To the Editors:

Oberlin will be electing a new City Council on Tuesday. This election is predicted to be crucial for the future of Oberlin.

This election will determine the approach to Walmart’s advances upon the Oberlin community. Also, it will discuss dorm expansion with the College, and the consequences of removing 300 students from the town rental market.

As both a current student of the Oberlin College, and an individual with childhood roots in Oberlin, I’ve seen issues in the greater Oberlin community from both sides. I have come to understand how students often feel uneasy about voting in local elections.

For one, if there are not many candidates in this election, it is important to have your vote be counted.

Daniel Gardner has worked for years to improve town relations. As the founding director of the Center for Service and Learning, he helped place thousands of student volunteers into the public schools and local nonprofit organizations.

Through this work, many people in town have seen students as an asset to this community, and relationships have been formed which bridge the interpersonal town and college divide. Following this work, he became the founding director of the Oberlin Partnership, which established the Oberlin College scholarship for Oberlin High School graduates. It is due to this program that I am gratefully at Oberlin, and many people in town see it as the best step the college has taken in a long time. Many of my fellow Oberlin High School graduates are at Oberlin College because of his efforts.

Daniel Gardner has more experience and has accomplished more for town-grown issues than anyone else running, and I support him as both a student and as a resident. Instead of replying that you don’t know enough about Oberlin to vote here, the best thing you can do is to use this election as an opportunity to learn more about your community and to get involved. On Monday night there will be a candidate forum in Wilder TBA. Please come out to hear the issues and candidates, and consequently to vote on Tuesday.

–Sebastian Jungschaffer
College senior