As City Council elections approaches, candidates reach out to the community and share their views on College and town related issues. The OC Democrats will host a Candidates’ Night in Hallock Auditorium this Monday at 9:30 p.m, where students can meet candidates. Elections to fill seven vacancies will be held on Nov. 4 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Name	Views on town-gown relationship	Views on Oberlin housing issues	Why should Oberlin College students vote for you?
Robert B. Calhoun	While the College's plan to expand on-campus housing has rankled Oberlin residents, I think the city and College have a fairly good relationship overall. The College should improve this relationship by soliciting input from residents on an informal basis before drawing up expansion plans. The College and city should together address the loved yet neglected Arb and Res.	Oberlin has a glut of rental units yet a relatively tight housing market. Many houses currently rented by students need to be sold and converted to single family homes. It's important that the city continue to seek funding for CHIP, a need-based program that helps residents purchase and renovate houses.	I'm an engineer and can help the city spend money efficiently on infrastructure projects. I'm interested in working with college students on stemming the expected increase in the number of cars on campus. My wife teaches at the College and I'm frequently on campus so I keep up-to-date on student concerns without an employee's potential conflicts of interest.
Daniel Gardner	For eight years, I improved town-gown relations as the director of community affairs at the Center for Service and Learning, so I'm saddened by the fracas over the college's plans for new dorms. City Council can be more effective in engaging the College. We can work together on common interests such as putting the Farmers Market on Tappan Square and addressing parking problems.	The College's new dorms can be either a problem or an opportunity. We can create a Community Reinvestment Area to encourage rehabilitation of former student rental homes. We can work with major employers such as the College to create an Employer Assisted Housing program for lower-income workers to become homeowners.	Since graduating from Oberlin College, I have worked on college/community relations at the national, state and local levels. I know how to make things work better. I am chair of the Oberlin Design Initiative, was a founder of Organize! Ohio and am endorsed by the AFL-CIO.
Nathan A. Haverstock	The uproar over the College's recently revealed plans is an illustration of why we must now work even harder to renew our community spirit. As a Council member I would seize upon this issue fully to discuss several sore points in town-gown relations of long standing.	Important issues are how the College intends to handle its future needs for parking space for student-owned automobiles and the impact of the College's plans on the local student rental housing market. This is presently a major factor in Oberlin's economy.	I am a former foreign correspondent, veteran of the Korean War, and since 1986 an affiliate scholar at Oberlin College and secretary of the Friends of the Oberlin College Library. As a candidate I have pledged to work to rebuild a sense of community spirit and participation here in Oberlin.
William Jindra	With the closing of the community affairs office an important link between the College and town was cut off. I would welcome the ability to work with College representatives to map out short and long term goals for the city and the College to work together on.	The housing initiative will cause a glut of rental property to be available. Working with the college we need to identify sources of funds for rehabilitation and conversion to single family or multiple family housing.	I have shown my ability to listen to all sides of issues and then work toward the best interests of the entire town. This council passed resolutions against the war in Iraq and the Patriot Act, which shows that we have concerns for the wider picture.
Richard P. Lothrop	Basically, very good. Tensions over the effect of rooming houses in neighborhoods are now lessening. Oberlin police seem to be working well with College Security to make for a safer environment for the College family.	It is my hope that houses that have been basically rooming houses can be converted back into homes for families. Some of the houses will need considerable work to put them in good condition and the City Council and administration can help identify financial aid programs.	A long history of interaction with the College, being the son of a College professor. I have also the rare experience of having previously served on Council for eleven terms, giving me an institutional history that includes how best to help town and gown work well together.
Charles Peterson	We need to start working with the College on projects which should be of mutual interest such as creating a parking fund which takes money the College would have spent on building underused parking lots and instead uses it to create parking in places where we do need it, like the downtown.	We need to take advantage of every county, state and federal program available for homeownership and create incentive packages to recruit housing developers with experience using Low Income Housing Tax Credits and other non-traditional means of financing.	I believe I can add a new voice and fresh perspective to City Council. As a Professor of Black Studies at Wooster, I live out my commitment to education, dialogue and debate as liberating forces for all people and will bring those values to the Oberlin City Council.
