Issue 1, which will add an amendment to the state constitution protecting the right to abortion, received 56.6 percent of the vote. Issue 2, which will permit the regulated sale and taxation of marijuana, received 57.0 percent of the vote. Both of these ballot measures were also supported by the majority of Lorain County voters. Issue 1 received 62 percent of the vote in Lorain County, while Issue 2 received 59 percent of the vote. Both Issue 1 and 2 will go into effect Dec. 7, 30 days after the election.

In Lorain County, Issue 20, which proposed expanding the County Commission from three at-large to seven commissioners each representing one county district, failed with a large majority voting No. Issue 20 faced opposition from local unions and the Lorain County Democratic Party, which alleged that it would enable gerrymandering and interfere with the role of county-wide elected officials. Voters also approved two tax levys. Issue 21, which approved an additional tax benefiting the Lorain County 911 operation system, passed by a slim margin, and Issue 23, which renewed a tax to fund the maintenance and development of Lorain County parks, passed by a large margin. A third levy, Issue 22, failed with a slim majority of voters choosing No. If it had passed, Issue 22 would have implemented an additional tax funding the Lorain County Crime Lab and Coroner. 

Oberlin City Council elections were also held. Councilmembers Eboni Johnson, OC ’97; Michael McFarlin; Ray English; and Kristin Peterson, OC ’72, all won reelection. Libni López; Jessa New OC ’01; and Joe Waltzer, OC ’98, will join them on Council. Incumbent councilmembers Bryan Burgess and Elizabeth Meadows lost reelection. Joseph Peek and Frieda Fuchs also lost. Kendall Stanley and Janet Garrett won seats on the Oberlin School District Board of Education. Garrett ran as a write-in candidate.

Nicolle Bellmore Pierse, executive director of the Lorain County Office on Aging, spoke to the Review about how the funds will primarily be used for seniors to obtain home modifications. 

“[The grant] money, as well as a portion of the [American Rescue Plan Act] dollars, are going to be used for home modifications so that seniors can remain safely living in their homes, … for things like grab bars, accessible showers, and wheelchair ramps,” Bellmore Pierse said.

The goal of these modification projects is to help the elderly safely stay in their homes for as long as possible. 

Heidi Freas, director of quality assurance and part owner of Welcome Nursing Home, is grateful for the funding from Lorain County Public Health. In an effort to pull state dollars to support local infection control efforts, LCPH partnered with Welcome in addition to a local school, a prison, and another nursing home. 

The money allocated to Welcome went to renovating their air filtration system, implementing a new call system, fitting the staff with proper N95 masks, and building a new wheelchair-accessible bathtub with antibacterial properties.

“Being that [Welcome] started in 1945, we are an older infrastructure, and that just takes a lot of extra effort to stay on top of,” Freis said. “So we were grateful, … and [LCPH] were so easy to work with.”

Affordable housing is another challenge for seniors looking to live in Oberlin. Freas, whose family has owned and operated Welcome since its founding in 1945, is especially concerned about affordable opportunities for older people. 

“There aren’t many opportunities for congregate living that are affordable or that are accessible,” Freas said. 

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic still weigh heavily on the senior community, with Pierse citing isolation as one of the most pressing issues that she sees. 

“Isolation is a factor that tremendously impacts the health of seniors,” she said. Those social connections are vital to maintaining mental and physical health for seniors, and, unfortunately, COVID really cut people off.”

In an email to the Review, Director of the Oberlin Public Library David Fausnaugh wrote about resources the library offers for seniors that promote entertainment and socialization. 

“The resources we have at the library are very popular with our senior community; we have a lot of individuals who enjoy print items, media, or our downloadable content,” Fausnaugh wrote. “Our one-on-one technology help at The Bridge can be a huge assistance to anyone, including older adults. We also typically have good senior participation in our adult programming, and we partner with Kendal to deliver books to their campus.”

City Councilmember Kristen Peterson, OC ’72, mentioned the Oberlin Enrichment and Activity Center in the old Prospect School as another place where seniors can gather and connect with available resources.

“A year and a half ago, when the former Prospect School building became available to the City, the City said, ‘that’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, that building is going to offer us a lot of options and opportunities,’” Peterson said. “So the recreation department is overseeing the senior activities. … They do all kinds of things. They have guest speakers on all kinds of issues. … The rec department does indoor walking. They do chair exercises. The Western Reserve [Area Agency] on Aging has been there … multiple times doing conversations and sessions about any issue that’s of concern.”

RIPMD is funded through private donations, grants, and public funds. The organization partners with hospitals and purchases medical debt at a reduced price. To benefit from RIPMD’s program, a patient’s houshold income must not exceed 400 percent of federal poverty level income or medical debt accrued must be worth over five percent of their annual household income. RIPMD has canceled debt in Cleveland, Toledo, and Cook County, IL, with help from the local governments in those areas.

