Pencilstorm Interviews: Nicholas Fortkamp for School Board

There are four candidates running for three seats on Upper Arlington City School Board. Pencilstorm asked each of the candidates five specific questions centered around issues that impacted Upper Arlington residents and questions that were being raised by fellow voters. Pencilstorm will be posting their complete and unedited answers individually leading up to the election and reposting all their answers together the last week of October. Answers will be posted in order they're received. Our final candidate, Nicolas Fortkamp, is featured below.

Nicolas Fortkamp
https://fortkampforua.com/

In 2018, the school conducted a safety audit and implemented the recommendations.  Safety continues to be a top priority in our district. What additional measures would you advocate to keep our students and staff safer?
Student and staff safety in our schools is an undisputed priority.  I will advocate ongoing conversations among students, staff, administration, and board members, to continually seek the most innovative, effective safety methods available, including appropriate building features, safety techniques, and policies.     

I will advocate for growing a stronger culture of safety within our schools.  To accomplish this, we must increase dialogue to deepen the trust among students, staff members, and families.  We need to talk about safety awareness and procedures openly, making it a part of student life without overwhelming the students and staff.  By encouraging a safe, trusting culture within our school system, students and educators will be free to focus on positive educational experiences.

What technology projects would you propose as a school board member to better prepare our students for the challenges of the near future?
One of the greatest challenges facing our world today is sustainability.  To better prepare our students, I would propose focusing on technology projects related to environmental and economic sustainability.  Business and industry, including academic institutions, are investing time and resources in the sustainability sector.  Our students need to be equipped with knowledge and experience in sustainable technologies to succeed in whatever paths they choose, as it will ultimately impact their lives, both personally and professionally.

Careers utilizing these technologies, including renewable energy sectors such as wind, hydro, geothermal and solar, and the environmental sciences, will require students with a strong foundation in these areas.  The challenges of the future will need to be analyzed and solved though new technology and perspectives; our students will create a better future by being better prepared.

Between higher property taxes and the cost of students participating in various school activities, the expense of having a student in the school system seems to be ever increasing and can be challenging for some in our community.  What are some ways to lower the cost of our children taking advantage of various activities Upper Arlington schools have to offer?
As a board of education member, I will initiate conversations among school associations, programs, and clubs to enlist their help in finding ways to lower costs for student participation.  By providing discreet financial assistance to students in need, utilizing payment schedules instead of an upfront lump sum, and tapping other organizations for financial assistance, we can help more students take advantage of more activities. 

Finally, from a city and community perspective, a community center could be a catalyst for increased and affordable student activities and programs.  This initiative is still in an exploratory phase, we must utilize spaces currently available in Upper Arlington, perhaps partnering with the city, local businesses and community organizations, to locate affordable, appropriate space for additional student activities. 

What’s the one thing our teachers need to help them be better educators?
I believe teachers would benefit most by having a consistent system relaying an extensive, individual profile for each student, year to year, passed on from one teacher to the next.  I would like to see teachers enter their classroom each year, with a comprehensive understanding and academic history of each child.  If this is done correctly, teachers will be provided the best information to reach and teach each student.  Our teachers are excellent and deserve all the support and financial resources we can afford. 

Everyone at Pencilstorm is a musician. To that end, what would you do to support the arts and music education at all Upper Arlington’s schools?
I believe the arts and music are essential at all stages of learning.  I am a fervent supporter of the arts and music education in our schools and I understand the power they have to enhance all aspects of a child’s education.  I will advocate for integrating music and the arts into nonrelated classes, as a tool to expand the educational experience.  I will support more live performances and hands-on experiences for students, as well as performance partnerships among different age groups, to give a broader, deeper understanding of the arts.  Finally, utilizing our community as a resource, and the high school program, UA IDEA Day, we can share with our students the music and arts from the globally diverse cultures represented in Upper Arlington.         

Pencilstorm would like to thank Nicolas Fortkamp for taking the time to answer our questions.  Learn more about Nicolas at his website: https://fortkampforua.com/. Pencilstorm is an independent news source and does not endorse any individual candidate.

Local UA Politics coverage provided by Wal Ozello. You can email him at Pencilstormstory@gmail.com or try to catch him at Colin's Coffee. 

Check out coverage of all the candidates we've received responses from by clicking here.

