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New mayor focuses on revitalizing Dayton 

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Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell meets James Myrick, owner of Table 44, a Gettysburg Avenue restaurant on Tuesday, April 6, 2010.

Chris Stewart/Chris Stewart Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell meets James Myrick, owner of Table 44, a Gettysburg Avenue restaurant on Tuesday, April 6, 2010.

Leitzell’s supporters and critics weigh in on his style

By Joanne Huist Smith, Staff Writer Updated 10:43 AM Monday, April 12, 2010

DAYTON — One-hundred days isn’t a lot of time for a newly elected official to learn the job, but supporters of Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell say he is making changes. His critics, however, question whether his actions are making a difference.

A definitive answer on whether Leitzell has the savvy to pull Dayton out of a deep economic slump may not be apparent for years.

“I think the first thing he has tried to do is identify the issues. I think he has found there are many more challenges than he thought,” said Phil Parker, president and CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. “I think he’s trying to create a vision for what he wants the city to look like in five or 10 years.”

Leitzell serves on the chamber’s board of trustees and Parker is a member of the mayor’s Economic Development Leadership council. Parker said he has seen Leitzell, an independent, try to work in a collaborative way with the four city commissioners, a group of Democrats who functioned as a team under former Mayor Rhine McLin. The commissioners often felt comfortable with McLin acting as the voice of the group. Leitzell doesn’t fill that role.

“This is a new person we’re getting to know,” City Commissioner Nan Whaley said. “It’s obviously different without Mayor McLin, but not a marked difference in terms of policy.”

Lovelace still getting to know new mayor

Some speculated Leitzell would be a lone dissenting voice on policy-setting. There has only been a single 4-1 vote since he joined the City Commission in January. Leitzell voted against a fee increase for trash collection. He later voted in favor of the 2010 budget, which factored in revenue from that fee increase.

“The reason for the ‘no’ vote wasn’t me against City Hall. It was a message to citizens we need to recycle more,” Leitzell said.

City Commissioner Dean Lovelace said he and Leitzell are still trying to get to know each other.

“He’s just there presiding over commission meetings, which are a lot shorter. If you don’t get there on time, you’ll miss the meeting,” Lovelace said. “That’s (Leitzell’s) style.”

Leitzell says he just wants to move the city forward.

It will take the effort of many — the city, the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Montgomery County, the state of Ohio, property owners and others — working to spur development, Leitzell said. All are working on initiatives that Leitzell hopes will come together in about two years.

“This is not going to happen overnight. We have to put our resources into making Dayton attractive so people don’t want to leave, instead of begging them to stay,” the mayor said. “I want to be the champion of turning Dayton around.”

Those initiatives could include a passenger rail station in the city, filling vacant storefronts, offering free entertainment and free bus rides giving people reasons to come downtown.

“We’ll leap at opportunity, but I think we’re paving the path of success with baby steps,” Leitzell said.

Mayor looks to hasten successes

The mayor, Parker said, is looking for a project.

“He’s trying to figure out a short-term initiative he can spearhead, something we can get on the record books,” Parker said.

Leitzell believes another key to uplifting Dayton lies in encouraging city staff to think like entrepreneurs, to explore ways to generate revenue rather than cutting the budget to offset loss of income tax.

As an example, the mayor said he has spoken to City Manager Tim Riordan about ways to make money off Dayton’s excess lime. The city uses the lime as a water-softening agent and sees potential for commercial uses in the construction and utility industries.

“We can process it and we can sell it,” Leitzell said.

Also part of the success equation is encouraging businesses to remain here. Leitzell is visiting companies with short-term leases.

“I can’t make businesses stay (in Dayton) and that’s the truth,” he said. “I’m telling them they can be part of the solution.”

Businessman Darren Boykin, owner of Stone Plans monument company, said he reached out to Leitzell, who lives in southeast Dayton, and has introduced him to business owners in the city’s western neighborhoods.

“I felt it important that he, as mayor of the city, have a relationship with West Dayton,” Boykin said. “He’s not a politician. I like that. I can talk to him as one small business owner to another.”

Leitzell has effect  on Commission seats

Leitzell’s influence has already had an impact on the race for two City Commission seats in November 2011, when the terms of city commissioners Lovelace and Matt Joseph expire. Two men have stepped forward saying the mayor has inspired them to run for office. One is a Leitzell supporter. The other is a Leitzell critic.

Local cable television host William Pace and Christopher Newton Conner, a member of the Southeast Priority Board, have both filed Designation of Treasurer forms with the Montgomery County Board of Elections indicating they plan to run for City Commission. The forms must be filed before candidates can collect or spend campaign funds.

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