RUMOR REPORT
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This page is specifically set up to combat the rumor mill in and around Columbia City. Feel free to send us more rumors you've heard and we'll answer them as we approach Election Day!
Rumor #1: The City/Mayor was going to Annex 1,430 acres of land on the South & East sides of the City.
Fact: This is absolutely and completely Untrue. The City worked with the County on extending a planning territory on the South and the East sides of the City Limits. No Annexation was EVER involved. The City hasn't annexed anyone who didn't request annexation in over 30 years. We have zero, none, nada plans (or ability) to forcibly annex anyone who doesn’t want to be annexed. Further, the planning territory expansion was voted down by the County Plan Commission and the issue is now dead.
I addressed this concern on my Mayor’s Facebook page. Check it out HERE.
If you need further proof, please contact the Whitley County Planning and Building Department (260-248-3112).
Rumor #2: The City is in charge of the Jail Project.
Fact: The City has nothing to do with the Jail project. The planning, design, and construction of the Whitley County Jail is completely in the hands of Whitley County's Commissioners and Whitley County Council. The City of Columbia City had no part in the decision making of the project.
Rumor #3: The City is over budget in the Jail Project.
Fact: Again, the City has nothing to do with the Jail Project. Questions regarding the financial management of the project should be directed to the County Commissioners.
Rumor #4: Ryan wants to become as big as Fort Wayne/Carmel/Etc.
Fact: Completely false. I have consistently said that we need to have balanced growth. Residents want new restaurants, new shops, and new homes to live in. Therefore, we have to grow to support these amenities. However, we also want to keep our small town charm that we know and love. I have NO interest in becoming the next metropolitan area. My goal has always been to help fill gaps in our market, while keeping our community's charm.
Rumor #5: Ryan was involved in the Park Director stealing money.
Fact: This is potentially the hardest rumor to answer. It's a personal attack on my integrity. The State Board of Accounts has released their total investigation audit and have found that no wrong doings were committed by Clerk-Treasurer Rosie Coyle or Me. We join the public in seeking restitution of taxpayer money for the fraud committed by the former Park Director.
The SBOA report can be found by clicking HERE.
I care deeply about my family, my community, and my relationship with my Savior. Risking literally everything on a couple hundred thousand dollars isn't who I am as a person, nor is it worth my family, this job, or my reputation. This is a nasty rumor that I hope will stop being passed out as fact.
I also address this rumor on my Campaign Facebook page. See it by clicking HERE.
Rumor #6: Ryan is a RINO (Republican in Name Only).
Fact: I have always been a Republican. I have never voted in a Democratic Primary. I have served as a Precinct Committeeman, a State Convention Delegate, and have served on multiple Republican campaigns. Since taking office, I have pledged to be someone who represents all within our City Limits. It's the duty of the Mayor to fairly and equally apply the law. I swore an oath in 2012, 2016, and 2020 to "faithfully and impartially discharge my duties" on behalf of all Columbia City residents.
Rumor #7: The Mayor can set term limits for Elected City Government Officials.
Fact: Only the State of Indiana can set term limits for the Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, and City Council members. Because of the separation of powers in our state statutes, none of these local entities can set term limits for the other. I, personally, believe term limits exist at the polls every four years. Local Government is the government closest to the people and Elections decide how many terms officials can represent their constituents.
Rumor #8: The Mayor spent $1 Million on a new office.
Fact: This is completely false and misleading. A 100 pound piece of plaster-lath fell through the ceiling within five feet of the police secretary, nearly causing severe and/or life-threatening injuries. After further inspection, much of the renovations on the second floor from the 1990s City Hall project needed to be fixed/redone. At the same time, Dispatch was looking for ways to expand their space and the City was looking for ways to make City Hall more energy efficient.
After evaluating the space inside City Hall, Dispatch was moved into the Mayor’s Conference Room, Mayor’s Assistant’s Office, and the Mayors Office on the main floor. The police offices were moved to the basement. The upstairs lighting and roof was replaced as was the plaster-lath and sprinkler system for safety purposes. The air handlers were refurbished, some windows were replaced, and masonry on the outside of City Hall was sealed, all to create more energy efficiency. The Mayor’s office, conference room, and assistant’s officer were then moved upstairs near the Common Council Chambers. The overall project was $700,000, with a portion of it being paid for out of the energy cost-savings on electricity and gas.
So as you can see, this project specifically addressed space issues for dispatch, protected employees from further potentially-disastrous breakdowns in the ceiling, created more energy efficiency, and brought City Hall up to code. It wasn’t specifically to move me from the first floor to the second floor.
Rumor #9: The Mayor spent $400,000 on heated sidewalks.
Fact: The dollar figure is significantly wrong and the focus was on safety. The sidewalks surrounding City Hall were breaking down and creating tripping/ADA hazards. The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that all governments ensure safe, accessible structures and facilities. After gathering a lot of research from the Whitley County Government (who has had an ice-melt system in their sidewalks since the WC Government Center was built), the decision was made to reconstruct the sidewalks to allow for ADA accessibility, shield the City from potential lawsuits, and to save money on snow/ice removal by installing the same ice-melt system as the County. The overall project cost the City was around $100,000 and occurred over two years. Inside labor was used to tear out the bad concrete and to form the new sidewalks. The only outside contractors were Flow Tech for the ice-melt system and Speedway Concrete. Since the new sidewalks were in place, the City has saved multiple hundreds of dollars on overtime labor and salt to melt the snow/ice.
Rumor #10: Ryan wouldn’t debate his opponent.
Fact: Never once, since my opponent filed on July 3rd, was I asked to participate in a debate from any organization, nor from my opponent himself. I would have happily debated the different visions for the future that we have for Columbia City. I have never shied away from having a conversation about my thoughts and opinions as it relates to our Community. In fact, I believe much of the rumors I address on this page could have been addressed directly through a debate. This is absolutely false.
