Sunday, October 19, 2003

OUR ENDORSEMENT

For Elyria mayor:
William M. Grace
His accomplishments, vision
warrant 4 more years in office

Bill Grace made many promises in 1999 when he campaigned, successfully, to succeed Michael Keys as mayor of Elyria.

He promised to move ahead on long-delayed projects like south-side water towers, the west-side Industrial Parkway, the South Park Recreation Center and the new City Hall. Each is either open, under construction or expected to be soon.

He promised to pursue more grant money, and the $8 million-plus he secured in the last three
years was more than the city collected in the previous 15 years combined.

He promised to make Elyria a better place to live. The new East Falls Riverwalk is the cornerstone of a revitalized Cascade Park that is getting $1.4 million in improvements, all paid for with grant money.
Opponents like to pick on the hanging flower baskets downtown, but they are a prime example of Grace’s commitment to quality-of-life issues.

“ Everything we do is aimed at making this city an exceptional place to live,” Grace said.

Grace, 39, has delivered on his promises while keeping city finances in good shape, no small feat in this
economy. He has also secured money to improve the city’s deteriorating roads through license-plate fee increases and added to the city’s tax base by forming a joint economic development district with Elyria Township.

All of this has convinced us that Grace deserves another four years. The Chronicle-Telegram urges
Elyria voters to re-elect Mayor William M. Grace on Nov. 4.

Republican Tom Pallardy, 53, is trying to convince voters otherwise. He dismisses Grace’s beautification efforts and contends the mayor has done little to encourage job and business growth in the city. “Unless it has to do with economic development,
it’s all frills,” Pallardy said.

Pallardy is wrong to blame Grace for the city’s high unemployment. Grace couldn’t have prevented the
exodus of York International and other companies. It’s unlikely that Pallardy, a political novice, would be any better equipped than Grace to encourage more development in the next four years.

Pallardy also has criticized design review, but the pluses it brings in assuring attractive and sound
commercial construction far outweigh the handful of disgruntled business owners who complain about it. The program did need some tweaking, a process Grace has already started.

The new City Hall has been the one blight on Grace’s tenure. Even the mayor admits that the construction delays are ultimately his responsibility, but the architect should have known that the walls would be a problem. In hindsight, renovating the old City Hall wasn’t a good idea, but remember that it wasn’t Grace’s decision alone; he was backed by a unanimous City Council of Democrats AND Republicans.

Credit Pallardy for calling out the mayor on the issues. Residents need such frank dialogue as they
consider how to vote.

Bill Grace has Elyria on the right track. City voters should endorse his efforts by voting for him Nov. 4.