Given Oberlin’s population and demographics, RIPMD estimates the cost of canceling medical debt within the City will fall between $23,000 and $25,000. They can purchase and cancel about $100 of an individual’s debt for only $1. Oberlin has not determined how the purchase of medical debt will be funded. Other larger municipalities have allocated funds from the American Rescue Plan for their debt relief programs, and Oberlin may be applicable for federal funds as well. 

Terry Richardson-Sanders, equity coordinator for the City of Oberlin, said that Oberlin became interested in enacting a debt relief program after hearing of the successes in other municipalities.

“In the spring of 2023, the news media ran a story about how the Akron and Toledo City Councils had both received funds for their residents to receive medical debt relief,” Richardson-Sanders wrote in an email to the Review. “After a little research I located the Akron story and reached out to their Ward 1 councilmember who put me in touch with Keith Hearle. Hearle was able to walk me through the debt relief process and how City-directed funds could be used to benefit Oberlin residents.”

Keith Hearle, special advisor at RIPMD, attended Monday’s meeting via Zoom and gave a presentation to City Council explaining the workings of the non-profit and how he believes Oberlin stands to benefit.

Hearle described canceling medical debt as a “win-win-win” scenario, at the meeting. He said that hospitals benefit from receiving payment on outstanding debt, citizens benefit from better access to medical care and more money to spend on necessities, and communities benefit from better community health, greater equity in health care, and a stronger economy.

Richardson-Sanders agreed that the community could benefit from the program, echoing many of Hearle’s talking points.

“It is well-documented that medical debt is widespread, even amongst insured residents,” Richardson-Sanders wrote. “It is more common in communities of color and a contributor to poor physical and mental health. Medical debt often serves as a social determinant of health because patients with burdensome medical debt often delay other needed care.”

City Council gave positive feedback on Hearle’s presentation and expressed interest in working with RIPMD. If Oberlin wishes to work with the non-profit, an agreement will have to be approved by City Council.

RIPMD has already worked with Mercy Health, which runs a branch in Toledo. Hearle said RIPMD’s preexisting agreement with the health care company could speed up the process of purchasing medical debt. According to Hearle and Richardson-Sanders, letters to citizens announcing that their medical debt has been cleared could potentially be sent in February 2024.

On Tuesday, Nov. 7, voters in Lorain County will decide on Issue 20. If passed, the ballot measure will expand the number of county commissioners from three to seven, and implement geographically-defined districts to replace seats elected by the entire county. 

Traditionally, Lorain County has been governed by three countywide commissioners. 86 out of 88 of Ohio’s counties use this form of government. If passed, Issue 20 will create seven districts each with roughly 45,000 people, and represented by a single commissioner. The plan stipulates that the commissioners will make 60 percent of their current salary, or $56,000. 

Proponents of Issue 20 say the plan will allow for greater representation in a diverse county and make it easier for citizens to run for commissioner. Critics contend that it will enable gerrymandering, increase government expenditures, and undermine the authority of countywide elected officials, including sheriff, prosecutor, treasurer, and auditor.  Political action groups in support of and against the measure and current commissioners, political leaders, and labor unions have all taken stances.

The Lorain County Democratic Party and Lorain County AFL-CIO are opposing Issue 20. Lorain County Republican Chairman David Arredondo said that while the Lorain County GOP has not officially endorsed the ballot measure, he and other members of leadership are in support of the measure and are working to promote it. Despite the endorsements of party leaders, the debate over Issue 20 does not fall entirely down party lines. Democrat Brian Hoagland and Libertarian Homer Taft are leaders in the campaign to pass Issue 20, while Republican commissioner Michelle Hung opposes it.

“It is more participatory whereby the seven districts can have their own representative on this council,” Arredondo said. “Right now, there are only three that represent them at large. So historically, there’s no one from Oberlin that I’m aware of [who] was ever elected to the County Commission, nobody from Wellington, nobody from LaGrange. Mostly it’s been Lorain and the major cities that have dominated the County Commission.”

Amherst City Councilmember Martin Heberling, a Democrat who sits on the board of Citizens Opposed to Issue 20, believes that the seven district plan will decrease representation.

“Lorain County currently has three county commissioners who represent … every voter within Lorain County, so when you vote for your county commissioners here in Lorain County, your votes go to a person who’s going to be representing the entire county,” Heberling said. “If we were to reduce that … or increase the amount of commissioners to seven, … we’re going to be reducing the power of your vote of anyone who votes in Lorain County. You’re going to go from 100 percent representation down to 14 percent representation.”

The campaign to expand the Lorain County Commission has been active for years, but it has not managed to get any initiative on the ballot until now. Supporters of Issue 20 say that it is too difficult for ordinary people to campaign countywide, leading to a lack of candidates in recent elections. 

A website sponsored by Citizens for Equal Representation, a political action committee in favor of Issue 20, says that the cost for running for commissioner countywide is $100,000, while the cost of running in one of the proposed seven districts is only predicted to be $25,000. The website also claims that a seven-district commission will benefit Lorain County by allowing for greater interaction between commissioners and citizens and for committees focused on specialized policy areas. 