Pencilstorm Interviews: Jenny McKenna for School Board

There are four candidates running for three seats on Upper Arlington City School Board. Pencilstorm asked each of the candidates five specific questions centered around issues that impacted Upper Arlington residents and questions that were being raised by fellow voters. Pencilstorm will be posting their complete and unedited answers individually leading up to the election and reposting all their answers together the last week of October. Answers will be posted in order they're received. Our third candidate, Jenny McKenna, is featured below.

Jenny McKenna
http://www.jennyforua.com/

In 2018, the school conducted a safety audit and implemented the recommendations.  Safety continues to be a top priority in our district. What additional measures would you advocate for to keep our students and staff safer?
In speaking with many parents around the district, I know first hand that safety remains a top priority. As a member of the Upper Arlington School Board, I look forward to ensuring that the safety audit recommendations are implemented in a timely manner. The upgraded visitor log system that has been put in place at our schools this year is a huge step in the right direction, especially given the construction traffic that will be happening at most of our school sites the next several years. I recently had a discussion with Chris Potts, chief operating officer, where we discussed this vey topic. He agrees that as we look to the future, the expert consensus is the most important thing the district can do to keep our kids safe is to invest in their social and emotional well being. This includes ensuring that our faculty and staff are taking care of themselves so they are equipped to take care of our students. It also includes being mindful of the emotional toll of lockdown drills and heightened security have on our kids while also making sure our kids are prepared to be safe in case of emergency. These topics are not simple to solve and as a parent, who is interacting with teachers and other parents in elementary, middle and high school on a weekly basis, I look forward to working with our community to maintain our standards of excellence when it comes to the safety and well-being of our kids. 

What technology projects would you propose as a school board member to better prepare our students for the challenges of the near future?
With the district’s implementation of the “one-to-one” technology initiative, we’ve invested a great deal of resources into technology. I am thankful that we have excellent curriculum designers that are working hard everyday to find new ways to incorporate the use of these learning tools into our students’ everyday learning and lives. After speaking to many principles, I learned our teachers are finding innovative ways to use the iPads to teach our curriculum. I was recently speaking with friends of ours about this exact topic. Not only do the have two children in elementary school but the father, Mike Hofherr, also happens to be Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Ohio State. He was sharing with me that one of the biggest challenges with technology is ensuring that our teachers know how and when to use it appropriately. Teacher training is key to integrate that technology into their curriculum.  Experts estimate 80% of the jobs in 2030 don’t exist today - so we need to teach the kids these skills that will prepare them for a technology driven economy. I want to work with the district to make sure we invest in professional development for our staff so they are up to date on the best way to use technology to engage our students. Finally, as a parent of children in multiple schools around the district, I want to make sure whenever new things are rolled out our communication to parents occurs early and often.  As a member of the Upper Arlington School Board, I’d like to bridge that divide and serve as the voice for parents.

Between higher property taxes and the cost of students participating in various school activities, the expense of having a student in the school system seems to be ever increasing and can be challenging for some in our community.  What are some ways to lower the cost of our children taking advantage of various activities Upper Arlington schools have to offer?
Unfortunately, this is a problem that is not unique to Upper Arlington and growing up in a family of seven children, I can appreciate how these costs can quickly add up and parents feel like they are being stretched way too thin. I am a firm believer in “all means all.” ALL children should be afforded the opportunity to participate in sports and extracurriculars if they so desire.

 We are fortunate to live in a community with robust and active PTOs and a well supported education foundation. As President of the PTO, I saw first-hand how many community members are willing to donate their time and money to help make sure All means All. We organize fundraising events annually to help supplement important educational and extracurricular activities. My husband and I are also annual contributors to the Upper Arlington Education Foundation and we have worked closely with other parents over the years to educate our community on the value and benefits of giving charitably to our schools.  As a voice for parents, I look forward to continue to work with our PTO leadership and the education foundation to find creative solutions ensuring school activities remain affordable for all of our students.

What’s the one thing our teachers need to help them be better educators?
Our teachers are amazing educators, and that’s one of the many reasons our district is so great. Personally, I think one of the best things we can do is let our teachers teach. Our kids are tested too much. I’d love to see less time devoted to testing and testing prep and more time devoted to allowing our teachers to prepare our students for the future. I’ve spoken with dozens of other parents first-hand who feel the same way. I also believe that we need to maintain the district’s level of investment in professional development. Whether it’s learning how to better leverage technology in the classroom or supporting the social and emotional needs of our students, our teachers are one of our most valuable assets and need to be supported.  Teachers in the elementary, middle and high school classrooms are trying new and innovative ways of teaching the content while taking the emotional stress of constant testing out of the classroom. As a parent with kids who will be in elementary, middle and high school over the next four years, I look forward to collaborating with parents and teachers at all levels to continue to innovate our approach to education in a way that best benefits our kids. 

