“I knew coming in my work was going to be cut out for me,” the 61-year-old said during an interview Tuesday, Dec. 29. “I wanted to set a tone that we were going to do things differently. We were all going to work together to achieve common goals.”
In looking back over the past eight years, there’s some evidence of Ryan’s plan — the Courtyard by Marriott, funding being acquired for a riverfront amphitheater, a housing project for artists in the works.
But for every stride taken, there was a hurdle and one of the biggest obstacles continues to be his personal investment of more than $2 million in downtown — Ryan’s Tavern, the mayor’s Irish pub on High Street.
Ryan, who owns a stake in three other Hamilton manufacturing businesses — Fabridigm, Thompson Metal Tubing and Hamilton Security Systems Inc., said he’s been playing catchup since September on paying the balance of the tavern’s utility bill. City utility records show he’s accrued a little more than $500 in late penalties, but he’s been paying an average of about $3,500 every month.
Accounts that are in arrears but are paid on a monthly basis are allowed extensions, according to Vivian Crooks, Hamilton customer service administrator.
Crooks said this winter as any other when bills go up there are a lot of residents and businesses facing similar situations.
Ryan said the recession has been tough for the restaurant to endure. But another tough factor — one that he doesn’t like to talk about and that he admits still makes him angry — is a politicized police union letter that became public in September 2008 essentially stating members would not support his business.
Mayor Don Ryan discusses successes and failures, his restaurant and the future
In what may be the last two hours he spent in the mayor’s office on the seventh floor at the Government Services Center, Don Ryan sat down for a candid discussion about his years in office.
Q: What's it like to hold the highest public office in Hamilton?
A: "When I first was elected eight years ago ... I was excited, but then I realized the impact of being the mayor of the second largest city in Southwest Ohio. I think the responsibilities began to accumulate. I knew I was coming in at a time when the county ... they had sued us we had sued them, the general (fund) budget was out of control, the surrounding political subdivisions, everyone was throwing rocks at us. We weren't getting along with anyone. So I knew coming in my work was going to be cut out for me the first day in office. I wanted to set a tone that we were going to do things differently. We were all going to work together to achieve common goals."
Q: What are your plans after you've left office and do you plan to stay in the loop about city business?
A: "My plans are to concentrate on my manufacturing businesses and the tavern. It's been a tough year for a lot of businesses in the private sector. I'm going to concentrate on my businesses first to try to stabilize them financially and to work on getting through 2010. I believe '10 is going to be as bad as '09 was for most of us in the private sector. I will stay involved with what's going on in the city. I have many friends here on the new council, the administration and I have great relations with the leaders throughout the community."
Q: What do you think were your greatest achievements?
A: "Settling the lawsuit (over water rates) with the county. That was a huge obstacle. We had that resolved I believe within the first four months of taking office and that opened up a lot of opportunities for us because no one wants to do business with a city or a county when they're involved in lawsuits ...
• “Working hard within the community. Partnering with the chamber, with the community foundation, with all of the civic groups within the city and sharing with them what the vision was for the city. If we could create that strong foundation where everyone trusts everyone and then we create that vision ... based on five principles — (revitalize downtown, riverfront development, promote the arts, restore neighborhoods, use low utilities rates as economic development tool).
• “Creating healthy relationships with surrounding political subdivisions ... We weren’t recognized as a city on the move. I felt strongly that the city had to step up and say, ‘We’re the county seat, we’re going to make decisions that will benefit all of us.’ We need to be the leader.
• “Working with the news media. Creating a positive outlook for the city. One of my goals when I first took office was to bring a sense of professionalism to the office of mayor. I feel strongly that people recognize us now as a city that’s on the move and that’s important because we had to fight a lot of negative energy and we still are. ... Success is not a destination, it’s a journey.
• “If you look at all the individual achievements, we’re a tree city, we built the new bridge, buying the Mercy property, it was so important for us to secure that property. Ten acres in the downtown that is aligned with your riverfront is critical to the future of this city. The Meldahl hydroelectric project. Artspace will only enhance our future. It’s not a question of ‘if’, it’s a question of ‘when’. We’ve made it tougher now, so if you don’t clean up your property, we’ve increased the fines, and now you see properties are being renovated and revitalized. A lot of what I’ve worked on has been for the future.
• “I wish we could have annexed more land. I wish I had gotten those bricks replaced on Main Street. We thought we had it this summer until the costs came in so high ... Now the quotes are in but it’s too late now to start the project because of winter, but it’s my understanding now that the bricks will come out in the spring of 2010. I wish that we could have brought in more jobs.”
Q: In 2007, on legal advice you didn't comment about the eminent domain transaction where the city bought a property (530 N. Third St.) that you and your partner acquired in 2002. It appeared you made a substantial profit on that transaction. Did you know the city wanted that property when you bought it?
A: "No. Between the cost of maintaining the building, the cost of bringing it back into operating capacity, we ended up taking a loss. But nobody would know that because I couldn't talk about it. The people that don't believe that are still not going to believe it."
Q: How is Ryan's Tavern doing?
A: "Between the purchase of the property and renovating it, it's well over a $2 million investment. We opened up right at the start of the recession. It's been a tough year, but we're doing everything we can to attract people to the downtown. The intent was to create a classy place where people can come and have a good time."
Q: You've accrued some late penalties on your utility bill at the tavern, though you've been making payments every month. Is that a reflection that the restaurant is struggling?
A: "A lot of businesses I think are struggling. ... There's issues with everyone's businesses, including mine. It's the worst recession since the depression and the tavern is only a year old."
Q: Have you received any special treatment from the city because you are the mayor?
A: "Nothing more than the ordinary citizen would receive. I think I'm held to a higher level of standard. The last thing I want is anyone thinking I've been treated differently."
Q: In the weeks before it opened, a police union letter became public stating that their members voted not to support your business. How much has that hurt your business?
A: "It's probably one of the most damaging things that could have happened. The letter was damaging because of the line in there that said, (we cannot and will not support a business owner who does not support public safety services, and the protection of the citizens of Hamilton.) That hurts. I believe it was sent to all surrounding unions and beyond. It was very damaging in that regard. It's the perception in the community ... because of that letter I've been injured throughout the community. I've asked them to retract that letter to me. I've asked them to put it in the paper. To my knowledge that's never happened. So what do I draw from that conclusion?"
Q: What do you think the next 10 years will be like in Hamilton?
A: "I think we're going to see more riverfront development. We're going to see more business initiatives. We're going to see more businesses opening. I look to Vora (Technology Park) to really take off. The Mercy site is going to be developed. We already know that the Mercantile block, the first building is going to be done in about March. You're going to see Artspace take hold here.
We want more families and I think that will happen when people realize that our utility rates are the most economical in the region. I’d love to see Miami or a college have a downtown building and hold classes down there. I’d love to see college kids downtown. I think we’ll see all that. I think we’ll see our downtown take shape and we’ll see new buildings being built. It’s all here we can make a difference and people are going to start realizing that.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2122 or rwilson@coxohio.com.
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