Issue 20 does not abolish or alter the role of countywide officials. However, some critics have expressed concerns that the increase in the number of commissioners and their staff could give them greater power to exert pressure on these elected positions, all of which are currently held by Democrats. The current sheriff, prosecutor, and auditor are all opposing the plan, as are organizations representing county officials, such as the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association, Ohio Clerk of Courts Association, and Ohio State Coroners Association. 

“A good way to describe it would be more cooks in the kitchen; more people overseeing things rather than having a person of dedicated leadership under strict control, [who] knows exactly what’s expected and does well, and has proven themselves well,” Heberling said. 

Arredondo dismissed these concerns as conjecture, pointing out that Issue 20 does not change the official role of the Commission.

“There are possible actions that the Commission could take, but it’s ultimately going to be the seven commissioners who decide on whether in fact they’re going to proceed with any kind of changes to county offices, like the auditor’s office or the sheriff’s office,” he said. “So there’s no guarantee that any changes would be made to any other office. And that’s no different than it is now with three commissioners.”

A seven-district map has been approved by the current County Commission and will be used if Issue 20 passes. The map was proposed to the Commission by Citizens for Equal Representation, and drawn by Mark Salling, senior fellow and research associate in the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, and Consultant Robert Dykes of Triad Research Group. According to  Citizens for Equal Representation’s website, the political action committee gave no guidelines to Salling and Dykes except to create a minority-majority district and avoid splitting city wards. Still, many Democrats contend that the map favors Republicans.

“The districts are based on population, but the way that they drew the lines would ensure that four out of those seven districts would always be reliably Republican-led districts,” Lili Sandler, founder of Lorain County Rising and a member of the executive committee of the Lorain County Democratic Party said. “As far as the Democratic Party is concerned, this is unfair. [The map] draws lines right through cities. It doesn’t even try to keep communities together. It puts the city of Oberlin in the middle of an exceptionally rural district.”

The map would place the City of Oberlin within District 2 with New Russia Township, LaGrange, Wellington, and much of southern Lorain County. Some residents of Oberlin are concerned that, as a heavily Democratic city within a predominantly rural and conservative district, their voices will not be heard. 

“Though Oberlin is an overwhelmingly Democratic city, our representative commissioner would not likely ever be a Democrat based on how the proposed maps are drawn,” Oberlin resident Katie Ashwill wrote in an email to the Review. “Currently, if there is a problem with a commissioner, all of Lorain County can address it. If Issue 20 passes, and there is a problem with a commissioner in the new District 2, for example — where Oberlin will be, we likely won’t have power to address it unless the rest of the district agrees. Further, if there is a problem with a commissioner in the proposed District 3, for example, that commissioner is only accountable to the people in that district, and therefore citizens across the rest of the county can’t do anything about it.”

Citizens of Lorain County will vote on Issue 20 on Tuesday. The next County Commissioner election is scheduled to be held in 2024.

Issue 1 allows voters to decide upon a constitutional amendment change, establishing an individual’s right to reproductive medical treatment. 

If sufficient voters select “YES,” section 22 of Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of Ohio will change. Individuals receiving reproductive medical treatment can have legal protections and be treated on a case-by-case basis by a physician. The state cannot prohibit abortion before a fetus is considered viable.

The proposed amendment defines fetal viability as: “the point in a pregnancy when, in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician, the fetus has a significant likelihood of survival outside the uterus with reasonable measures. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.”

The state can only prohibit an abortion in the instance of a fetus being viable and the woman’s physician not considering the abortion to be necessary. Additionally, a fetus can be aborted at any stage if a physician is concerned about a woman’s health. 

Norwalk resident and candidate for Ohio House of Representative District 54 Dr. Kellie Deeter wrote to the Review about her concerns for parental rights if the amendment is approved. 

“It creates a new legal standard that goes far beyond pre-Dobbs law under Roe v. Wade, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which upheld parental consent and a 24 hour waiting period,” Deeter wrote. “It gives abortion rights to every pregnant individual, including minors, calling into question whether or not parents will have the ability to have a say in the medical decisions of their children.”

Lili Sandler, founder of Lorain County Rising and a member of the executive committee of the Lorain County Democratic Party, spoke to the Review about why Ohioans should vote “YES.” 

“Voting yes for this constitutional amendment does not require that the voter themselves have an abortion,” Sandler said. “It does not mean that they need to be in favor of abortion. It does not mean that they need to think that abortion is a great form of contraception or anything like that. What it means is that they believe that people should have the option available to them if they find themselves in those dire circumstances, whatever the cause may be, and we need to have that option. It is healthcare.” 

Issue 2 is a proposed law to enact Chapter 3780 of the Ohio Revised Code. It proposes the commercialization, regulation, legalization, and tax for the adult use of cannabis. If sufficient voters select “YES,” this law will be enacted.

Oberlin resident John Pardee is president emeritus of the Ohio Rights Group, a cannabis legalization organization. He wrote to the Review about his concerns for Issue 2 as an initiated statute, as opposed to a proposed law from a citizen to the people of Ohio for a statewide vote. 

