Dr. Ervin thinks he can “get more done behind the scenes” than as the Mayor of Dayton.
He’s been working closely with City Manager Rashad Young to make his arts district fly.
Now he leaks the confidential plans for the Downtown ice arena, as he’s also pushing the new downtown trolly- plus the “Greater Downtown” vision. Sounds like he’s the shadow mayor of Downtown.
The problem is, the real Mayor isn’t and hasn’t, made us look good over the last 7 years. She won’t do any better over the next four. She’s not well liked or respected in the suburbs, she doesn’t understand that she’s not supposed to lead the city- but to guide the city manager (who is paid 4x what she is – FOR A REASON)- and she doesn’t exactly exude the confidence or competence that Mike Turner parlayed into a seat in Congress.
We need Mike Ervin to realize that we can’t wait another four years for someone to step-up who can effectively lead the City Commission (board of directors) to guide the City Manager (CEO) to get the city back on track.
Dr. Ervin would have the instant support of the entire business community, the suburban stakeholders that own property but can’t vote and I’m pretty sure, most of the population.
We need change, and we need someone with the business experience to step up. He’s made the investment in his home, his neighborhood- and now, it’s time to invest just a few hours of his time per week to be the first true Mayor/Chairman of the Board the city has had in decades.
Please get your friends to read this- and encourage Mike to run by adding your comments.
I asked Mike today at the Downtown Plan meeting (which was standing room only, btw) about this before I had even found your post. He says that he wishes to stay focused on the enormous task that he has undertaken.
Pondering about this, I think that he is very wise because it puts him on the front line with the city manager as a partner and not a potential obstacle in the way of progress on the board of elected officials. Often, individual citizens have more power to enact change than chairs of non-profits or elected officials because they aren’t open to the same levels of scrutiny.
It could also be that Mayor McHat got Lord-knows-how-much-$$ as a Super Delegate and quite frankly her funds are bottomless at this point. Mike knows this fact.
Leiberman and his ilk seem to enjoy their goofy puppet no matter what she does to the image of their party. Everyone says “But she is so nice” My response “But she is so incompetent”. That ususally shuts them up. As long as that loon is in charge the ‘burbs feel safe that the city’s problems won’t be “comin’ their way”! Sad but true…
The city’s problems are coming the suburbs’ way, though, especially the way of the inner suburbs. Urban sprawl, foreclosed properties, declining revenues — these issues affect Kettering and Riverside and Harrison Twp. and other suburbs as well as Dayton.
Whether we draft him for mayor or not, it is important to recognize what he is doing for the city. I’m starting to wonder if the mayor’s office would actually hinder him. Someone more coherent as mayor would be appreciated though.
In other words, Richard Florida for mayor. Ubu Roi lives!
Funny……… My vision for a mayor (leadership) in this town was to get a person in there and have a direct, clear vision, a “get out of my way attitude” and Mike Ervin may be the guy for this. But he won’t run bc that job is about patting people on the back, talking in circles, chasing your tail, stepping over dimes to pick up pennies type of job. Mike E is about getting stuff done, and that job is about not what you know but who you [comment edited for inappropriateness]
Ideas are great…….. but getting stuff done is best. Who cares is we we get a hockey arena and it fails? We have a failed DTown now, so trying something, anything can only help. We ask a million people and do hundreds of surveys and ask plenty of “experts” but no one really knows……. at best everything is an educated guess and opinion, both of which FAIL all the time. My point is build it and screw the AustinPike project. Start getting the funds, privately, and move forward. Seek gov’t help when you have your ducks in a row, and go go go. Like Nike says, JUST DO IT.
we all have opinions what would work and what would not work. But what we don’t have at this time is an active DTown.
I would vote for him, I would pledge a grand towards his campaign, and I am confident he would get stuff done. Successful people JUST DO IT.