When the questionnaires have been returned, the PolCom then schedules interviews with the candidates.  The interviewing committee, consisting of at least three PolCom members, questions the candidates based on their answers to the questionnaire and the candidates voting and action records (if any) discerned by a thorough review of the candidates’ public history.  The PolCom votes on whom to endorse and forwards its recommendations to the COG ExCom.  Approval must then be sought from the Chapter ExCom, as well.  From start to finish, the endorsement process is lengthy and takes many months to complete.

This year, the newly reconstituted PolCom had insufficient time to endorse candidates.  As an experiment, it sent out letters to the candidates for Columbus City Council and for Columbus Mayor soliciting views on Sierra Club Central Ohio concerns. We received three responses, two from Republican candidates for Columbus City Council Paul Bingle and Tim O’Grady, and a response from Democrats Mayor Michael Coleman and. Councilman Mike Mentel, Councilman Hearcel Craig, Councilwoman Charleta Tavares, Councilman Paul Ginther and Councilwoman Priscilla Tyson.   We received nothing from Republicans Heidi Samuel, Bill Brownson, Bill Todd, or Larry Thomas.

Mayor Coleman and City Council members Mike Mentel, Hearcel Craig, Charleta Tavares, Paul Ginther and Priscilla Tyson wrote

“Mayor Coleman and your Democratic City Council members have committed to making Columbus greener through innovative programs like Get Green Columbus, Neighborhood Pride, and the Green Pact.  Mayor Coleman’s Get Green Columbus was the first blueprint for living green in Columbus.  It laid out a visionary plan for engaging the City, residents, and businesses in implementing common-sense solutions to Central Ohio’s environmental challenges.  Green Pact, which was initiated by the City of Columbus, urges signers to purchase vehicles with anti-idling devices, increase recycling, improve mass transit and educate residents about sustainable living.  The pact has been signed by local governments throughout Central Ohio. In 2000, Mayor Coleman was joined by City Council in launching Neighborhood Pride, a proactive initiative to engage residents and businesses as partners in revitalizing their homes and neighborhoods.  In Pride, city employees from multiple departments work together to provide focused services, point out health, safety and code problems.  The program has cleaned 2,184 miles of streets, sponsored 2,510 City and volunteer litter clean up events, and collected 85,054 pounds of trash. Vote on November 6^th for… Mayor Michael B. Coleman • Council President Michael C. Mentel Council members Charleta Tavares • Andrew Ginther • Priscilla Tyson • Hearcel Craig..”

Paul Bingle, Republican candidate for Columbus City Council wrote

“I am Paul Bingle, YOUR prospective ‘green’ Columbus City Council representative.  My life has been centered on ‘green’ interaction – in my personal behaviors, in my volunteerism, and in my profession.  I am an avid bicyclist, having explored Columbus’s bikeways since 1972.  I delight in canoeing with my family.  I relish walks in the Metro Parks system.  As a community activist, the Columbus Recreation and Parks and Department of Public Utilities activities have been keen focus areas for my partnerships to improve services.  Since 1995, I have represented local, statewide, and national conservation and environmental charities in fundraising partnerships with Ohio businesses via Earth Share of Ohio.  By extending the reach of their program messaging to a broad audience of Ohioans, I have come to know and promote the programs of those entities, including the national Sierra Club.  I serve as a board director for the national Earth Share organization in its national representation of hundreds of similar charities. Rather than just talking the part – I have lived the part.  I am well versed on Columbus green issues thru my 23 years of collaborations with the City and my 12 years of professional experiences.  Support your green candidate, Paul Bingle.  www.paulbingle.com.”

The response of Tim O’Grady, the other Republican candidate for Columbus City Council was too long for complete publication, but the following is his complete response.