Fact: This is absolutely and completely Untrue. The City worked with the County on extending a planning territory on the South and the East sides of the City Limits. No Annexation was EVER involved. The City hasn't annexed anyone who didn't request annexation in over 30 years. We have zero, none, nada plans (or ability) to forcibly annex anyone who doesn’t want to be annexed. Further, the planning territory expansion was voted down by the County Plan Commission and the issue is now dead.
I addressed this concern on my Mayor’s Facebook page. Check it out HERE.
If you need further proof, please contact the Whitley County Planning and Building Department (260-248-3112).
Rumor #2: The City is in charge of the Jail Project.
Fact: The City has nothing to do with the Jail project. The planning, design, and construction of the Whitley County Jail is completely in the hands of Whitley County's Commissioners and Whitley County Council. The City of Columbia City had no part in the decision making of the project.
Rumor #3: The City is over budget in the Jail Project.
Fact: Again, the City has nothing to do with the Jail Project. Questions regarding the financial management of the project should be directed to the County Commissioners.
Rumor #4: Ryan wants to become as big as Fort Wayne/Carmel/Etc.
Fact: Completely false. I have consistently said that we need to have balanced growth. Residents want new restaurants, new shops, and new homes to live in. Therefore, we have to grow to support these amenities. However, we also want to keep our small town charm that we know and love. I have NO interest in becoming the next metropolitan area. My goal has always been to help fill gaps in our market, while keeping our community's charm.
Rumor #5: Ryan was involved in the Park Director stealing money.
Fact: This is potentially the hardest rumor to answer. It's a personal attack on my integrity. The State Board of Accounts has released their total investigation audit and have found that no wrong doings were committed by Clerk-Treasurer Rosie Coyle or Me. We join the public in seeking restitution of taxpayer money for the fraud committed by the former Park Director.
The SBOA report can be found by clicking HERE.
I care deeply about my family, my community, and my relationship with my Savior. Risking literally everything on a couple hundred thousand dollars isn't who I am as a person, nor is it worth my family, this job, or my reputation. This is a nasty rumor that I hope will stop being passed out as fact.
I also address this rumor on my Campaign Facebook page. See it by clicking HERE.
Rumor #6: Ryan is a RINO (Republican in Name Only).
Fact: I have always been a Republican. I have never voted in a Democratic Primary. I have served as a Precinct Committeeman, a State Convention Delegate, and have served on multiple Republican campaigns. Since taking office, I have pledged to be someone who represents all within our City Limits. It's the duty of the Mayor to fairly and equally apply the law. I swore an oath in 2012, 2016, and 2020 to "faithfully and impartially discharge my duties" on behalf of all Columbia City residents.
Rumor #7: The Mayor can set term limits for Elected City Government Officials.
Fact: Only the State of Indiana can set term limits for the Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, and City Council members. Because of the separation of powers in our state statutes, none of these local entities can set term limits for the other. I, personally, believe term limits exist at the polls every four years. Local Government is the government closest to the people and Elections decide how many terms officials can represent their constituents.
Rumor #8: The Mayor spent $1 Million on a new office.
Fact: This is completely false and misleading. A 100 pound piece of plaster-lath fell through the ceiling within five feet of the police secretary, nearly causing severe and/or life-threatening injuries. After further inspection, much of the renovations on the second floor from the 1990s City Hall project needed to be fixed/redone. At the same time, Dispatch was looking for ways to expand their space and the City was looking for ways to make City Hall more energy efficient.
After evaluating the space inside City Hall, Dispatch was moved into the Mayor’s Conference Room, Mayor’s Assistant’s Office, and the Mayors Office on the main floor. The police offices were moved to the basement. The upstairs lighting and roof was replaced as was the plaster-lath and sprinkler system for safety purposes. The air handlers were refurbished, some windows were replaced, and masonry on the outside of City Hall was sealed, all to create more energy efficiency. The Mayor’s office, conference room, and assistant’s officer were then moved upstairs near the Common Council Chambers. The overall project was $700,000, with a portion of it being paid for out of the energy cost-savings on electricity and gas.
So as you can see, this project specifically addressed space issues for dispatch, protected employees from further potentially-disastrous breakdowns in the ceiling, created more energy efficiency, and brought City Hall up to code. It wasn’t specifically to move me from the first floor to the second floor.
Rumor #9: The Mayor spent $400,000 on heated sidewalks.
Fact: The dollar figure is significantly wrong and the focus was on safety. The sidewalks surrounding City Hall were breaking down and creating tripping/ADA hazards. The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that all governments ensure safe, accessible structures and facilities. After gathering a lot of research from the Whitley County Government (who has had an ice-melt system in their sidewalks since the WC Government Center was built), the decision was made to reconstruct the sidewalks to allow for ADA accessibility, shield the City from potential lawsuits, and to save money on snow/ice removal by installing the same ice-melt system as the County. The overall project cost the City was around $100,000 and occurred over two years. Inside labor was used to tear out the bad concrete and to form the new sidewalks. The only outside contractors were Flow Tech for the ice-melt system and Speedway Concrete. Since the new sidewalks were in place, the City has saved multiple hundreds of dollars on overtime labor and salt to melt the snow/ice.
Rumor #10: Ryan wouldn’t debate his opponent.
Fact: Never once, since my opponent filed on July 3rd, was I asked to participate in a debate from any organization, nor from my opponent himself. I would have happily debated the different visions for the future that we have for Columbia City. I have never shied away from having a conversation about my thoughts and opinions as it relates to our Community. In fact, I believe much of the rumors I address on this page could have been addressed directly through a debate. This is absolutely false.