spears put it, a lot of "untapped potential." Spears echoed President George Washington's warning against the dangers of political parties during our conversation. He argued that as an independent he could "break away from old alliances" and better serve his constituents regardless of party. "Elyria needs new blood," he said. "It needs young blood." While that makes for a good sound bite, we didn't find Spears, who works in the banking industry and as an auxiliary police officer in Fairview Park, to be as knowledgeable about city issues as his opponents. Baxter and Spears are to be commended for offering voters a choice, but neither made a compelling case for ousting Oswald. Like a good carpenter, Oswald shows up and does the hard work necessary to get the job done. Voters should give him another two years.