“Here are some questions the answers to which are of interest to our membership and that you might consider in formulating your statement:

In 2004 Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle created the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement to encourage mayors and other city leaders to address the climate crisis by inventorying and then reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  As of today, more than 650 cities around the country in all fifty states, including the City of Columbus, have signed this agreement.  If you’re elected, would you sign the agreement and/or encourage your city to take part in this program? I would work to continue ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gases.

Cities across the country have developed energy saving strategies that also save taxpayer dollars.  In Denver, for example, the city has saved more than $895,000 by changing out their streetlights to LED lights and implementing biodiesel fuels in their vehicle fleets.  In the small city of Arlington Massachusetts, they save more than $195,000 annually by retrofitting schools, libraries and other public buildings and moving to the new lights.  Would you be willing to explore energy and cost-saving strategies like these and are there any ways you can think of now to save your city money? Yes.  I believe in being fiscally responsible and I intend to seek  every possible way to be a good steward of taxpayer money.  That certainly includes energy saving strategies.

Over the last few years, global warming has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be real and at least partially caused by human events.  A scientific study revealed that though cities account for less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, they account for more than 80% of global warming pollution.  As an elected official and community leader in your city, what would you do to ensure that residents are more knowledgeable and responsible about their carbon emissions? I think awareness is important and would support reasonable outreach and education efforts.

Columbus and many others of your larger communities are working on a Complete Streets policy that basically states that all streets are designed, re-designed and constructed for all users including bicyclists, pedestrians and transit.  Pedestrians also include people with disabilities. Many communities state that they are working on a policy, including Columbus, but an actual policy does not yet exist.  If Columbus is working on a Complete Streets policy, what is the status and when will the policy go into effect?  Will there be a budget assigned to this policy and if so, how much per year?  What percentage is that of the total transportation budget?  How was that percentage determined? I would have to continue reviewing this particular issue, though I do believe in having the city be pedestrian, cyclist, and commuter friendly.

Would you be in favor of establishing and funding additional metro parks and green space within Columbus? I am in favor of additional metro parks, assuming the funding is available and other city priorities, especially funding for safety services are met.

What energy policy do you support for the city?  As indicated, I believe in energy saving devices that reduce electrical consumption, enhanced education, and promoting the use of metro parks.

Would you support a gas tax?  If so, why?  If not, why not? No.  I am not yet convinced that Columbus is spending money as efficiently as it says and I am not willing to look at tax increases to shore up potentially misplaced priorities.

Do you support the sale of natural resources (timber, gas, minerals) from public lands as a means to generate government revenue? I would be willing to examine this issue in more detail.  I am not reflexively against such actions, however, I do not think that this is the first place one looks to find additional revenue.

Do you support legislating changes to the tax code to incent energy efficiency in homes and businesses?  (E.g., tax breaks for improving insulation?  Buying energy efficient appliances?  Converting business fleets to hybrids?) I am willing to explore these types of options.

Are you concerned about the costs involved with using corn as a raw material for fuel (ethanol) or with using biodiesel fuel?  If no, why not?  If yes, can you please tell us what those concerns are? I am concerned and believe other alternative vehicles, including hybrids, are important.  While ethanol has some use, I am concerned about the amount of energy used to extract its potential.  I am also concerned about the cost the ethanol boom is causing relative to corn used for food and other farming actions that use corn as livestock feed, etc.

What are your views regarding water quality in Columbus?  Do you think additional storm and sanitary sewers are needed, and do you favor continuing combined use sewers?  Would you be in favor of increasing water and sewer bills to cover the cost of system upgrades?  I know the city is already looking at this issue.  As a rule, I do not believe in passing costs along to taxpayers before all alternatives are looked at, including reducing other, unnecessary costs.  Clearly, the systems need to be revamped.