“The State Legislature can drastically restrict or even void Issue 2 in its entirety because it is an ‘Initiated statute’ and not a Constitutional Amendment like Issue 1,” Pardee wrote. “And the Senate leadership has already drafted a plan to do just that.” 

If this is passed, adults must be 21 years or older to purchase cannabis in facilities where the cultivation, processing, and sale of cannabis will be regulated and investigated by the state of Ohio. According to the text of Chapter 3780, an individual can possess “[2.5] ounces of adult use cannabis in any form except adult use extract … [and] 15 grams of adult use cannabis in the form of adult use extract. ” An individual consumer may only purchase these amounts from a dispensary per day.

The proposed law includes a social equity and jobs program, giving people from disadvantaged groups preference for cultivator licenses. The ballot language notes that the issue will “[r]equire the Division to provide preferential treatment to applicants who have qualified for the cannabis social equity and jobs program based on social disadvantage when issuing level III adult use cannabis cultivator licenses and dispensary licenses.” 

Additionally, the law aims to prohibit certain local government entities from limiting homegrown cannabis. Adult users will be permitted to grow six plants per person, but 12 plants per household if two adults live together. 

Landlords and employers have the authority to prohibit the use of cannabis in certain circumstances. The operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of cannabis is prohibited. 

New programs and funds will be created if this law passes. An agreement with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services will create a program for cannabis addiction. The law proposes five new funds in the state treasury: the aforementioned cannabis social equity and jobs fund, adult use tax fund, a host community cannabis fund, a substance abuse and addiction fund, and the division of cannabis control and tax commissioner fund. 

If the law passes, there will be a taxation of 10 percent on the sale of adult use of cannabis by dispensaries. All money from the tax will be deposited into the adult use tax fund and distributed quarterly. The ballot language explains that these funds will be divided among these programs, with “36 percent to the cannabis social equity and jobs fund; 36 percent to the host community cannabis facilities fund; 25 percent to the substance abuse and addiction fund; and three percent to the division of cannabis control and tax commission fund.”

The panel consisted of 10 of the 11 candidates currently running for City Council. The incumbents are Bryan Burgess; Ray English; Eboni A. Johnson, OC ’97; Michael J. McFarlin; and Elizabeth J. Meadows. The non-incumbent candidates are Frieda Fuchs; Libni López; Jessa New, OC ’01; Joseph L. Peek; and Joe Waltzer, OC ’98. Incumbent Kristen L. Peterson, OC ’72, was unable to attend.

The candidates answered questions regarding Oberlin’s current climate action plan and the candidates’ plans to create a sustainable infrastructure. 

The forum was held at the First Church in Oberlin and opened at 7 p.m. with brief statements from each candidate where they were able to introduce themselves and their hopes for the future of Oberlin. The forum was open to all members of the Oberlin community and featured a fair split of both community members and students. Sunrise’s Hub Coordinator, College second-year Lilly Dodson, expressed the organization’s goal of opening communication between students and the town. 

“The last kind of forum that they did was with the candidates and it was run by the League of Women Voters,” Dodson said. “I think it was mostly with the community and I wasn’t even aware the event was happening until after it happened. … We just thought it would be good to hold something else before the election happened just to bring students out to connect with the Council election.”

The Sunrise Movement is a 501(c)(4) environmental advocacy group. Sunrise’s four main principles are ending the climate crisis, creating union jobs, investing in racial and economic justice, and investment in the public sector. The Oberlin Student Hub advocates for climate justice at local and national levels. As of right now, the Hub’s registration under the national movement has expired. The group currently has plans to renew it. 

“We’re an environmental focused, climate justice focused organization,” College first-year and Oberlin Sunrise Movement Communications Leader Rhys Hals said. “I think covering more environmental focuses for the candidates and getting to know their platforms is definitely something that everyone is facing and thinking a lot about nowadays.”

Like many student-led organizations on campus, Sunrise lost momentum during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dodson shared her process for reviving the movement on campus this year. 

“When it stopped meeting, and the hub went away, I wanted to bring it back,” she said. “I held some general interest meetings to try to find people who would put together a leadership team. People came and were really interested in getting involved and helping out.” 

College fourth-year Ben Reider moderated the event and opened the conversation with the panel by asking what they think sustainability looks like in Oberlin. The panel discussed a range of topics including several long-standing issues and developments pertaining to housing and energy consumption. 

“I feel like we partially accomplished our goals,” Reider wrote to the Review. “We got to hear from the candidates and let them speak at length. …  However, on a policy basis, not much separates each candidate.” 

One of the main solutions candidates referred back to was Oberlin’s five-year Climate Action Plan. Released in 2019, the City of Oberlin plans to be completely carbon-neutral by 2030 and carbon-positive by 2050. The plan outlines solutions regarding composting, community workshops, and preserving undeveloped space.

Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Biology John Petersen, OC ’88, commented on the event. 