Everyone at Pencilstorm is a musician. To that end, what would you do to support arts and music education at all of Upper Arlington’s schools?
I am so thankful to live in a school district that strongly supports music & arts programming. We currently have amazing and diverse offerings for students all over the district. There are strings and band programs in every one of our elementary schools. We have after school enrichment programs that include everything from ceramics to ukulele to Taiko drums. Our middle schools and high school have robust performing arts programs. As a member of the Upper Arlington School Board, I look forward to strongly supporting these offerings and maintaining our current levels of investment.

Pencilstorm would like to thank Jenny McKenna for taking the time to answer our questions.  Learn more about Jenny at her website: http://www.jennyforua.com/. Look for responses from future candidates in the coming days. Pencilstorm is an independent news source and does not endorse any individual candidate.

Local UA Politics coverage provided by Wal Ozello. You can email him at Pencilstormstory@gmail.com or try to catch him at Colin's Coffee. 

Check out coverage of all the candidates we've received responses from by clicking here.

Pencilstorm Interviews: Lori Trent for School Board

There are four candidates running for three seats on Upper Arlington City School Board. Pencilstorm asked each of the candidates five specific questions centered around issues that impacted Upper Arlington residents and questions that were being raised by fellow voters. Pencilstorm will be posting their complete and unedited answers individually leading up to the election and reposting all their answers together the last week of October. Answers will be posted in order they're received. Our second candidate, Lori Trent, is featured below.

Lori O. Trent
https://www.trent4kids.com/

In 2018, the school conducted a safety audit and implemented the recommendations. Safety continues to be a top priority in our district. What additional measures would you advocate for to keep our students and staff safer?
Student well-being which is a part of the recently adopted strategic plan is a huge component. We need to work on building a community where every student (and staff member) feels like they belong. This happens by building bridges, not barriers, embracing differences not judging. Everyone has something to contribute in our community and we need to recognize everyone for their individual talents and gifts. Every student needs to feel valued, loved, and safe. We need to teach our students about school-life balance and create a system where this is possible. We need to have a community where students have trusted adults that they can interact with daily but especially with during times of high stress and emotional challenge. We need to better identify those students who need assistance and act accordingly. Everyone (including students, staff, administrators and parents) is responsible to ensure that we have safe schools by paying attention to and extending a helping hand to those who need it. Here are a couple of recent articles on school safety that are worth noting.

USA Today: The lax disciplinary policies that caused Parkland massacre may have spread to your school
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2019/09/09/parkland-school-shooting-discipline-andrew-pollack-column/2221300001/ 

Forbes: Why Schools Should End Active Shooter Drills Immediately
https://www.forbes.com/sites/evangerstmann/2019/09/07/why-schools-should-end-active-shooter-drills-immediately/  

What technology projects would you propose as a school board member to better prepare our students for the challenges of the near future?
We live in a digital world that is ever changing and constantly evolving. Technology is a tool that should be used to augment our learning and not replace it. With the rapid pace of our world, I hesitate to identify specific projects as they are only valid for 3-5 years and who knows what new innovations are around the corner.

However, I do think that each of our students should understand programming and coding and be able to work with and understand big data. This is a critical skill that must be developed in our students regardless of what industry they enter. That means being digitally literate with multiple applications by being able to find, evaluate and compose clear writing and communications through various digital platforms.

Equally important is developing these skills for teachers and administrators through professional development. Creating an opportunity for teachers and students to learn together and support one another in this process is desirable as it builds community. Creating a culture that adults and students work side-by-side helps them both acquire life skills and support a growth mindset and can instill a love for life-long learning.

How schools keep up with the technological age
https://academytoday.co.uk/Article/how-schools-keep-up-with-the-technological-age

Between higher property taxes and the cost of students participating in various school activities, the expense of having a student in the school system seems to be ever increasing and can be challenging for some in our community.  What are some ways to lower the cost of our children taking advantage of various activities Upper Arlington schools have to offer?
With the wealth of opportunities and programs that our district offers to students, from academics, extra curriculars and sports, there are costs are associated with each of those offerings. As with all businesses, one of the easiest ways to lower costs is to decrease spending and thereby decrease offerings. Knowing our community, I suspect this approach would receive mixed support and not be desirable or welcomed. 

