<< Front page News March 5, 2004

Dye to city council, et al.

President Nancy Dye 1/15/2004
To the Members of the Oberlin City Council

By now each of you should have received in your council packets a copy of Oberlin College’s written responses to the questions posed to us last week about our Union Street student housing project.

We declined to answer the question posed by Daniel Gardner about entering into a negotiation with the City about Payments in Lieu of Taxes. We are, of course, familiar with these vehicles, but we do not think that PILOTs are relevant to the zoning question currently before the Council. What is more, what we know about PILOTs makes us think that they would not be a good or appropriate way to structure the relationship between Oberlin College and the city. Therefore, we decline to enter into such a negotiation, and would like to continue to be in a position whereby we are able to work collaboratively to determine how the College might best assist the city.

Oberlin College is very much aware of the city’s immediate budgetary and financial difficulties and we realize that we should find ways that the College, despite its own considerable financial difficulties, can help. We are ready to sit down with the city at any time to discuss ways we could help ameliorate the city’s situation.

We have undertaken our new student housing initiative for two reasons: First, we believe that it is critical to our educational mission as a leading residential liberal arts college to house more of our students on campus. Second, we know that bringing a significant number of our students back to campus is the necessary first step to improving the unhealthy housing conditions in Oberlin. We know that other steps must follow this one, and Oberlin College will be a partner with the city and others to take on the work of improving housing in this community.

As you know, Oberlin the town and Oberlin the college were founded together in 1833 as part of the same Christian evangelical enterprise. We are now as we were then: the health of each of us is dependent upon the health of the other.

cc:
Eric Severs, Esq., City Solicitor
Rob DiSpirito, City Manager


 
 
   

The Review News Service: News, weather, sports and more, in your ObieMail every Sunday and Wednesday night. (Click here to subscribe.)