“I think we have a City Council in Oberlin that’s already demonstrated substantial commitment to environmental sustainability and to addressing climate change in particular,” Petersen said. “I think if you look around Ohio, you will not find a community that has made more commitments or been earlier in making those commitments. I think the returning Councilmembers have all demonstrated that dedication. I think that most of the candidates who are running have also demonstrated that commitment.”

The City Council election will be held on Tuesday. Seven Councilmembers will be chosen out of the 11 candidates.

The scholarship was created and previously led by Ms. Ruby N. Jones, a graduate of Oberlin High School and the now closed Oberlin School of Commerce, with help of fellow Oberlin residents and friends. The scholarship aims to provide support for middle and low income families and create a stronger community that supports the education of the city’s younger generation beyond high school. In 2018, the Community Scholarship Fund was renamed to honor Jones.

Currently, Farah Emeka serves as the chair of the Board of Trustees for the scholarship foundation. Emeka is also president of the Oberlin School District Board of Education.

“The mission of the Community Scholarship Fund is to send students who live in the Oberlin School District to college,” Emeka said. “We typically provide scholarships to students who are in the middle of the pack academically. We do that because Miss Ruby Jones, who was a longtime Oberlin City School District employee, worked with a lot of students from the community who really had the drive and motivation to go to college, but not necessarily the funds. And because they were not the top of the class, honor roll, or merit roll students, they tended to be overlooked by traditional scholarship funding. She wanted to create a fund that was specifically geared toward them.”

25 years since its founding, the scholarship has raised over $200,000 for 73 young students in Oberlin. The Board of Directors, who are all volunteers, look at certain factors and personal characteristics when looking through applications. The applicant’s personal vision, academic ability, references, personal interviews, and demonstrated financial need guide the board in deciding its yearly recipients. Every year, money is raised through community donations. 

Each recipient is paired with one board member, who serves as their mentor after they are granted the scholarship. The mentor answers questions the student may have, reminds them what is necessary to have their scholarship seen all the way through, and gives any insight they have into the field the student is interested in. 

Two current Oberlin students, College third-year Julian Cross and College first-year Audrey Halstead are recipients of the scholarship. The scholarship has allowed Cross and Halstead to worry less about finances and focus more on academic areas of interest. 

“The scholarship has allowed me to focus fully on school and not the finances of it,” Cross wrote in an email to the Review. “I am sure that I am a better student and work more efficiently because I have no worries about what I need to pay to get through the semester. It also allows me to experiment more because as an art student certain materials cost money, and with the scholarship in my favor, I am able to afford these extra materials to maximize my ability as an artist.”

The Community Scholarship Board chooses recipients who they believe can make a positive impact in the Oberlin community. 

“It means a great deal to me that I was chosen, as it demonstrates that I am viewed as someone who can make a positive impact in the Oberlin community,” Halstead wrote in an email to the Review. “I plan to pursue a career in service in hopes of giving back, just as Ruby N. Jones did.”

In 2003, Oberlin College presented Jones with the Award for Distinguished Service to the Community, which is given to residents of the Oberlin area who have made significant contributions to the welfare of the community.

Jones passed away in January 2018, at the age of 89. The scholarship fund was renamed the Ruby N. Jones Community Scholarship Fund to honor Jones and her community service. 

“We changed it to her name in honor of her before she passed away, with her blessing,” Emeka said. “She was adamant that the word community needed to stay in the title of the organization.”

Recently, Oberlin officially proclaimed Oct. 23 Ruby N. Jones Day.

To learn more about the Community Scholarship Fund, visit msrubyscholarship.org.

At the grand opening, artifacts were on display in an exhibit curated in collaboration with the Oberlin College Special Collections along with artwork by Oberlin High School students. The Oberlin Underground Railroad Center Implementation Team envisions the Center will be used to showcase historical and artistic exhibits and hold performances focusing on the experiences of enslaved people, according to those working on the project. 

 “The space will be really dedicated showcasing some of the art and history of the slave times,” City Council Member Elizabeth Meadows, who serves as City Council liaison to the Implementation Team, said. “City officials have visions of it being able to be used by regular citizens for celebrations, but for the most part, the vision is mainly for it to be a good, comfortable place for Black history to be housed, celebrated, and preserved.”

Exact plans for how the Underground Railroad Center will be used have not been finalized. Currently, the Implementation Team is in the process of transitioning to become a nonprofit that will decide how the space is used. All their decisions will have to be approved by the City, which owns the building. 

Oberlin City Code Administrator and City Liaison to the Implementation Team Chris Yates mentioned the City’s interest in renting the space out for private events such as weddings and family reunions in addition to its use as a cultural center. He also said that telling the stories of enslaved individuals was a major part of the center’s vision.

 “Most of the stories in Oberlin revolve around … the abolitionist movement in Oberlin,” Yates said. “The Oberlin Underground Railroad Implementation Team wanted this building to be dedicated to and tell through exhibits the life that the slave led.”

The Gasholder building was built in 1889 to store coal gas that was used to power street lamps around town. It was used only briefly before falling into disuse and disrepair. The structure was almost torn down, but an effort led by citizens to save the building resulted in it being donated to the City in 2004. The Gasholder building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. 

