State of City a win for public interaction

As promised, Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn has posted her response to several questions left unanswered in her State of the City address earlier this month. For Muryn, the number of questions was a win. She's been working to improve communications between the public and city hall. The mayor delivered an upbeat address earlier this month in a "fireside chat," with Chris Oaks of "Good Mornings" on WFIN radio. Oaks and Muryn started the address by working through a long list of issues affecting the city in 2024, including city spending, flood mitigation, the Downtown Recreation Area and affordable housing. Muryn also opened the address to questions from the public, submitted in advance, online, and ended up with more questions than could be answered during the hour-long address. She did field some questions from the public during the address, including difficult topics like addressing economic disparity, social diversity, equity and inclusion, immigration and homelessness. Jaclynn Hohman, project manager for the mayor's office, said a total of 41 questions were submitted via the city's website and or emailed to the mayor directly. The "Q&A" covers a diverse list of topics. For example, Salena, from Findlays 1st Ward, asked: "Do you anticipate a downtown dog park in the near future? What location?" Answer: "As part of the downtown recreation project, we hope to reimagine Anchor Park on the South River Bank as a dog park." There are also several questions, with no easy answers. Question: "Why does the Findlay government continue to ignore the fact the homeless population is seriously growing?" No name was given. Answer: "The city established the Unhoused Coalition in mid-2022 along with non-profit entities that serve the unhoused population. The coalition focuses on community education, affordable housing, and "low barrier" housing. Low-barrier housing was officially made available in 2024 as well as increased housing for children and daytime facilities for individuals to utilize laundry services. We understand this continues to be a challenge." Question: "When is the government going to work for the people? It seems that it is mostly self-serving and to a point of dictatorship." No name was given. Answer: "Frustration can build when it feels like government isn't working as effectively as it should for the people it serves. However, I want to assure you that our local government is committed to being responsive, transparent, and focused on the needs of our community. Every decision we make is guided by what will benefit our residents—whether it's improving public safety, investing in infrastructure, supporting local businesses, or enhancing city services. We strive to listen to concerns, engage in open dialogue, and work collaboratively to make Findlay a better place for everyone." The entire "Q&A" is now available on the city's website: www.FindlayOhio.gov. Hohman said the mayor's office is also working on other forms of public engagement. "We post to social media on average three times per week, however, there is no set schedule," said Hohman. "Any time a press release is issued it is put on our website under the 'Newsroom' tab and the website is updated on a rolling basis," said Hohman. "Social media posts are generally focused on city operations that are relevant to community members. On occasion, we have issued press releases to correct inaccurate information that has been circulated on social media channels." Hohman said the mayor's office is actively seeking ways to connect with the community and to encourage additional outreach. "The public is welcome to ask questions by calling our office, emailing mayor@findlayohio.gov, reaching out via social media, and also direct messaging our social media accounts. ...," she said. "It is important to remind citizens to confirm information they are seeing on social media by either visiting official City of Findlay account pages or reaching out to our office."