Bowling Green City Council – at Large

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Name: Neocles B. Leontis
Address: 119 N. Summit St., Bowling Green OH 43402
E-Mail Address: nleontis@gmailcom
Web Site: https://www.facebook.com/Citizens-for-Neocles-Leontis-2417631155125490/?modal=admin_todo_tour

OCCUPATION: Professor of chemistry, Bowling Green State University.
EDUCATION: B.S. in chemistry from Ohio State University (1977), AM in physical chemistry Harvard
University (1981), Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry, Yale University (1986).
QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE: Active in civic, energy, and environmental issues for many years. Research and
science educator for 33 years.
QUESTION #1: How would you address downtown parking so more people are satisfied?
Kiosk systems reduce costs for the city and allow flexible billing according to time. However, they may
be difficult to use for older people or those with disabilities. We should allow free parking for people
with Handicapped status.
QUESTION #2: What can be done to make the East Wooster Street entrance to the city more attractive?
In addition to “more attractive,” East Wooster should be functional and safe for all users, not only
powered vehicles – pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters. These features should extend across the city –
from Dunbridge Road to the east, to Wintergarden Road on the west. We need user-activated cross-walks at
Maple Street to provide children safe access to City Park. We need marked bicycle lanes, distinct from
where powered vehicles are allowed and where pedestrians walk. Wooster and Main streets are wide enough
to accommodate this, as is done in many cities for major thoroughfares. By the railroad tracks we should
reserve space to develop a multi-modal transportation hub, including train station (to anticipate future
passenger rail), bus and taxi loading area, and bicycle parking. We need to rezone downtown and
University area to allow high-density, affordable housing to accommodate students and young families of
people who provide vital services to BGSU, the hospital and other key businesses and institutions, but
who earn limited wages. We should establish non-profit development agencies to make this possible. New
development funded by the city should serve everyone, not just those with high incomes who can afford
luxury apartments.
QUESTION #3: How can the city ensure that rental housing is safe?
This is an issue because in BG, unlike many college towns, you can put old houses up for rent without
undergoing any fire or health inspections. Consequently, we have many unsafe properties for rent, with
antiquated electrical systems that do not meet modern code and that lack modern circuit breakers and
three-prong grounded outlets for computer equipment. They pose fire and electrocution hazards. We must
warn renters of these hazards. Imagine if we did not inspect our restaurants? Who would want to eat out?
We must address this situation using effective approaches that have been proven to work in other
municipalities. This is a real danger – one of my family members almost died in an apartment fire in BG.
The solution must be comprehensive – we should not attempt “voluntary” programs that have proven
ineffective time and again. Health inspections are needed to identify mildew and mold which cause
allergic reactions, leading to school and work absences, lost income, and unnecessary medical expenses.
We must insulate all rentals to reduce residents’ utility costs to keep money in our community and help
our businesses; to ensure all children sleep warm; and to reduce pollution.

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