Springfield’s mayor, manager offer State of the City

Rue noted the city almost lost its municipal airport at one point, but he said city officials looked to collaboration with state and federal officials to revitalize Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport.

As a result, 2023 marked a turning point with millions of dollars of improvements and the local airport named airport of the year by the Ohio Aviation Association for its advances in technology. That technology includes exploration of vertical air mobility vehicles and innovative use of autonomous drones.

City leaders also cited the expansion of housing developments as a major advancement in 2023, with Melody Parks on the city’s east side the largest planned to date. Located at the former site of the Melody Drive-In Theater, Melody Parks will include more than 1,000 single-family, multi-family and patio home residences, as well as retail and professional office space.

Melody Parks has caused tension between the city and Springfield Twp. and Clark-Shawnee officials.

Improvements to city safety infrastructure in 2023 were partially funded by a tax levy approved by city voters, but also supplemented by federal dollars through the American Rescue Plan Act, which will enable the city to replace antiquated fire stations.

Two new fire stations are already under construction, with the station located on South Limestone Street nearing completion. That fire house also holds the distinction of being first in the nation as a jointly funded effort involving Clark State Community College and the city, enabling those enrolled in the college’s fire academy to train and learn along side current city firefighters.

Rue also said recruitment efforts for police and fire were stepped up in 2023, with the city approving improved pay and benefit packages to attract recruits and retain current personnel. The mayor and city manager praised leadership efforts by Police Chief Allison Elliott and Fire Chief Jacob King, both of whom assumed their new roles in 2023.

Immigration challenges

Immigration was the focus of discussion as a top concern the city faced in 2023. The topic was central to many city commission meetings, generating large attendance and community comments.

Local officials are now working more directly with state and federal officials to address issues raised by the influx of thousands of immigrants. Officials say Springfield’s population has increased by an estimated 10%, straining city resources including public safety, health care, education and housing. City officials are scheduled to meet with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Immigration in April to discuss the city’s experience.

So far, the city has not received any direct monetary assistance from state or federal government.

‘It’s a burden,” Rue said. “But we are not going to shut the borders of Springfield and Clark County. It’s not going to happen … We need to ensure we have a safe community for everyone … We are going to see if the federal government can help us.”

The two dispelled rumors that increased crime is linked to immigration.

“One of the biggest things we hear on social media relates to retail theft,” Heck said. “To be honest we are not seeing that.”

The city has also enacted more data tracking and will report more on crime statistics in 2024, Heck said.

Gun violence

The two leading public officials also cited gun violence, particularly among community youths, as a major concern.

Rue called the current situation a “pandemic of hopelessness.”

“It’s not on them, but there’s no hope for the future,” Rue said. “A lot of our youth carry weapons because they feel they have to in order to protect themselves. That’s super sad … Not all of our kids are carrying weapons to commit a crime. They are carrying weapons to stay alive.”

To address the issue, the city has partnered with multiple community organizations and programs to identify strategies to address the root cause and stem the tide of violence. Officials are hoping to see an impact from some of those efforts in 2024.

Higher costs

The same inflation that took a toll on household finances in 2023 also was cited by city officials as an issue.

Heck pointed out that the cost of reconstructing of South Yellow Springs Street has gone from $320 per square foot when work started to now $500 per square foot. Cost increases across the board for labor and materials make every city infrastructure project more expensive, including the renovation of the City Hall Plaza and parking garage. Repairs to the parking garage made in the 1980s were discovered to be faulty, contributing to more damage and to the total cost of the project.

Rue indicated the completion date for City Hall Plaza is now targeted for the end of April, and the work will include better lighting, landscaping and enhanced event and activity space.

When city residents approved a tax levy to address street improvements, the city committed at least $2 million a year toward the effort, but Rue pointed out “that money doesn’t go nearly as far as it used to. So that’s something we may have to revisit.”

2024 opportunities

The Melody Parks housing and retail development was cited by Rue and Heck as an anticipated highlight for 2024.

“We haven’t seen housing development like this for 50 years,” Rue said. “We are behind the curve on the number of houses we need. We need about 5,000 more houses in the area. This is huge. This is 1,000 houses, different kinds of houses, quality housing … it’s exciting.”

Heck indicated the city has received more interest from developers in the last five years than over the last 25, noting that until the recent Bridgewater development, it had been the 1980s since a housing development of any scale was constructed in the city.

Rue cited commission efforts to work with developers to locate new housing on sites of former schools, offering legacy neighborhoods new housing options.

They said the city has introduced new communication efforts to keep city residents informed. The State of the City presentation was live-streamed on Facebook, and city officials are offering regular updates, podcasts and streaming interview programs on Facebook. City Commission meetings are broadcast live on You Tube and are also maintained on the site for later review.