Many people consider urban sprawl to be an issue leading to a decaying inner city, continual stretching of city utilities and services, and inadequate mass transit and additional costs to the environment due to population living farther from the city’s center.  How would you address urban sprawl and what policies would you favor?  Do you favor light rail for Columbus?  What are your views regarding growth impacting the Darby Creek watershed and what would you have the city do about it?  I believe in metro parks, energy efficiency, and a judicious mix of alternative fuels.  However, I do not believe in policies that will cut off economic growth.  Columbus has a small job growth rate that while better than many other Ohio cities, is pretty anemic by national standards.  Any policy that reduces the city’s ability to develop I would be very concerned with.  I would certainly have to review any restrictive policies on a case by case basis.  As for light rail, if existing resources can be used, I would not be against it, however, I do not support increasing taxes or user fees to fund it.  As for the Darby Creek, I believe that ameliorative actions should be taken to control any degradation to the environment, but, again, I believe in pro economic growth.”

While the PolCom was sending out its letter to candidates, a candidate for mayor of Bexley (a suburb of Columbus for those of you outside the metropolitan area) wrote asking for the club’s endorsement.  Accordingly, we sent him and his fellow candidates the letter for comment.  From the eight candidates, we received four responses.

As a former mountain climber and hiker, I am committed to protecting our world.  As the current Director of Technology, I have drastically reduced our office waste.  I have removed and recycled 240 unnecessary pieces of computer equipment. Instead, I have established centralized office equipment that reduces electric use, heat, and waste.  Additionally, I have established paperless departments that have replaced volumes of paper with 15,000 digital documents.  Lastly, I have promoted the City’s web to provide key paperless communications to the residents. As a private citizen, I have consistently promoted green ideas for the community.  I activated the Preservation of Wolfe Park where we preserved the wildlife meadow of Wolfe Park and stopped efforts to convert the meadow into dirt softball diamonds.  I’ve co-labored the amazing group FACT (Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries) to remove trash from Alum Creek.  Lastly, I’ve promoted plans to reduce the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on residential lawns. As a future mayor, I look forward to increasing the efficiency of city buildings, promoting a pedestrian-friendly downtown, enhancing our community greenspaces, planting more trees to reduce global warming and enhance air quality, and improving the quality of the Alum Creek waterway.  Thank you, Bill Minckler.

“Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your correspondence. Here is my reply:   The position of Mayor of Bexley can be effectively used to implement conservation measures in areas directly under the control of the City, and to energetically encourage conservation in areas which are not under the City's control but are within its jurisdiction. As I see it, the areas in which energy conservation could be the most effective in Bexley include energy saving stategies in City lighting, traffic flow, vehicle fuel consumption, and building energy usuage. A review of energy use and consuption in each of these areas could produce cost savings from reduction of use and utilization of alternative energy sources.  In addition, the City should seek LEEDS certification in all of it's future building projects, which would accomplish conservation and savings. Bexley is the type of community that would embrace an intensified recycling effort, as well as programs that would result in lower fuel consumption and costs in its vehicles and buildings. The balance between sensitivity to environmental issues and containing costs is easily reached when the community's interest is encouraged  by the City, and it's actions set an example.Leadership from City government can achieve these objectives.”  Gene Weiss

From Bernard Lampke:

“In 2004 Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle created the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement to encourage mayors and other city leaders to address the climate crisis by inventorying and then reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  As of today, more than 650 cities around the country in all fifty states, including the City of Columbus, have signed this agreement.  If you’re elected, would you sign the agreement and/or encourage your city to take part in this program? Yes, I would encourage the City of Bexley to take part in this program to the extent we have not made efforts to do so to date.

Cities across the country have developed energy saving strategies that also save taxpayer dollars.  In Denver, for example, the city has saved more than $895,000 by changing out their streetlights to LED lights and implementing biodiesel fuels in their vehicle fleets.  In the small city of Arlington Massachusetts, they save more than $195,000 annually by retrofitting schools, libraries and other public buildings and moving to the new lights.  Would you be willing to explore energy and cost-saving strategies like these and are there any ways you can think of now to save your city money? LED lighting is but the first step in saving money and protecting the environment.  The City of Bexley is a leader in building energy efficient and green municipal buildings in our City.  I have insisted that our new buildings be LEED certified.  This will provide not only an energy efficient building which pays for itself, but also a more pleasant working environment for our employees.  Retention is key to building a professional workforce, and providing the benefits of a LEED certified building is an essential step in attracting and retaining good employees.