Rather, I would propose focusing on building business/industry partnerships and seeking out grants and local, state and national funding sources. If we truly believe that it is our collective responsibility to nurture and develop our students, let’s create a funding mechanism that is mutually beneficial to all students and our community.  

Collectively pulling together as a community, we could also pool resources to help those in our community gain access to the means to make sure their students can participate in those activities. Recently initiated, there is currently a Student Life Review committee lead by Dr. Dan Ross comprised of community members and parents that is looking at school sponsored clubs, student clubs, boosters, etc. and their funding mechanisms.   

3 REASONS WHY BUSINESSES SHOULD PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS
https://edlanta.org/2017/11/3-reasons-businesses-partner-schools/

What’s the one thing our teachers need to help them be better educators?
With all of the demands placed on teachers such as testing, curriculum, individualized learning plans, state standards, etc. I think teachers need some time and space to think about learning and their students. Why did they decide to join the teaching profession? Has it changed from how they were taught? Is the world a different place than it was even a few years ago, let alone a decade or two? The most important question is how do I best provide my students with what they need to be successful in the future. It is estimated that 65% of kindergarteners today will have a job/career that does not exist today. So how can we best prepare those students? We need to instill a growth mind-set teaching problem solving skills, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking – all with a community focus. In Upper Arlington, we are very privileged to have such a wealth of teaching experience and we need to pair that experience with the needs of our current and future student population. I believe our teachers are ready and willing to help create an eco-system that encourages these human skills and better create work-life balance for our students by teachers modeling that behavior.

6 Simple Ways to Become a Better Teacher
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/04/6-simple-ways-to-become-a-better-teacher-for-your-students/

Everyone at Pencilstorm is a musician. To that end, what would you do to support arts and music education at all of Upper Arlington’s schools?
Being an art teacher, this is an easy one for me. The arts are everywhere and should be integrated into everything we do – whether visual or performing. They give us life, laughter, appreciation, balance, peace and connectivity. The arts teach us many of the desired future-ready skills mentioned above like problem solving, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking as well as individuality. The arts teach us diversity, equity and inclusion. I believe the arts are the threads that create our tapestry of life. Everyone is an artist in one way or another. Unfortunately, many of our school experiences lead us to feel inadequate as our definition of art is far too narrow. 

I would encourage us to celebrate the arts as part of our regular school experience. Give students ways to express themselves in all of their classes. Let’s bring art and music into the classrooms and allow students to celebrate their own special gifts not just within a specific group such as band, choir, or art club, but fully integrated their talents as an integral part of school.  

Arts Integration in School: 10 Reasons Why It’s Important
https://www.senecaacademy.org/10-reasons-why-integrating-art-is-important-in-school/

Pencilstorm would like to thank Lori Trent for taking the time to answer our questions.  Learn more about Lori at her website: https://www.trent4kids.com/. Look for responses from future candidates in the coming days. Pencilstorm is an independent news source and does not endorse any individual candidate.

Local UA Politics coverage provided by Wal Ozello. You can email him at Pencilstormstory@gmail.com or try to catch him at Colin's Coffee. 

Check out coverage of all the candidates we've received responses from by clicking here.

Pencilstorm Interviews: Nancy Drees for School Board

There are four candidates running for three seats on Upper Arlington City School Board. Pencilstorm asked each of the candidates five specific questions centered around issues that impacted Upper Arlington residents and questions that were being raised by fellow voters. Pencilstorm will be posting their complete and unedited answers individually leading up to the election and reposting all their answers together the last week of October. Answers will be posted in order they're received. Our first candidate, Nancy Drees, is featured below.

Nancy Drees
http://uadrees.com/

In 2018, the school conducted a safety audit and implemented the recommendations.  Safety continues to be a top priority in our district. What additional measures would you advocate for to keep our students and staff safer?
Safety of our students and staff has always been a top priority for our district. We are committed to continuously improve safety. Approved by the board in August, is our Strategic Plan for 2019-2022, it focuses on the well-being of our students and staff. We are fully committed to making our schools a safe learning environment where Upper Arlington students can thrive. 

