Audio Companion #117: Les Carrier Returns!

Councilman Carrier is back at the table - Development, Representation, and What Comes Next for HilliardOn this week’s HBAC longtime councilmember Les Carrier returns to the podcast for an open and wide-ranging conversation with hosts Jordan, Kevin and Tim. This episode was recorded right as Hilliard was preparing for Independence Day festivities and just shifting into the next major political season.Why Les Is Running AgainCarrier opens up about his decision to run again this fall after previously considering retirement and a rare loss running for Township office. He cites growing concerns over how the city’s Comprehensive Plan is being implemented - particularly around zoning, high-density development, and infrastructure prioritization. He points to rising resident frustration in his inbox over sudden changes and communication gaps around land / property use. Carrier argues that while development has been efficient, it hasn’t always been right or “neighborly.”On the Need for Neighborhood RepresentationLater in the episode, Jordan floats an idea that’s been gaining traction in recent Beacon conversations: creating a ward-based structure for ongoing public input. Not dividing up elections, necessarily, but establishing recurring neighborhood forums in wards that already exist on our maps and encompass all parts of the city (Leap Road, Old Hilliard, West Hilliard, etc.) to ensure resident voices don’t get lost in the noise.Carrier doesn’t push back. In fact, he sees the logic. “It's not until the bulldozers start pushing dirt that people pay attention,” he says. Recent events, such as 750 homes receiving re-zoning notices on the same day have been a wake-up call and he believes the city’s growing Muslim population, in particular, has felt sidelined throughout. “They’re busting at the seams everywhere they’re operating,” he says.Jordan stresses that permanent community structures - like recurring ward meetings or neighborhood planning groups - could offer something more durable than single-issue advocacy. Carrier agrees but suggests that legislation out of votes like Issue 9 have had lasting value and believes citizen-led engagement, when codified, has made for lasting impact.On the City Manager TransitionThe conversation also explores perspective on the leadership vacuum following the resignation of City Manager Michelle Crandall. Carrier expressed frustration that neither of the assistant managers already on staff seemed to want the permanent top job. “We're paying these people a quarter million dollars a year!”He believes this moment could have been used to test an interim manager in real time. At this juncture he hopes the full process (likely to stretch into months) yields a chance to reset the office and find a leader who can build consensus and not, in his view, just secure four votes.Hilliard’s Future Coming into ViewMuch of the conversation circles back to Old Hilliard, where the city is investing millions in storm and sewer upgrades to support future development. Carrier perceives an impending push to “go vertical” in Old Hilliard as a mistake. “Why change what’s already successful?” he asks. “And there isn't one apartment they needed to have to make it successful.”As the episode wraps, Carrier leaves listeners with a simple suggestion: Hilliard is heading into an election that can and should shape how the city grows.Whether it's ward meetings, ballot initiatives, or stronger council deliberation, he says the public should play a more active role. “Whether my point wins or loses, if we’re talking about it, we’re winning,” he says. “If we’re just doing groupthink, we’re not.”The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hilliardbeacon.substack.com/subscribe