From the outset, my candidacy for city council has been challenged by Democratic Party Chair, Ross Thomas.  You can read the latest about it here.

Thomas filed suit against me and the Bartholomew County Election Board to have me removed from the ballot from this past November 7th election.

Election board counsel, Peter King, stated in their defense:

• "As a matter of law, Mr. Foyst was a 'candidate' as of June 22, 2023. He has not lost this candidate status from that date forward."
• “Mr. Thomas, as Bartholomew County Democratic Party Chair, seeks to eliminate competition for the Democrat Party candidate in District 6 so that the Democrat candidate may win by default, thereby depriving the voters of Common Council District 6 a choice. Such is not the result that the General Assembly intended.”

• "It is never in the interest of the public to deprive the electorate of a choice for public office.  Voter choice is the essence of a democracy."

If Mr. Thomas has his way, he will ensure the seat goes to his party's candidate despite the resounding choice voters have already made. And, we the residents of District 6 will ultimately be the losers.

The next hearing is scheduled for November 28 at 8:30 a.m.

Last year, Columbus City Council voted to upgrade to second-class status.  The move came ten years after being eligible to do so, and will take effect on January 1, 2024.

According to Indiana law, cities with a population between 35,000 and 599,999 can elect to move into that category. Columbus' population was 50,474 at the 2020 Census, and was estimated to be 51,268 in 2022.

If you're like me, this move feels bittersweet.

​I grew up in Columbus when it was half the population it is now. Many of the stores and businesses are now only fond memories. Times change and we need to change too. Let's cherish the past and create new memories for ourselves and future generations.

Part of the changes that came with becoming a second-class city is redistricting.  

City Council will now represent six districts instead of five along with an additional at-large member, bringing the total to three.

District 6 will cover several neighborhoods, including Everroad, Broadmoor, Parkside, Candlelight, Two Worlds and Breakaway Trails. Businesses include Eastbrook Plaza and Northern Village.

​If you're curious to find your neighborhood and want to download the official map, click here

Jay and I, along with our son, have lived in Everroad Park East for the last 17 years.  It's a neighborhood filled with mostly limestone ranch homes built in the 1950's.  We have good neighbors, great access to the People Trail and are near The Pauline Crump Nature Preserve. 

There have always been a few homeless people who would tend to gravitate to this area.  They were mainly older men who kept to themselves.  One gentleman, who comes to mind, is friendly and sometimes makes small talk.  

Over the past few years, we've noticed new faces. Men and women, some older, but many younger.  I've spoken with a couple of the young women who I've seen under the 25th Street overpass. I don't know a lot about them or their story.  I do know this situation isn't good for anyone. 

Winter will soon be here.  It's time to get serious about it.
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The Pauline Crump Nature Preserve is a short walk from our house.  There's somewhat of a trail loop that leads to a low-head dam. There's access to the People Trail from 32nd Street and Griffa Avenue, and another entrance at Marr Road.

​The trail was developed in honor of Pauline Crump by Ed Niespodziani and the Columbus North Environmental Club.

While the preserve seems to be becoming more well-known, it also seems to teeter between being a secluded, wooded hiking trail nestled within city limits and a haven for homeless encampments.

The following are from reviewers who have paid a visit:   

The Pauline Crump Nature Preserve is owned by Jefferson Crump III, who has graciously allowed anyone who loves nature to come and explore this hidden gem.

I would love to see the preserve restored to its natural habitat. It's currently overrun by invasives such as bush honeysuckle, as is much of the bank along Haw Creek, which leads to the US 31 and 25th Street overpasses and beyond to Newbern Bridge. 

Arizona State University Center for Problem-Oriented Policing recommends clear-cutting overgrown brush. They state:

Transients like encampments to be surrounded by overgrown vegetation, but this can make the camps difficult for police to enter safely, especially at night.
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Homelessness is a public health and safety issue that touches every facet of our community. 

The increase of homeless people has brought with it an increase in trash and abandoned shopping carts and other items.

It's become common to see Styrofoam cups and food wrappers scattered in the grass or left near park benches. 