To name a few recent improvements, we expanded the school resource officer program to include all Upper Arlington Schools through our partnership with the city of Upper Arlington and the Upper Arlington Police Division. We continuously review, update and coordinate our safety procedures with the City of Upper Arlington Police and Fire Division. This fall, we implemented a background check process for all contractors and a new visitor-management system that efficiently completes a background check for every visitor to our schools. We believe and raised awareness in the importance of “see something, say something”. 

Safety starts every board meeting and every board committee meeting – it has always been and will always be a top priority to continuously improve safety.   

What technology projects would you propose as a school board member to better prepare our students for the challenges of the near future?
Upper Arlington Schools was one of the first districts in Ohio to implement one-to -one technology for every student. I am very proud that my work on the board has placed iPads in the hands of every student from kindergarten to grade twelve. iPads have built in accessibility features that have been proven to provide students with enhanced features for personalized learning. Our teachers will be using iPads to help students integrate photography, video and drawing to all aspects of learning. iPads offer flexibility for anytime and anywhere learning. Not only will our students be prepared for the future, but our teachers will be better equipped with real-time data to improve every student’s achievement. Our teachers will also be able to develop learning apps that enhance our curriculum. The possibilities of learning with technology are endless and as a school board member I’m excited for our student’s future.  

Between higher property taxes and the cost of students participating in various school activities, the expense of having a student in the school system seems to be ever increasing and can be challenging for some in our community.  What are some ways to lower the cost of our children taking advantage of various activities Upper Arlington schools have to offer?
We are currently doing a full scale study of all co-curricular and extra curricular activities and the financial impact on our students. We want every student to be able to participate in any activity and cost should NOT be a deciding factor.

What’s the one thing our teachers need to help them be better educators?
I believe our whole learning focus in our Strategic Plan for 2019-2022 enhances our teachers to be better educators. Having a learning-centered culture and instructional framework improves our teachers. We are focusing on a shared understanding of what we believe and value. We want to give our teachers time to create, analyze, plan and develop. Our focus in the Strategic Plan is to create an school environment where professional learning is job-embedded, personalized and peer based. Better educators make better students!  

Everyone at Pencilstorm is a musician. To that end, what would you do to support arts and music education at all of Upper Arlington’s schools?
I am a big supporter of the fine arts and the performing arts at Upper Arlington Schools. We have one of the finest programs in Ohio where our students excel in their passions. I am proud of our accomplishments and will support our teachers in any way to continue our student’s success. 

Pencilstorm would like to thank Nancy Drees for taking the time to answer our questions.  Learn more about Nancy at her website: http://uadrees.com/. Look for responses from future candidates in the coming days. Pencilstorm is an independent news source and does not endorse any individual candidate.

Local UA Politics coverage provided by Wal Ozello. You can email him at Pencilstormstory@gmail.com or try to catch him at Colin's Coffee. 

Check out coverage of all the candidates we've received responses from by clicking here.

Pencilstorm Interview: Carolyn Casper for UA Council

There are five candidates running for three seats on Upper Arlington City Council.  Pencilstorm asked each of the candidates five specific questions centered around issues that impacted Upper Arlington residents and questions that were being raised by fellow voters.  Pencilstorm will be posting their complete and unedited answers individually leading up to the election and reposting all their answers together the last week of October. Answers will be posted in order they're received. Our last candidate, Carolyn Casper, is featured below.

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Carolyn T. Casper
www.carolyncasperforua.com/

What’s your vision for a potential Community Recreation Center?
I have been involved with the discussion about a community center for some time. Even though the idea was rejected several times before, the need for a community center keeps resurfacing. I agree with many of our residents that our community needs a multigenerational center. To address this question, a feasibility study is being conducted by a Task Force formed by City Council composed of residents. I look forward to the report from this group. I do hope they see a way for us to have a center. If there is a center, it needs to have something for all residents. I imagine it will look like the centers in the surrounding communities but am very open to whatever results come from the study and then the work of the residents. I have learned there is a misunderstanding and some residents think of a community center as a workout facility. I see it as much more than that. There will be spaces to meet and interact with other residents, space for classes and events, areas for seniors and for small children. I personally look forward to having meeting space that one can book in advance. Perhaps a coffee shop, a year round pool, I am getting ahead of myself. I look forward to the report from the study and to supporting the decision. 

