Whitehall considers creating department of neighborhoods

WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) -- Whitehall could create a government office dedicated to improving its 14 neighborhoods, but not all residents agree with the mayor's proposal.

“We need to get to the people where they live and where they where they sleep, and that department of neighborhoods is going to be the driver for that,” Mayor Michael Bivens said.

Bivens brought the idea before city council in August, asking members to approve two new city positions: director of neighborhoods, and events and advancement coordinator. His vision is a department to address the distinct needs of each of the city's neighborhoods. Bivens believes the department would help alleviate poverty and better residents' lives, but some councilmembers and residents are concerned about the costs and limited information.

“A Department of Neighborhoods is redundant," resident Jacquelyn Thompson said. "It's not needed and we can't afford it.”

This fall is budget season for city leadership, and Bivens said he needs to get projections from the city auditor before proposing costs or salaries. He provided titles and sample job descriptions for councilmembers for their consideration. Although Bivens said this level of detail has been used in proposing past positions, Councilmember Jerry Dixon voiced concerns about approving new roles without further information.

Bivens said he does not want to spend time and money to flesh out the roles if council is not amenable to the idea. He said approving the positions does not mean paying for them, as council would still need to approve their salaries in the budget. If council approves the roles but does not budget for them, they would join Whitehall's other unfunded positions.

Bivens idea pulls from Columbus' Department of Neighborhoods, which helps with community programming, planning and addresses neighborhood concerns. He said Whitehall's version would differ in structure, as the city's much smaller size and closer density require different strategic planning.

"Whitehall has the ability, based upon our size, to actually get to every single resident in our city, to provide resident engagement, strategic integration, collaboration, but also the big one is breaking down silos to bring all types of social service organizations, workforce organizations, nonprofit organizations to the residents of the city," Bivens said.

Some residents feel the department is unnecessary. Whitehall resident Jeff Thoburn said tax incentives to housing developments are costing the city money, and he does not believe the government should be spending more tax dollars on this initiative without more funding. He said a department of neighborhoods would increase bureaucracy rather than helping people.

Thompson agreed and sent a message to city leaders on Thursday condemning the idea, which she also shared with NBC4. She encouraged council members to vote against the idea if there are not detailed descriptions of what the jobs would entail.

Thoburn and Bivens raised concerns about Whitehall's poverty, although they differed in suggested solutions. Whitehall has one of the highest poverty rates in central Ohio, with 17.3% of residents living below the poverty level in the 2020 census.

Thoburn said Whitehall needs to do more to attract long-term jobs and protect the residents who are already in the city. He believes adding a department is unnecessary and is not a viable solution. Thompson agreed and alleged voting on the positions without more information is an attempt to force approval.

"I'm sure you've heard the saying, 'Once the train has left the station, there will be no going back,'" Thompson said. "The mayor knows this, and he's counting on it."

Bivens believes dedicating resources to individual neighborhoods, which differ in socioeconomic status and needs, can help alleviate poverty in the city. Bivens also said he is looking ahead, as Whitehall stands to gain 16,000 residents by 2050. He said he wants to take care of future residents, too.

“If I'm fortunate enough to get council to approve the positions, and then fortunate enough to get the funding for it, that not only are we going to lead our residents to better trajectories in their life, we're going to definitely see a reduction of poverty and an increase of livelihood for all of the residents that live in the city of Whitehall,” Bivens said.

Whitehall City Council will hold a second reading of the legislation creating the roles on Tuesday. The meeting will be streamed online, or residents can attend in person at 7 p.m. in City Hall's Council Chambers.