Marriage, research, education and Ultimate Frisbee are among what connects the City of Athens’ legislative body to the nearby university.
All eight members of Athens City Council have connections with Ohio University, which they say aid the town-gown relationship. Five council members hold eight degrees from OU, and six have been employed as professors, research assistants or club sport coaches.
Councilwoman Chris Knisely, D-at large, said there have been numerous examples of cooperation between Athens and OU, including collaboration in public transportation, the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway, a memorandum of understanding and law enforcement. They also teamed up to purchase a new fire truck for the city.
“After living here for 15 years, I’ve seen times when the university and the city may have disagreed over certain issues,” said Knisely, who was the executive director of the College of Osteopathic Medicine until 2010. “But I think the last few years have been a collaborative approach in realizing we all live in the same community.”
This type of collaboration results in a good relationship for both the city and the school, said Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward. Fahl has taught courses in international studies, and her husband is a botany professor.
“Athens and Ohio University have always been part of the same unit,” Fahl said. “Athens is important to OU, and OU is important to Athens.”
Councilmen Jeff Risner, D-2nd Ward; Kent Butler, D-1st Ward; Elahu Gosney, D-at large; and Council President Jim Sands all received their undergraduate degrees from OU. Risner and Butler have since earned master’s degrees, and Gosney currently is pursuing his own.
Not all of the ties are academically related, though. Butler, who graduated in 1995 with a degree in art, enjoyed playing Ultimate Frisbee during his time as a Bobcat.
“My wife went to OU, and we actually met while playing a game of Ultimate Frisbee,” Butler said.
Butler now coaches the team, which contended in the sport’s national competition in the spring.
Being an OU grad is a valuable asset, Sands said.
“I have a different understanding of the university because I went there,” said Sands. “I have some understanding of what campus life is like.”
As a citizen of Athens since birth, Gosney said he has a unique perspective of the relationship between the city and OU.
“I’ve grown up with the university,” Gosney said. “I don’t see (Athens) as separable from the university in terms of the spirit of the area.”
Councilman Steve Patterson, D-at large, has taught psychology at OU since 1998 and is a member of Faculty Senate. Initially attracted by the research opportunities at the university, Patterson said he fell in love with the city during his first visit.
“I loved this environment,” Patterson said. “There was high-quality research here (at OU), but the charm of Athens had its allure to me, and it hasn’t changed since.”
Though they said there have been positive collaborations in the past, lawmakers still see room for improvement.
The Joint Police Services Advisory Council, which comprises representatives from Athens and OU, is an example of collective effort that can be more prominent in the community, Patterson said.
But while council members say the city currently maintains a cohesive relationship with university officials, they hope to build a strong relationship with the students themselves.
“I think we could do more with being friendly,” Knisely said. “We could have more outreach in informing students about what is out there in the community.”
Having an official meeting on campus with Student Senate is currently a priority for City Council, said Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-at large, whose husband is a physics professor and whose son, Will Drabold, is a freshman studying journalism and a staff writer for The Post.
“If we’re not communicating, we’re not dealing with issues,” Papai said. “We’re interlinked. We have to have regular communication.”
sh335311@ohiou.edu