Upper Arlington has had a record amount of development this year and continues to have increasing development pressure. How do we modernize our city while controlling the traffic and maintaining the community feel that makes us special?
As a member of the Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) Board, I understand that the central Ohio area is growing rapidly and that Upper Arlington is positioned to benefit from this growth. It, the growth, within our city must be carefully planned and thought out. We currently let development happen without much planning. The patchwork quilt method it would appear is how it is currently done. With the expected influx of people, this could be a disaster. We need thoughtful redevelopment. There seems to be a rush to fill spaces without much thought.

Commercial development planning must address the needs of our community. We need a long term plan. In the case of the Lane Ave corridor, we have begun a study. The goal is to have a plan that will serve our city for years to come. There are several other areas in our city that need to have a plan developed as well. Traffic studies need to be completed for all development possibilities. Lane Avenue is very congested every weekday morning and afternoon. The traffic needs to flow smoothly. Mass transit would help relieve some of the congestion. Currently there is no Lane Ave bus to or from OSU. A city wide traffic study should be considered not just project by project. If we get the growth in population we are expecting, the congestion will increase if there is no planning.

The housing issue is another puzzle. The character of our neighborhoods must be maintained. The in-builds need to fit in not stand out. Our zoning laws are much too flexible and variances are granted more often than not. We are asking the wrong questions and we keep getting the wrong answers. The boxes are checked off but what we want doesn't happen. The destruction of our community continues. The River Ridge/ Kingsdale West Study was conducted with the input of many residents and one of their concerns was/is the practice of tearing down affordable homes and replacing them with homes that are priced higher than the average home in the area. In addition, often the new builds are not compatible with the rest of the homes in the neighborhood. These issues were raised but are being ignored. The demolition continues in the area. We depend on the lower priced homes for entry into the community and as places for empty nesters to retire. Those who helped build Upper Arlington should not have to leave the city because there is no available housing for them. There needs to be more design control in addition to what we already have if we are to maintain the character of our neighborhoods.. This takes planning.

When Compuserve was still headquartered in Upper Arlington, local income taxes from that commercial property represented approximately 35% of the City’s income tax revenue stream. Now that the Tree of Life court case is over, what should the city do to maximize that property and significantly boost our income?
The former Tree of Life location is another area that needs thoughtful development. It is the largest piece of land currently available in our city. With the right plan, it will be a great asset. There could be an office park with an anchor restaurant and some green space. The location is excellent because it is on a busy road between to 315 and Route 33 on the edge of the city. The right configuration could allow more of our residents to both live and work in our city. I look forward to discussing the many possibilities with our new city manager.

If there’s one thing you could fix within our parks and recreation, what would it be?
I would like to find a way to make all city sponsored activities in our public parks affordable to all residents. Community pools need to be available to all of the community. Currently, the price is prohibitive for many.

Remembering that Pencilstorm is typically a Rock N Roll blog, we’d like to end with a music question. What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to and why?
I have attended many concerts but the best one so far was the Cher Concert in Columbus several years ago. I think it was supposed to be her last tour but that has changed. It may be my favorite because it brought back so many memories from long ago. I lived in Hollywood when she and Sonny were just starting out. She and he walked up and down Hollywood Blvd on a daily basis and no one paid much attention. Bell bottom pants and big vests. I have seen her since Hollywood Blvd. Once in London. To see her years later brought so many memories rushing back.

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Pencilstorm would like to thank Carolyn Casper for taking the time to answer our questions.  Learn more about Carolyn at her website: https://www.carolyncasperforua.com/. Pencilstorm is an independent news source and does not endorse any individual candidate.

Local UA Politics coverage provided by Wal Ozello. You can email him at Pencilstormstory@gmail.com or try to catch him at Colin's Coffee. 

Check out coverage of all the candidates we've received responses from by clicking here.

Pencilstorm Interview: Angela M. Lanctot for UA Council

There are five candidates running for three seats on Upper Arlington City Council.  Pencilstorm asked each of the candidates five specific questions centered around issues that impacted Upper Arlington residents and questions that were being raised by fellow voters.  Pencilstorm will be posting their complete and unedited answers individually leading up to the election and reposting all their answers together the last week of October. Answers will be posted in order they're received. Our fourth candidate, Angela M. Lanctot, is featured below.

