Akron Mayor-elect Dan Horrigan said what he is most looking forward to about the city’s top job is actually being in it.
He’s spent the past several years across the street from City Hall in the Summit County Clerk of Court’s Office.
Now he’s eager to move across the street and start making decisions for the city.
Horrigan said what he’s most worried about is surprises.
“I’m sure there are going to be plenty,” he said.
Horrigan, who was elected mayor Nov. 3 after a long and pricey campaign, has spent the weeks since the election preparing to become Akron’s first newly elected mayor in 28 years. He said Mayor Jeff Fusco has been great to work with and has kept him informed about what’s going on, but he’s eager to move into his new office.
Horrigan, who was still in the process of packing boxes and taking down pictures in his current office, recently talked to the Beacon Journal about his priorities, the challenges he will face and how he will distinguish himself from Don Plusquellic, the city’s longest-serving mayor whose surprise resignation in May resulted in political shuffling that culminated in Horrigan’s election.
“Every day, when I check my driver’s license and look at myself in the mirror, I see a man with a different personality and different approach,” Horrigan said. “The way you differentiate yourself is through time. Eventually, people will judge you and whether you have been effective or not.”
For Horrigan, that judgment starts after he takes office Jan. 1.
Sewer project and jobs
Horrigan said one of his top goals is trying to make Akron’s mammoth sewer project more affordable.
He said he wants to meet with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and “set the tone” for working cooperatively with the agency on the sewer-overhaul project and securing terms that will mean less of a burden on sewer customers.
Asked if he thinks Plusquellic’s idea of the city starting its own construction company is still in play, Horrigan said he hasn’t had the chance to talk to City Council members about this proposal. Plusquellic suggested this approach in February as a way to help ensure that a substantial portion of sewer construction jobs go to Akron residents. He proposed spending $1.9 million on concrete and dump trucks, but the legislation stalled after council members questioned the plan and the cost.
Horrigan said he is committed to the purpose behind Plusquellic’s proposal of keeping as much of the sewer work local as possible. He said he has talked to the trades and other local communities about whether the city’s hiring goals for the sewer project should be expanded to include all of Summit County.
“That’s something to think about,” he said. “Whether the construction company is dead or not will have to be something we make the determination on staff-wise and with council. The objective is still good.”
Negotiations and budget
Horrigan faces some serious labor and budget challenges when he first takes office.
He is taking over as the city is in negotiations with all four of its unions, which collectively represent 1,442 of Akron’s 1,883 employees or about 77 percent of its workforce. Akron also faces a multimillion-dollar bill for a fire-promotions lawsuit and needs to craft a capital and operating budget
Horrigan is hoping the city and union presidents, who are currently in joint talks, will reach an agreement by the end of the year on wages and health care. If not, he wants to wrap up joint talks and start negotiations with each union on contract language early next year.
“I don’t think they’re daunting tasks to be able to do,” he said. “They have done these before. It’s not like we are charting new waters.”
George Johnson, the president of the city’s chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which backed Horrigan for mayor, thinks Horrigan will deal fairly with the unions.
“I’ve got confidence in Danny that he will handle it well,” he said. “He’s going to set the tone because, ultimately, he’s the boss.”
Downtown plan
Horrigan said another top priority will be developing a new plan for downtown improvement and development.
This process will involve all of the players with a stake in downtown: Downtown Akron Partnership, property owners, residents and major institutions.
“It is a road map,” he said. “It identifies what downtown should look like.”
Horrigan said he wants the plan to be done quickly and not to take nine months or a year. He said the plan will include a look at housing and how the section of the Innerbelt that will be closed in the near future should be redeveloped. He supports a plan already in the words to reconstruct Dart and Rand avenues that run parallel to the Innerbelt through downtown and redirect traffic to these roads, leaving the freeway between them free for another use.
Suzie Graham, who heads Downtown Akron Partnership, is pleased that Horrigan supports the idea for an updated plan for downtown.
“We are talking about not just creating a plan that you can stick in a file,” she said. “We are talking about an advisory committee to take on the challenges of downtown moving forward.”
Graham said the downtown plan could later be replicated to guide plans for improving Akron’s neighborhoods.
Engaging residents
As Horrigan begins to tackle the challenges the city is facing, he doesn’t want to do this in a vacuum. He wants to involve residents and plans to do so through town hall meetings.
Horrigan said these meetings will be rotated among the neighborhoods and will give residents the opportunity to voice their concerns and ask questions. Details, including how often the meetings will be held, are still being decided.
Horrigan said the meetings will help with his goal of improving accessibility and transparency.
The meetings will be separate from the council, though Horrigan said council members will be invited. Horrigan is hoping to have a better rapport with council than the administration had recent years.
“I have sat in their seat for seven years,” said Horrigan, who was a council member before he became clerk.
Working with suburbs
Horrigan also wants to improve Akron’s relationship with its neighbors, and the leaders in these areas seem open to the idea.
Tallmadge Mayor David Kline recently sent an email to all of the mayors in Summit County — some who, like Horrigan, will take office for the first time in January — to see if they would be willing to come to a meet-and-greet with Horrigan. Kline said he got a positive response and plans to host the meeting early next year.
“I think we have to open up a good dialogue between the communities,” Kline said.
Horrigan said he’s happy to meet with the other mayors to work more cooperatively. Plusquellic had major fights with several Summit County communities in the past, with many of the battles focused on water.
“We all have an individual focus,” Horrigan said. “But I think there are some things we can work together on.”
Kline sees lots of opportunities for collaboration, including the county safety communications system, mutual aid and joint purchasing of electricity, natural gas, water and supplies.
“You could really dream about anything,” said Kline, who is in his fifth year as mayor.
Asked his advice for Horrigan as he prepares to take office, Kline said Horrigan should surround himself with good people.
“I think he’s trying to do that right now,” Kline said. “You can’t do it yourself.”
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705, swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.