State of Oberlin: Schools, college, city discuss future

OBERLIN — Oberlin's main institutions looked toward the city's future during an event Wednesday evening. The annual State of Oberlin address at Oberlin Elementary School saw City Council President Eboni Johnson, Superintendent David Hall and Oberlin College President Carmen Twillie Ambar discuss projects at their respective institutions and fielded questions from residents. The bulk of those questions focused on communication — between the three institutions represented that evening and constituents. City Johnson focused on the city's comprehensive plan, adopted in Feburary after two years of development. The 275-page document focuses on five goals: expanding the city's housing options, economic development, quality community services, arts and culture and improving communication and collaboration. The city is making progress, Johnson said, including plans to have an updated zoning code done next spring and several single-family affordable housing units slated for lots throughout the city. Oberlin's social equity plan should be done by the end of the year, she said. Development is underway at the industrial park to increase the city's tax base. The search for a new city manager is ongoing, she said. Rob Hillard left for a position in Michigan in May and Law Director Jon Clark has served as interim city manager since Hillard's resignation. "It might take a little longer than we wish, but it's really important that we're deliberate and intentional and ultimately hire the right person for the job," Johnson said. Schools Hall highlighted a portion of the district's goals for the next five years, including having all of its students at or above grade level in all academic areas by 2029, and all graduating college or career ready. He said the district wants all of its students to have some college credit or a career credential before they leave high school in the next five years and all of its extracurriculars receive state and national recognition and all of its students say they are satisfied with the district by 2029. The district conducts periodic surveys of its school culture and climate, Hall said. He also discussed the schools' most recent state report card, which saw the district raise its overall score from 3½ to 4 stars. It also saw improvements in its early literacy and gap closing metrics. Oberlin Schools' 98.6 percent four-year graduation rate was due to one student who did not graduate in the four-year time period, he said. That student will graduate in five years. He said the district kept its football team, after discussions in the spring of eliminating the program. There are about two dozen students on the team. Like any district, there are areas for improvement, he said. For Oberlin Schools, one is enrollment and ways to increase it through collaboration with the city and community. He hoped as more housing options are built in Oberlin, more families would come into the district. He touched on the new middle school, slated to be built by the 2027-28 school year without putting a bond issue on the ballot. In August, the district pulled a $22 million bond issue from the ballot. It was able to pay for the project through revenue it would get from the Nexus gas pipeline and increased property values in the district. The new building will replace Oberlin's Langston Middle School, which is more than 100 years old. College Oberlin College came out of the COVID-19 pandemic stronger than it went into it, Twillie Ambar said. While the liberal arts institution is not without its challenges, its enrollment and finances are stable, she said, enough so that the college is adding seven new majors this year: business, communication, data science, financial economics, environmental science, recording arts and production and music theater. She said the additions are to provide majors that fit with liberal arts and grow the number of students applying to Oberlin College. By the end of the 2024-25 academic year, Oberlin College will be carbon neutral through its geothermal energy conversion project. The project replaces the college's current heat source — natural gas — with about 800 wells drawing water from deep underground and pumping it to its 80 buildings for heating and cooling. That includes a new residence hall slated to open next year on Woodland Street. The college is also continuing its commitment to its "historic roots," and values of diversity, equity and inclusion, Twillie Ambar said. Its Center for Innovation and Leadership will continue research into those areas. It is important for the college to continue to build a strong relationship with the city and other institutions in Oberlin, she said. "The fact that this is the first time we're here at this event is indication we have some work to do," she said. "... I think this is really about the college doing a stronger, richer job of seeing itself inextricably intertwined with the progress of the city. And understanding — and I think we do — that so goes the city, so goes Oberlin College; so goes Oberlin College, so goes the city." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.