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Angela M. Lanctot
www.UAForAngelaLanctot.com

What’s your vision for a potential Community Recreation Center?
Many of us as UA residents are excited about the ideas that we could include in a Community Recreation Center, including athletic amenities, meeting space, indoor pool, and a dedicated Senior Center. Since we have neither unlimited space or resources, we would need to have the proper research and community involvement to determine the features that would provide maximum utilization and benefit to the community for a right-sized community center. To this end, I support the City’s recent formation of a Community Center Feasibility Task Force to establish whether residents are in favor of a community center, whether it is feasible and if so, what options are available for location, funding, and management. In all cases, it would be crucial that any decision on moving forward would be properly voted on by residents. 

Upper Arlington has had a record amount of development this year and continues to have increasing development pressure. How do modernize our city while controlling the traffic and maintaining the community feel that makes us special?
It is all about balance. While it is vitally important that we preserve the things about Upper Arlington that compel people to move to, return to or never leave this City, it may not be possible to meet the needs of today’s residents with the way things have always been. Our society desires greater access to amenities, recreation, shopping, and dining, among other things and this demand will only be greater for future generations. With the correct balance of responsible development and receiving and accounting for public input, particularly those neighboring potential development, we can meet these expectations. It is impossible to please everyone, but it is possible to give all residents a voice. This participation, coupled with professional and reliable resources, will allow City staff and council to make the appropriate recommendations concerning traffic and density. We have a great opportunity before us with the hiring of our new City Manager. The experience and expertise of Steve Schoeny in development will give us the best tools to make the right decisions for our community as a whole. 

When Compuserve was still headquartered in Upper Arlington, local income taxes from that commercial property represented approximately 35% of the City’s income tax revenue stream. Now that the Tree of Life court case is over, what should the city do to maximize that property and significantly boost our income?
As a private landowner, Tree of Life has the ultimate decision-making power on how that property is utilized. Notwithstanding, the City should work with Tree of Life to provide opportunities on how it can have a better result for all parties. This prized piece of commercial property would supply needed revenue to support the needs and priorities of the City and its residents. Ideally, the space would again host high-end technology jobs. This discourse between the City and Tree of Life is another example of the benefit of our new City Manager, Steve Schoeny, who can facilitate these discussions and negotiations to achieve a way through the situation. 

If there’s one thing you could fix within our parks and recreation, what would it be?
For the amount of demand we have on our parks, we just don’t have enough of it. While we can’t fabricate more green space, we can continue to look for creative solutions to the problems. This could include annexing neighboring space or establishing connections to nearby amenities. The Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks Quarry Trails on the west side of the Scioto River and north of Trabue Road will be 118 acres in phase one alone, with another 100 acres planned in total and will be awesomely close to Upper Arlington. It will be imperative that City Council and City Staff prioritize making a connection for Upper Arlington residents to utilize the vast resources that will be available in this development. The exact connection is yet to be determined but could include a pedestrian bridge, an underground tunnel or any configuration that the experts determine can safely get people access to the Park. Furthermore, the entire west side of Upper Arlington follows along the Scioto River with miles of recreation available. If additional connections are made from our neighborhoods to provide safe passage, it will multiply the space available for all generations to enjoy. 

Remembering that Pencilstorm is typically a Rock N Roll blog, we’d like to end with a music question. What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to and why?
It was actually two concerts, but the same artist. When I was in middle school, my father took my sisters and me to see Garth Brooks perform in Cleveland. At the time, I might have been the only of my sisters who truly listened to country music, and Garth, but we had the most memorable night together, even being stuck for hours in traffic leaving Cleveland on a school night. Flash forward, twenty-five years later, Garth Brooks was once again touring and my dad and sisters and I made a return trip to Cleveland to see the epic performance. Not only has his performance improved with time, it is one of those rare artists for me that I can sing all the lyrics to the songs – and this time we were all singing along! Time spent with my family and with Garth makes for the best concert I’ve ever been to!

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Pencilstorm would like to thank Angela Lanctot for taking the time to answer our questions.  Learn more about Angela at her website: www.UAForAngelaLanctot.com. Look for responses from future candidates in the coming days. Pencilstorm is an independent news source and does not endorse any individual candidate.

Local UA Politics coverage provided by Wal Ozello. You can email him at Pencilstormstory@gmail.com or try to catch him at Colin's Coffee. 

Check out coverage of all the candidates we've received responses from by clicking here.