Meadows said that there was already an interest in creating an Underground Railroad Center when she moved to Oberlin in 2001. In 2007, a design team was assembled, but the team lacked the funds to fully renovate the building. The team fundraised, and some construction was completed. However, the space remained unusable until the City agreed to put up the funds to finish the renovation in 2019.

Yates described the extent of the renovations necessary to bring the building up to code and make it a usable, public space. Proper drainage had to be established, a concrete support beam had to be installed in the basement, and the floor had to be leveled and finished. Additionally, the City installed heating and air conditioning, built a small stage for performances, and widened the entrance to allow for an increased capacity of 272 people. The cost of the project totaled over $500,000.

“It’s [an] exhibition room, basically short of a museum,” Yates said. “They didn’t think we could get the air quality in there for museum quality. I think now with the system we have in there, we can, so that changes it a little.”

During the grand opening, artifacts from the Oberlin College Special Collections’ Anti-Slavery Collection were on display. It  included shackles, a piece of a whipping post from a jail, and illustrations of the African coast from the era of the slave trade. Special Collections and Preservation Assistant Gena Reynolds said that these items were chosen from the collection by the members of the Implementation Team. The Anti-Slavery Collection was compiled throughout the 19th century and incorporated in Oberlin College’s first library in 1885. Most of the items in the collection pertain to the abolition movement, but some artifacts, like those displayed at the Underground Railroad Center opening, are directly related to slavery.

“[The artifacts] were collected following the Civil War as proof of what had happened and because people were interested in preserving that history,” Reynolds said. 

The one permanent exhibit in the Underground Railroad Center will be the tombstone of Lee Howard Dobbins. Dobbins was a four-year-old child, born into slavery, who came to Oberlin in 1853 with his adoptive mother who was fleeing enslavement with her other children. Dobbins was ill and had to be left in Oberlin as the family continued on their journey to freedom. He died shortly after, which left a large impact on the Oberlin community. His funeral at First Church was attended by over a thousand people. 

“I think it was a very tragic moment for the community and drove home the horrible things that were happening at that time,” Reynolds said. “It’s an event that I think the people in Oberlin really talked about a lot and wanted to make sure that people knew what had happened. There are multiple anti-slavery newspapers that run stories about it and talk about Dobbins’ death in our collection.”

Dobbins was buried under a tombstone emblazoned with the words “Let Slavery Perish!”

“The sandstone tombstone was removed from the graveyard to save it from rain damage,” Reynolds said. It remained in the Special Collections, despite belonging to the City, until it was returned to become part of the Underground Railroad Center. 

Meadows described the public’s response to the Underground Railroad Center as positive.

“On Juneteenth, there was a soft opening. Some of the community members were invited to come in,” she said. “And I have to say that the people who came in were just joyous. I like to use that word, because they were all smiling and happy and came inside and just walked around and made very positive comments about the interior of the building because they had seen it as an eyesore for many, many years, and now it’s not.”

Yates said that there are plans to install bathrooms in the center to accommodate for times when the restrooms at the nearby picnic pavilion are closed. He also said he hoped the Center would be able to collaborate with the Oberlin College Special Collections on another exhibition in the near future.

Bryan Burgess, 44, is the current president of Oberlin City Council and has served six terms on the Council. Burgess is an Oberlin High School graduate, received a bachelor’s degree in Business Computer Systems from New Mexico State University, and is now a contractor who owns and operates Burgess Electric. He is a passionate advocate for renewable energy and energy efficiency, a cause which resulted in Oberlin’s electric utility achieving a carbon-neutral portfolio and establishing an Office of Sustainability. Burgess is now focused on building a new green industrial park to provide additional job opportunities and economic development in keeping with Oberlin’s environmental ethics. 

Ray English, 76, served as Director of Libraries at Oberlin College for 25 years from 1990 to 2015. English is in his third term on Oberlin City Council and previously served as co-chair of the City’s Human Relations Commission. English feels strongly about housing of all kinds, especially affordable housing. He supports developing the economy to create jobs, retaining existing businesses and attracting new ones, and keeping Oberlin’s downtown healthy and vibrant. He wants to see improved relations between the College and the community and improve the effectiveness of city government. “I’m running for reelection to city council because I believe I have helped bring positive change to Oberlin and I want to continue to make a difference,” English wrote in an email to the Review. “I believe Oberlin is a wonderful community that can become even better. While we are making progress with social equity, we can be more just and more inclusive and we can continue to build on our remarkable record of sustainability. I want to continue working for that kind of change.”

Eboni Johnson, 48, grew up in Elyria and graduated from Oberlin College in 1997. She returned to Oberlin in 2009 to join the Oberlin College Libraries. She has served on the Social Equity Working Group since 2020, and before being elected to City Council in 2021, she was a member of the Human Relations Commission from 2018. Johnson’s contribution to the community includes serving on the board of the Oberlin Heritage Center, the United Way of Greater Lorain County, and the League of Women Voters of the Oberlin Area. “I am seeking re-election to Oberlin City Council to continue the initiatives already underway in the areas of reproductive freedom, environmental sustainability, affordable housing, and safe transportation,” Johnson wrote in an email to the Review.

