Multiple City Council members spoke at Monday's meeting about concerns regarding the Worthington Together community engagement meeting held the previous Wednesday, which drew over 200 residents. While praising the turnout and event organization, they raised serious concerns about the distribution of unapproved materials that created confusion during the workshop.
Reports of Unofficial Materials
Councilmember Amy Lloyd, who attended the workshop, reported that alternative maps—not produced by the city or the consultant team—were placed on discussion tables. She described this as "intentional confusion" and "an attempt to steer conversations" away from the consultant's intended feedback process.
Despite these challenges, Lloyd commended the Worthington Together Community Committee volunteers for working through difficult conversations that resulted from the confusing materials. She also thanked city staff and consultant Jamie Greene from Planning Next for their coordination efforts before and during the event.
Council Leaders Reinforce Process Integrity
President Pro Tem Beth Kowalczyk delivered extensive remarks reinforcing the need for a transparent and inclusive process. Key principles she emphasized:
Official Materials: Only materials from the city, consultant team, and appointed community committee are official city documents. While resident groups are welcome to share ideas, those contributions should not be confused with official materials.
No Single Voice: No single group speaks for the entire community. Council members should not privilege any particular viewpoint as "the true public voice."
Transparent Process: The consultant facilitates an open process but does not predetermine outcomes. The plan is shaped through multiple rounds of engagement with different subsets of the community, which is why the process is iterative.
Council's Role: Council members evaluate final recommendations at the end of the process based on the full body of community input, rather than inserting themselves during the engagement phase by endorsing particular viewpoints.
Formal Channels: Kowalczyk stated that concerns about the process should be brought through formal channels: "not thrown out as accusations on social media or in emails that are not in line with following the process."
She called on residents to engage sincerely and transparently, avoiding deceptive or confusing tactics that undermine the public's ability to provide meaningful feedback.
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A Call for Collaborative Participation
Council President Rachael Dorothy echoed these concerns about the Wednesday meeting's disruptions while emphasizing that all residents have opportunities to provide input through the official website and scheduled meetings.
Dorothy called for collaborative participation that leads to outcomes the community can move forward with together, noting that now is the time for residents to be heard through proper channels.
How to Participate
Residents have multiple upcoming opportunities to engage in the comprehensive planning process:
- Online Survey — Open now through December 19th
- Community Committee Meeting — January 14, 2026
All official materials, meeting recordings, and feedback opportunities are available at worthingtontogether.org.