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In the few minutes he had the floor, Marietta Mayor Joshua Schlicher was able to supply a few details on two of the most talked-about business announcements that have been percolating around the Marietta area for awhile.
Schlicher and 12 other candidates in local races on the November ballot participated in the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce "Meet the Candidates" lunch event at Marietta Country Club Tuesday.
In response to an audience question about the vitality of Marietta's environment for business, Schlicher referred to the planned relocation of Par Mar Oil Co. headquarters from Westview Avenue to the West Side and the arrival of a Texas Roadhouse restaurant.
In the past six months or so, Par Mar has greatly increased its real estate footprint in the city, Schlicher said.
"They've bought the entire block now," he said.
In addition to their office headquarters, a restaurant in the building, a Par Mar filling station and a stand-alone convenience store are still being planned. Those are follow-ups on additions that were initially proposed in 2021. The plan is to start demolition, grading and other site preparation next year.
"I imagine construction will be in phases," he said.
Texas Roadhouse has settled on a site within city limits and will be going to First Colony Center, Schlicher said. It is hoped the company will start work on the Marietta site in November and the restaurant will probably open around February.
There is a Pike Street development also in the works, a very good source of retail and office space, Schlicher said, "but I can't go into any details at this time."
The Chamber of Commerce event, one in its Legislative Luncheon series, invited all Marietta city candidates on the ballot to come and introduce themselves. Each had two minutes for an initial presentation. After all candidates had that opportunity, they had a limited time to respond to any questions directly addressed to them. The goal was to contain the total event to an hour to accommodate chamber members who would need to return to work.
The event was sponsored by SWN, Southwestern Energy.
In addition to Schlicher, candidates attending were Susan Vessels (R), incumbent Council President; David Grande (D), also running for Council President; Mike Scales, 1st Ward incumbent; Bret Allphin, 2nd Ward incumbent; Geoff Schenkel, 4th Ward incumbent; At-Large council incumbents Bill Farnsworth (D), Harley Noland (D) and Cassidi Shoaf (R); Ben Rutherford, at-large candidate, no party affiliation; incumbent Law Director Paul Bertram III (R); and Shoshanna Brooker and Randall Jedlink, both candidates for Marietta Municipal Court Judge.
An accomplishment frequently mentioned by council incumbents was the August groundbreaking for the largest infrastructure in Marietta's history, the new $5 million reverse osmosis water plant.
Several stressed the characteristics of the city that would likely appeal to a work-from-home population, which might be a good source for a younger population and a larger tax base. Walkability of the city, for example, was cited as both a current asset and an element to keep enhancing.
Scales and Shoaf both stressed financial responsibility that does not depend on federal or state funds outside the scope of the city's budget.
"We need to watch how we ourselves spend our money and not depend on D.C. or Columbus," Scales said. "Keeping our financial position strong is going to require some tough decisions."
"My top concern is fiscal responsibility," Shoaf said. "We can't depend on sporadic funding. We need to operate within our means. I think the performance audit we have planned, the comprehensive plan we're working on, and a required annual review of our comprehensive plan will all help strengthen us."
Schenkel described himself as an initiative taker with a problem-solving mindset. His "project management" style makes him want to see the finished result of challenges, he said. And he is quite proud of council's slow but steady progress on the first rezoning efforts the city has seen in 25 years.
Allphin said he was proudest of his efforts to make himself communicative and available to residents, including several projects he has been involved in with Schenkel. The Harmar Bridge, Marietta Main Street and project funding that has included principal forgiveness and zero percent financing were positives he mentioned.
Because of the very brief speaking times, some of the candidates were more general in their comments.
¯ Bertram: "I have worked well with this council and mayor and I look forward to more of the same."
¯ Rutherford, who cited experience as an educator and a business owner: "I'm new to public politics but not new to public bureaucracy." The fear of failure should not be something that shapes decisions, he said. "I think we need to fail faster and get to business at hand."
¯ Noland: "I'm a lifelong Marietta resident and in my fourth-and-a-half term served on council. We've made a lot of progress and I would like to be around to see a couple more projects come to fruition."
¯ Farnsworth, who said the city today still faces financial and infrastructure challenges. "My time on council is one of the three proudest lifetime public service moments I have had." Council colleagues are a dedicated, hardworking group of people, "and I am proud to work with this administration."
¯ Vessels: "Our parks are clean, the water is clean, and we have had a surplus carryover in our city budget in 2020, 2021 and 2022, without an increase in taxes." Vessels said she had been involved in more than 800 ordinances and resolutions since first being elected in 2019. And as someone who served on active duty in the U.S. Army 25 years ago, it is once again "an honor to do my duty."
¯ Grande: Although he has never served on council, he covered council meetings for 12 years as a journalist and feels he has a solid background in leadership through his teaching of college classes and as the past president of the Washington County convention and tourism board of directors. Among other things, he wants to ensure that residents have adequate ways to ensure that council hears their voices.
¯ Brooker, Common Pleas Court magistrate for the past 20 years under five judges, she said, and the judicial reviews of her work in that area have been outstanding. Plus, she has small-business experience she can bring to the tasks of facilities, employees and budget.
¯ Jedlink has been working as Juvenile and Probate Court magistrate for more than six years. "There's a lot of overlap with the criminal elements I deal with now in Judge Williams' court," he said of the municipal court position. I have been endorsed by the sheriff and the three county commissioners," he added.