Things like used tents, camping chairs, towels, clothing, razors, sanitary napkins are all things that become a constant reminder that we as a city need to make finding short- and long-term solutions to our homeless problem a priority.

Shopping carts from nearby stores such as Walgreens, Pets Supply Plus and Target have been found abandoned along the People Trail.

It's estimated US retailers lose an estimated tens of millions of dollars every year replacing lost and damaged carts.  Some resort to having to pay contractors to retrieve their lost carts.  Last year, Walmart paid $23,000 in fines related to abandoned shopping carts to the small town of Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

These costs are inevitably passed onto us through higher taxes and higher prices.

In 2019, it was reported that 88 tons of trash was collected from 34 encampment sites around Columbus, costing the city at least $2,422 to dump it at the landfill. 

Homelessness isn't an individual problem.  It affects us all.
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Jay and I have been witnessing first hand the growing problem of homelessness in Columbus. We understand the "not in my backyard" reaction we can often have when it hits close to home .

Many hours of research have led us to understand that it's complicated and there's no one-size fits all solution. It's going to take people with expertise in various backgrounds and experiences.  It's going to take all of us.

In an editorial, The Republic stated that we don't know how many homeless there are and that as winter approaches, it's important we find out.  Jay and I couldn't agree more.

We can come together and we can do it, but we cannot put it off any longer.

We need to create a homelessness task force to assess and make recommendations to city council.  What are other cities doing?  What's working? What's not working? 

​We need a community approach. Residents, business owners, government and churches should all be working together to ensure a good outcome for us all.

We should have a hotline or an officer within the Columbus Police Department to act as a liaison to concerned residents wishing to report an encampment or advise of a homeless person who has moved into a neighborhood who may need services.  This liaison should educate us on how to direct our money, time and resources to ensure we are helping and not hurting.

​We need to consider what the "housing first" model really entails. Mayor Jim Lienhoop said. “Permanent supportive housing … means that people can bring their drugs into the facility and continue to use while they are residing there."

Some communities are finding their own way, like the ones in the video below. We will find our way too, which is why Jay is running for city council.

​Reading Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, And How to Reverse It by Robert Lupton transformed how we think about our giving. He's written a follow-up book, Charity Detox: What Charity Would Look Like If We Cared About Results, which begins with the bold statement: 

Charity often hurts the people it was designed to help.

The Lupton Center, founded by Robert Lupton, explains Toxic Charity:

At its core, Toxic Charity is trying to address chronic ongoing issues through one-way giving. It often looks like this: people with resources give to those who lack resources. This kind of giving approaches inequity as though the core issue is that people don’t have the same amount of “stuff.”  ... Toxic Charity shares stuff, but not power or agency. It usually doesn’t engage with systems or multiple drivers of inequity. As a result, it tends not to have a long-term impact on the issue it purports to address.

​True Charity Founder & CEO, James Whitford, models his ministry on the premise of the book. He states:

The ministry is now the largest privately funded poverty-fighting organization in our four-state area. Today, we serve both the poor and the homeless, offering 105 beds in three facilities serving those in long term recovery, adult men and women in need of emergency shelter, homeless moms with children and we have a respite unit for those discharging from the hospital who have nowhere to go to finish their recovery.

Whitford testified before the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Food & Nutrition in April 2023 regarding federal food assistance funding in the farm bill reauthorization.

If elected, Jay will make addressing our homeless problem a priority.

When I was a D.J. at WKKG in the late 1990's, the station was live from 6 a.m. to midnight, which meant that there was a real person sitting in the studio. We played music, ran commercials, conducted interviews, and gave live news and weather updates.  It was a fun time.

The best part of my job was taking phone calls and engaging with listeners. There was a real sense of community and there were many times we rallied to do good.

​In July, 1997, there was an apartment fire that resulted in the death of two people and displaced six families. We talked about it on the air and asked for donations for those families who lost everything. People brought furniture, appliances, dishes, toys and clothes to the radio station, enough to fill five apartments to the brim ... in three days.  The management had to ask us to stop giving.

There are other stories I could tell, but this incident reflects the overwhelming generosity of the people who live here.  When there's need, we respond. We should feel confident that together we can things done.

