Wooster City Council candidates weigh in on issues of housing and growth

Wooster City Council candidates are giving their views about the forward direction of the city.

For member of Council at-large, Bill Bostancic, a Democrat, is facing off with Michael F. Abernathy Jr., a Republican.

Lukas Gaffey and Michael Todaro are seeking the Council Ward 1 seat.

Growth and affordable housing are two of the big issues.

"We are feeling growing pains right now and demand for businesses to come in," said Abernathy, president and CEO of Buckeye State Credit Union.

"Housing is an issue," as are traffic patterns that come with it. "There has been quite a lot of disruption in traffic patterns," he said. "I expect Oak Hill/Milltown traffic increases.

"Do we need significant growth — no — but we need to keep an eye toward it," Abernathy said. "Growth comes in a lot of different forms," he said, pointing out the perspective of some people is growth means another business coming into town.

But growth also can mean technology and maintaining a clean community.

"Let's try and work together as a community to improve living conditions and provide services," he suggested. "At a local level, affordable housing is hard for us to control. We are in an incredibly unhealthy housing market across the country.

"There's not a quick fix for housing," he said, adding, interest rates are making payments high. "A couple of years ago you could get a home in Wooster for $125,000 to $150,000, but it feels like prices have doubled. I don't see an end any time soon. Inventory is low. It's a seller's market."

Looking at developments like Redwood apartment houses is a possible option for the city, Abernathy said, pointing out the city has only so much land.

Housing may become a countywide issue, encompassing outlying villages and towns.

He has been talking to people seeking housing in Smithville, Apple Creek, Fredericksburg, and Shreve — "going outside the city limits."

Abernathy thinks current wages are "very good. We are seeing wages increase," although they're not getting ahead of inflation.

He believes the Federal Reserve is "doing a nice job of creating disinflation," allowing wage growth to begin the process of catching up.

Abernathy also spoke to the issue of the city council's relationship with the Wooster City School District, with which "a good relationship is paramount" for finding funding, helping teachers, and improving facilities.

"It's incumbent on the city to work with the Wooster City Schools board," Abernathy said.

Abernathy praised the community of Wooster as having a neighborly feel and wants to continue to "keep it safe, clean and simple with a continued eye for growth."

Bostancic, semi-retired and one of the original owners of Farmer Boy restaurant in Wooster, has always been interested in planning and took many courses related to urban development and regional planning for his graduate and undergraduate degree.

He thanks the city "has done a pretty good job of attracting industry," and must be careful not to generate urban sprawl or use up too much farm land.

"What we are really short of is affordable housing," Bostancic said, in the area of what is called "workforce housing" in the lower and middle class price range.

"We are making some progress," he said, for example, with the Lofts, which have already been built and are income- based. "They are filled."

Citing similar existing developments or in the works, he said, "We need more."

Because there aren't a lot of large areas for development remaining within the city, Bostancic is a proponent of concentrating on filling in these areas in which apartments or multi-family housing can be constructed, where feasible. 'I think we need to work on in-fill."

Infilling saves valuable farmland and also saves on expenses for addition of services and infrastructure.

Bostancic said the city should be careful about industrial tax abatement. The city is already attractive in so many other ways for companies evaluating Wooster as a location.

Most tax abatements will affect schools he said, noting the biggest impact the city can have on the school district is protecting it fiscally.

Having previously served on Council, he said, "I felt like I was making a difference."

"I like interacting with people on issues of the city, like water drainage, development issues, and zoning issues, which can be very divisive.

"If you don't interact with them, you're not doing your job," he said.

Todaro entered the race because at the time he declared candidacy, no one else was running.

"It would mean (the seat) was going to be assigned," he said, and his goal was ensuring his ward would be represented by someone chosen by the people.

Todaro's platform is civic engagement.

In his generation, age 40 and under, he said, "Locally, there is very little enthusiasm for local government."

His hope is "seeing a face that looks like them" will motivate their involvement and encourage them "they are a part of this community and can make a difference."

Like candidates for other offices, he is concerned about the housing issue.

"We need more affordable housing options — under $200,000," he said. "We need to change our idea what affordable housing is."

One of the things he observed during attending city planning sessions is the possibility of designing housing communities with a smaller footprint.

Todaro is also interested in incorporating smaller manufacturing facilities, specifically ones that are future-proof, such as solar energy.

He advocates keeping good relationships with the school board and keeping an eye on what's happening at the state level in education.

During a transition time in his life when he is helping his wife achieve her career goals, he thinks now is a time to break into a field in which he would like to serve. His main goal is service to the community.

Gaffey, art director for Wooster Brush, said, "We have a significant or decent amount of growth."

The challenge lies with affordable housing, he said.

Ward 1 is a unique area south of Bowman Street, one of the older traditional areas, he said, encompassing 50% of the issues with drug abuse, mental health, and homelessness.

R-T, residential traditional zoning, was put in place to try to curb what's happening in the neighborhood, such as homes being carved into multiple apartments.

Many of them are in dilapidated condition or disrepair, and they're not being fixed by landlords, he said.

One of the zoning measures supposed to counter the problem is the stipulation a property which has been vacant for a long time must revert back to a single family home.

"I've lived in the R-T for 12 years," said Gaffey, who wants to find "champions willing to put in the work" of revitalization.

Gaffey said tax abatements, CHIP grants and other methods are available to assist people buying older homes to renovate them or convert them back to single family homes.

"I don't have the answers for everything," he said, but pledged to seek creative solutions.

"These are not simple problems," he said, but other communities have successfully navigated them.

Gaffey encouraged "being engaged and intentional."

Improving older areas of town — preserving some of the character and "turning things around" — is a priority for Gaffey.

"It's definitely a passion of mine," he said.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wooster City Council candidates talk housing, growth, development