Over the last few years, global warming has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be real and at least partially caused by human events.  A scientific study revealed that though cities account for less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, they account for more than 80% of global warming pollution.  As an elected official and community leader in your city, what would you do to ensure that residents are more knowledgeable and responsible about their carbon emissions? Education and being the prototype for reducing carbon emissions is how an elected leader can improve the knowledge of our residents' effect on their environment.  The City is being a leader in reducing carbon emissions, and will need to promote these activities through press releases, and updating its zoning ordinances.

Columbus and many others of your larger communities are working on a Complete Streets policy that basically states that all streets are designed, re-designed and constructed for all users including bicyclists, pedestrians and transit.  Pedestrians also include people with disabilities. Many communities state that they are working on a policy, including Columbus, but an actual policy does not yet exist.  If Columbus is working on a Complete Streets policy, what is the status and when will the policy go into effect?  Will there be a budget assigned to this policy and if so, how much per year?  What percentage is that of the total transportation budget?  How was that percentage determined? N/A

Would you be in favor of establishing and funding additional metro parks and green space within Columbus? I would.  Bexley does not have enough green space.  What little it has must be preserved and used responsibly so that many people can enjoy its benefits.

What energy policy do you support for the city? I support energy efficiency, car pooling, and decreased usage of the HVAC system.

Would you support a gas tax?  If so, why?  If not, why not? N/A

Do you support the sale of natural resources (timber, gas, minerals) from public lands as a means to generate government revenue? I would support sale of organic material of our natural resources only if the product is a renewable resource.  Otherwise, the natural resource will vanish or be forever altered.

Do you support legislating changes to the tax code to incent energy efficiency in homes and businesses?  (E.g., tax breaks for improving insulation?  Buying energy efficient appliances?  Converting business fleets to hybrids?) YES

Are you concerned about the costs involved with using corn as a raw material for fuel (ethanol) or with using biodiesel fuel?  If no, why not?  If yes, can you please tell us what those concerns are? I am not familiar with the production of corn as a biodiesel fuel except to know that it is occurring.

What rare your views regarding water quality in Columbus?  Do you think additional storm and sanitary sewers are needed, and do you favor continuing combined use sewers?  Would you be in favor of increasing water and sewer bills to cover the cost of system upgrades? The water quality in Columbus is poor.  A tremendous amount of work is needed to maintain and upgrade our sanitary and storm sewers.  It is a tragedy to have sewage back up into our homes, or spill into our natural waterways.  I would be in favor of increasing water and sewer bills to cover the cost of system upgrades as it benefits every homeowner to make these upgrades happen.

Many people consider urban sprawl to be an issue leading to a decaying inner city, continual stretching of city utilities and services, and inadequate mass transit and additional costs to the environment due to population living farther from the city’s center.  How would you address urban sprawl and what policies would you favor?  Do you favor light rail for Columbus?  What are your views regarding growth impacting the Darby Creek watershed and what would you have the city do about it? The City of Bexley is landlocked.  I support highly and value the availability of our public transit system and the potential of light rail for Columbus. 

From Travis Irvine:

“. . .[A]t 24, I am the only candidate for Mayor of Bexley who is pushing an environmental agenda in the 2007 mayoral election.  Bexley is a city that is very suited to be labeled “green” – it has parks, trees, a recycling program, and active, educated residents.  It is only a matter of connecting the dots and encouraging more eco-friendly development – through tax incentives and innovative programs – and utilizing new environmental technologies for city facilities to make Bexley emerge as a “green” leader in Central Ohio.  The time for local governments to keep up with the trend is now:” Governor Strickland is pushing alternative energy programs, and Columbus is welcoming a great deal of eco-friendly development.”  Travis Irvine

Other candidates running for Mayor of Bexley who did not respond are John Brennan, William Harvey, Robyn Jones, and Scott Weinblatt.