Michael McFarlin, 50, is a current member of Oberlin City Council and the Head of Library Technology and Systems at Oberlin College. McFarlin grew up in northern Ohio and is a United States Army Veteran. He is a member of the Oberlin Community Improvement Corporation, vice chair of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, and a previous chair of the Historic Preservation Commission for the City. He is passionate about addressing the City’s housing issues, improving communications among all groups in the City, and promoting the City of Oberlin and Oberlin College as the arts and culture hub of our region. McFarlin believes in ongoing service to one’s community, and he recognizes the importance of including all voices when considering policies that impact our residents. In an email to the Review, McFarlin wrote that his priorities are “working for smart, sustainable, and equitable growth; fostering a connected, collaborative, and inclusive community; and supporting a vibrant, colorful, and fun City of Oberlin.”

Elizabeth Meadows, 78, has been an Oberlin resident since 2001. She has served on numerous City commissions including, but not limited to, Open Space and Visual Environment, Human Relations, and Recreation. She is Council Advisor to the Underground Railroad Implementation Team. For the past decade she has been an enthusiastic advocate for enhancing art in public spaces. Meadows is a member of Community Connection, a group composed of people from Oberlin College and people from the City of Oberlin whose mission is to enhance the relationship and communication between the College and the City. Meadows is seeking reelection to see completion of a few projects initiated by the present council. These projects include construction of two multi-use paths to enhance pedestrian and bicycle traffic parallel to Route 58 from Hamilton south to Route 20 and on South Park Drive from Lorain to the elementary school campus. Additionally, she wants to see construction of affordable housing on infill lots.

Kristin Peterson, 72, graduated from Oberlin College in 1972. She is a retired 35-year educator and the former owner of the UPS Store. Peterson has been on the City Council for 8 years. Peterson is a City Council representative for the Ohio Municipal Electric Association Board and the Central Lorain County Ambulance Board. She is currently on the Charter Review Committee and the Cable Co-op Board. Former boards include the Elyria YWCA, Lorain County Developmental Disabilities, Oberlin Community Improvement Organization, Mercy Allen Foundation, Neighborhood House Association (now Neighborhood Alliance), and the Oberlin College Committee for Shareholder Responsibility. “I have and will continue to support increased housing options in Oberlin, sustainability in all respects (affordable city services for residents, transportation options, POWER), and advocacy at state and national levels in support of public power,” Peterson wrote in an email to the Review.

Non-incumbent Candidates: 

Frieda Fuchs, 60, is a political scientist with a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University, awarded in 2001. Residing in Oberlin for the past 25 years, Fuchs is married to Oberlin College Professor of Sociology Veljko Vujačić and is the parent of an Oberlin second-year student. She has previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Oberlin College’s Politics Department and worked as a provenance researcher for Nazi-looted art at the Allen Memorial Art Museum. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fuchs founded the nonpartisan communal Facebook Group, “Oberlin-What Do You Have? What Do You Need?” This group boasts over 3,000 members, providing a platform for sharing information, offering volunteer work, and facilitating the sale of small items. Fuchs’ agenda focuses on several key initiatives, including investment in sustainable and affordable housing, improving transportation options for seniors and individuals with limited mobility, and enhancing well-lit pedestrian and cyclist-friendly infrastructure. Fuchs also intends to support the downtown area with tax credits and more public events. Furthermore, Fuchs is committed to addressing noise, health, and safety concerns related to EDL’s renewable natural gas plant. 

Libni López, 36, is a community organizer and has worked as a therapist for the past 12 years. He has a background in mental health and social change and “empowers individuals to thrive while advocating for stronger, more connected communities.” López is passionate about amplifying the voices of underrepresented and most vulnerable communities, ensuring their stories are heard, and advocating for their representation and equity. López is dedicated to advancing housing equity by working to eliminate barriers to affordable housing and collaborating on new policies and measures that ensure everyone has access to housing. He hopes to build a strong relationship between the City and College that is crucial for fostering a thriving community. “I’m committed to bridging the gap between the College and the community that it serves, creating opportunities for collaboration and growth,” López said.

Jessa New, 44, is a 2001 graduate of Oberlin College and the general manager and owner of Slow Train Cafe and the Local Coffee & Tea. Most recently, she has volunteered as a board member of both Oberlin Business Partnership and the Oberlin Community Improvement Corporation, in addition to being a member of the committee tasked with revising Oberlin’s Comprehensive Plan. New is passionate about economic vitality, guiding new businesses, and making Oberlin a business-friendly community. If elected, she hopes to improve City and College relations and cultivate a central hub of information, events, and activities. New also told the Review about the importance of the Social Equity Committee. “I intend to be active in the oversight of the Social Equity Plan and help facilitate quick implementation and remediation so that we no longer fall short as champions for true social equity,” New wrote in an email to the Review.