Ronnie J. Rimbert	The College as an institution and the city as a government body do not seem to communicate for the betterment of both parties. I think a broader base of communication is needed between the College and the city, with the students as a liaison.	I feel one of the major issues is affordable housing for single families. I would incorporate Educational programs through Zion CDC, working with New Sunrise Properties in identifying the needs of such single families.	One of the biggest things that distinguishes me from the other candidates is that I live in the South-East Quadrant. My address is 331 S. Pleasant St. I have been involved with Oberlin for 49 years. I am very proud to be known as a friend, neighbor, a person you can call at anytime.
Eli Rosenfeld	Although the relationship between the town and College is good, there are important issues currently before the City Council such as housing which will likely test that relationship. I intend to promote constructive dialogue between the two.	Before presenting City Council with a plan for housing with significant repercussions, I would expect the College to initiate a dialogue with neighbors and incorporate their concerns into a final plan.	I am the only student running for City Council and I think by virtue of my connection with the College as well as my dedication to furthering the historic beauty and prosperity of Oberlin, I am the best candidate to represent students, faculty and administration.
Eve Sandberg	The College and town must work together on a number of key issues including joint economic development planning and college attendance at meetings which involve the future planning of the city and creation of a marketing campaign which spotlights the Conservatory, art museum and downtown businesses.	We need to address the glut of soon-to-be-empty rental houses. This includes working with Fannie Mae and local banks on an Employer Assisted Housing program for low income workers, abating property taxes on 50 percent of improvements that property owners make to infrastructure investments in the Southeast Quadrant.	Over the last 30 years, I've helped elected officials and leaders of community organizations across the country find and implement solutions to the social and economic challenges facing their communities. I care deeply about Oberlin and hope to have the opportunity to work hard to address the challenges we in Oberlin now face.
Kenneth Sloane	The College has acknowledged that a healthy, attractive town with a good school system is vital for attracting high quality students and faculty; the city recognizes the College as its greatest supplier of tax revenue. I will continue to push for more dialogue between the city and College.	The College's plan to build new housing was not a good one, and has come under serious scrutiny because of parking issues, aesthetic and environmental impact, deed restriction violations and no plan for the vacancies they will create in privately owned rental properties.	I was one of the founding members of the Oberlin Sustainable Agricultural project (OSAP) and I am the current director of the Oberlin Farmers Market. I worked at the College as Director of Piano Technology for 23 years and currently work there part-time.
Everett E. Tyree	The state of town-gown relations seems a little strained right now. As one member of Council, I can share my concerns with other Council members; if there are common areas of concern, we can seek opportunities to share those with the administration.	The major issue in terms of housing is lack of affordable low and moderate income housing. This is currently being addressed with the New Sunrise Housing project and with CHIP funds.	I not only have both union and management experience at USSteel, I also have a combined eighteen years of both union and physical plant management experience at Oberlin College. I am now employed as Business Manager for the Oberlin Public Schools.
Philip Verda	I believe that Oberlin residents and students often see themselves as Us versus Them. To help both parts of this relationship to develop fully, both the College and the city need to learn to live in harmony. Council can set the example for others by working with College officials to resolve differences.	The College certainly has a right to decide that it wishes to add. Council needs to ensure that additional college housing has minimum negative impact and enlist the College to become involved in helping the City work with rooming house owners.	I have worked for Oberlin City government for a total of 32 years. I have also been a student at Oberlin College in the 1970's doing graduate work. I believe that all of these experiences have given me a unique perspective on both sides of the town-gown relationship.
James W. White	Overall, good. The College and Town have worked well together on many matters. However, there have been times when either the town or the College has acted hastily without full consideration of the other entity. Maybe a town-gown community newsletter would help.	All qualified residents should be made aware of the opportunities for making housing improvements under the CHIP program. New Sunrise Properties should be encouraged to continue its program of new construction in the southeast quadrant.	I have six years of experience on Council. I have served as Council Liaison to two important Commissions: Planning and Design Review. I have been a resident of Oberlin since 1967 and am committed to the community.

Candidates Sharon Fairchild Soucy and Calvin Waite could not be reached for comments.

Compiled by the OC Democrats and news editor Kanupriya Arora