The full text of the letter sent to candidates is as follows:                                               

September 21, 2007

Dear Candidate:

The Central Ohio Group of the Sierra Club will not be endorsing candidates this election cycle.  In lieu of our past endorsing procedure, we are giving you an opportunity to inform our membership of your platform/views on environmental issues in advance of the election on November 6, 2007.   An excerpt from your statement may be published in the November/December issue of the Central Ohio Group’s newsletter to be mailed to members prior to November 1^st  and will be posted in its entirety on the group’s website. Please limit your remarks to 200 words due to publication space limitations.  Submissions exceeding the word limitation may be edited or truncated without notice to you.   In order to meet the publication deadline, we must have your submission no later than October 1, 2007.

Here are some questions the answers to which are of interest to our membership and that you might consider in formulating your statement:

In 2004 Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle created the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement to encourage mayors and other city leaders to address the climate crisis by inventorying and then reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  As of today, more than 650 cities around the country in all fifty states, including the City of Columbus, have signed this agreement.  If you’re elected, would you sign the agreement and/or encourage your city to take part in this program?

Cities across the country have developed energy saving strategies that also save taxpayer dollars.  In Denver, for example, the city has saved more than $895,000 by changing out their streetlights to LED lights and implementing biodiesel fuels in their vehicle fleets.  In the small city of Arlington Massachusetts, they save more than $195,000 annually by retrofitting schools, libraries and other public buildings and moving to the new lights.  Would you be willing to explore energy and cost-saving strategies like these and are there any ways you can think of now to save your city money?

Over the last few years, global warming has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be real and at least partially caused by human events.  A scientific study revealed that though cities account for less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, they account for more than 80% of global warming pollution.  As an elected official and community leader in your city, what would you do to ensure that residents are more knowledgeable and responsible about their carbon emissions?

Columbus and many others of your larger communities are working on a Complete Streets policy that basically states that all streets are designed, re-designed and constructed for all users including bicyclists, pedestrians and transit.  Pedestrians also include people with disabilities. Many communities state that they are working on a policy, including Columbus, but an actual policy does not yet exist.  If Columbus is working on a Complete Streets policy, what is the status and when will the policy go into effect?  Will there be a budget assigned to this policy and if so, how much per year?  What percentage is that of the total transportation budget?  How was that percentage determined?

Would you be in favor of establishing and funding additional metro parks and green space within Columbus?

What energy policy do you support for the city?

Would you support a gas tax?  If so, why?  If not, why not?

Do you support the sale of natural resources (timber, gas, minerals) from public lands as a means to generate government revenue?

Do you support legislating changes to the tax code to incent energy efficiency in homes and businesses?  (E.g., tax breaks for improving insulation?  Buying energy efficient appliances?  Converting business fleets to hybrids?)

Are you concerned about the costs involved with using corn as a raw material for fuel (ethanol) or with using biodiesel fuel?  If no, why not?  If yes, can you please tell us what those concerns are?

What are your views regarding water quality in Columbus?  Do you think additional storm and sanitary sewers are needed, and do you favor continuing combined use sewers?  Would you be in favor of increasing water and sewer bills to cover the cost of system upgrades?

Many people consider urban sprawl to be an issue leading to a decaying inner city, continual stretching of city utilities and services, and inadequate mass transit and additional costs to the environment due to population living farther from the city’s center.  How would you address urban sprawl and what policies would you favor?  Do you favor light rail for Columbus?  What are your views regarding growth impacting the Darby Creek watershed and what would you have the city do about it?

Again, please submit your statement so that it is received by October 1, 2007. 

Very truly yours,

Melanie C. Braithwaite, Chair
Central Ohio Group Political Chair

/mcb