Joseph Peek, 57, comes from a family of Oberlin educators and is a former teacher from the South Bronx and Columbus. He returned to his hometown of Oberlin to care for his late mother. “As a substitute teacher in Oberlin, I see students of all grade levels and listen to the needs of the community,” Peek wrote in an email to the Review. He is passionate about sustainability initiatives, affordable housing and uniting the City and College. “My hopes are that Oberlin will speak, model and educate with one progressive voice throughout this city/county/country, for the betterment of all,” Peek wrote.

Joe Waltzer, 48, graduated from Oberlin College in 1998. Upon graduating with a degree in Environmental Studies, he stayed in Oberlin and opened two farm-to-table restaurants: Black River Café and Agave. He recently opened the Black River Wine Shop and Bar. Waltzer hopes to work with City Council members to respond to the needs of diverse communities by developing creative housing solutions. He also intends to implement effective communication strategies in order to improve relations between the City and College. Waltzer believes that there needs to be a clear path for promoting economic development in Oberlin. “For nearly 30 years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with community members and local organizations to support Oberlin in reaching its full potential,” Waltzer’s website notes. “As an Oberlin City Council member, I would continue to help Oberlin grow in a way that retains our unique character and small-town charm.”

The plan is the result of Ohio House Bill 592, which stipulated that all 88 Ohio counties must be a member of a solid waste management district. There are currently 52 districts. Oberlin is part of the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District, which has prepared this current plan to last for the next 10 years.

The State of Ohio has outlined the goals behind their push for solid waste management plans: first, 80 percent of the population should have access to recycling; second, at least 25 percent of all residential and commercial waste should be recycled. 

The Lorain Solid Waste Management District is already in compliance with the first objective and aims to meet the second goal with this plan. The district has decided to aim for a higher threshold of recycling 35 percent of all residential and commercial waste by the end of the plan period. 

In his letter to City Council asking for it to ratify the plan, Director of Public Works Jeff Baumann called the plan “realistic though not ambitious,” with the City of Oberlin itself having a much more aggressive goal of achieving 90 percent waste reduction over the next 30 years. 

Baumann wrote in his letter that the plan would not significantly impact either the City’s waste  and recycling collection, or the budget dedicated to the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.

Alarmingly, the district’s current predictions forecast recycling rates gradually declining from 21.46 percent in 2019 to 19.25 percent at the end of the planning period in 2034.

As a result of changes made in past years, Oberlin’s recycling rate has also declined. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the City’s recycling rate was 29.38 percent, which has fallen to about 24 percent due to the introduction of a subscription-based recycling service, which was launched November 2020 and requires residents to opt into the program and make a pledge not to contaminate their recycling. The service is free of charge. 

Baumann explained the decision to switch to a subscription-based model was in response to a huge increase in the cost of recycling at the Republic Recycling Center in Elyria, where the City currently sends its recycling. From April 2019 to January 2020, Republic increased the City’s recycling fee from $27.50 per ton to $100 per ton. The facility also added a contaminated load charge of $75 per ton, which the City of Oberlin largely avoids paying by requiring residents to pledge not to contaminate their recycling before they can opt in to the program. The City also stopped accepting glass as recycling because it heavily increased the costs of transporting recycling to the Republic Center. 

When asked how the City planned to reach both the 10- and 30-year targets in the face of currently declining recycling, Baumann explained a few new initiatives that the City is planning to introduce. 

One of these is a glass recycling program, which he hopes will be deployed either in late spring or early summer 2024. He explained that the Ohio EPA had given Oberlin a grant to buy a glass-crushing machine that the City could use to crush waste glass to use in road construction. 

Another initiative will expand the City’s current food composting program to curbside pickups on a subscription basis. The City runs its food composting program through Barnes Nursery, and is exploring the possibility of Barnes Nursery building a Class II waste compost facility in Oberlin, which would cut down on the cost of trucking all the waste food to the existing facility. 

Another portion of the plan discussed the importance of Lorain County Community College and Oberlin College to the recycling programs. Neither college responded to the commercial recycling survey in 2019, which meant that the Lorain Solid Waste Management District did not have access to their recycling rates. The plan recommends developing a partnership with both institutions as they could play a vital role in developing the district’s recycling initiatives. 

Baumann told the Review that he felt the plan did well to focus on recycling but did not sufficiently address reducing or reusing waste. 

“For me, the more important part of the equation is, how do we eliminate waste on the front end?” he said. “Obviously, [the City of Oberlin has] a longer-term and much more aggressive goal. But the only way to meet that is to reduce the amount of stuff that we dispose of. That’s a societal problem. It’s a cultural problem. It’s a manufacturing problem. We probably don’t have as much control over that on the front end, so it becomes a question of our educational and promotional efforts. … It’s something as simple as taking your own shopping bag to the grocery store or your own coffee cup into the coffee shop for a refill rather than getting a paper cup. It’s literally thousands and thousands of small actions like that.”