As a dump truck driver, I get to see a lot of Columbus.  I see a lot of road work being done.  I see a lot of new housing going up.  I also see a lot of out-of-state license plates traveling our streets.

According to Construction Coverage, the Midwest region of the U.S. has experienced the greatest increase in the value of new residential construction:

From the first quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021, the value of new residential building permits in the Midwest was up 38.1%

​​The table below shows the number of permits issued for Columbus, according to Building Permits Survey (BPS) on new privately-owned residential construction:

Source: Census Bureau, Permits by Metropolitan Area

"Hey Blue, where is a good place to get something to eat around here?"

​That's a question I get asked a lot by parents who visit Columbus through Travel Baseball.  There are tens of thousands of travel baseball teams around the country. Virtually all travel baseball games are played on weekends in a tournament format. 

Travel Baseball is a family affair.  Often you see parents, siblings and even grandparents. And, they spend money. Lots of money.

At Ceraland, where you can often find me in the summer, some travel baseball families camp; others lodge at hotels. They need food and supplies.

I've seen families order pizza for the kids, while the adults go out. One boy came with only his Crocs and needed a pair of baseball shoes. Two boys forgot their jerseys and needed t-shirts in order to play. Let's not forget the pop-up shelters, water bottles, sunglasses, sunscreen, and even coats for those cold games in March.

This was all money spent right here in Columbus.

​A 2019 analysis from WinterGreen Research estimated the youth sports industry was worth $19.2 billion. As a comparison, the same year, the NFL was worth an estimated $15 billion.

Columbus is wise to tap into it.

I love our city's People Trail. You'll find my wife and I walking with our dog often. It's a good chance to see nature, run into neighbors and keep in good shape.  

I also love that our city takes great pride in building and maintaining our trail system.  On the city website there's a reviewer quoted:

The trails make walking, biking, running, skating, safe for those that use the trail. 

​Over the past few years, I've noticed an increase in the number of golf carts, mopeds, motorized recreation scooters and electric bicycles on the trail. We've been caught off-guard from behind, had to pull our dog to safety and have even had to step off the trail to make room for these motorized vehicles.  

As a trail designed for pedestrians, bicycles and anything people-powered, I think it's important we keep safety a priority. Friendly reminders in the way of signs would go a long way in keeping our trails safe.

(Note: Motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters should obviously be allowed.)

I've met a lot of wonderful people in District 6, including Saundra who worked with troubled youth in the school system.

She told me how she often runs into past students who stop to tell her how much her support meant to them, and that they will sometimes buy her lunch as a token of appreciation.

She was on her way out the door to get some last-minute-things for her son-in law's 50th birthday party.

There are still heroes in this world, and Saundra is one of them.

I was destined to be a Republican. When I was a baby, my mother went to Indianapolis to meet Barry Goldwater who was making a stop during his presidential campaign in 1963.  She took me along. Goldwater kissed me on the forehead and my fate was sealed.

The first time I was able to vote was the 1980 presidential election, and I proudly pulled the lever for Ronald Wilson Reagan.

That was also the year I joined the Air Force.  I remember the day the picture of Jimmy Carter came down at the base, and was replaced with the iconic portrait of a smiling Ronald Reagan, whom I proudly served as my Commander-In-Chief for four years.

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As far back as I can remember, there's always been a Republican Party booth at the fair. I admit when I was a kid, I couldn't have cared less.  I was mesmerized by the allure of carnival rides and cotton candy.

Today, I see the importance of our 4-H fair beyond the Ferris wheel, fair food and livestock shows.  It's a vital part of community development.

An article published by Michigan State University Extension says the county fair stimulates cultivation of a vibrant community:

People from throughout the area are drawn together for a common cause: showcasing the achievements of their citizens and promoting their youth. Individual talents are employed toward the success of the whole community. Families take time to learn together, sharing in life lessons and building new skills. Cross county relationships are developed, broadening perspectives and intermingling experience. Long-time friendships are rekindled over new memories.

It's important our political leaders be part of this community building and leadership development opportunity, and be energized by the atmosphere of lights, food and fun.