Miller to Step Down from Council
For Immediate Release
August 29, 2014
For More Information:
John Ivanic, City Council, 645-6798
Columbus City Council President Pro Tem A. Troy Miller confirmed that he is stepping down from Columbus City Council, effective at the end of September. Miller, the chair of Council’s Public Service & Transportation, Technology, Minority & Small Business Development, and Zoning Committees, is stepping down to pursue professional opportunities that will take him outside of Columbus.
“I’m proud and thankful to have been
able to serve the residents of Columbus as a member of Columbus City Council
since 2009,” said Councilmember Miller, a small business owner who founded
iSpecData, an Ohio-based web application and consulting firm in the health
management technology field. “I would like to express my gratitude both to the
residents of this great community for placing their faith and trust in me, and
also to my Council colleagues, with whom I have been honored to serve.”
Since joining Columbus City Council in 2009, Councilmember Miller has been a force for transparency and efficiency in city government. Drawing on his extensive background in technology, Pro Tem Miller led the development of the Legislative Center, a web resource that allows the public easy access to Council agendas, legislation, and supporting documents. His e-Council initiative has improved the efficiency of Council and greatly reduced Council’s printing costs. Miller introduced the legislation that created the MyColumbus mobile application, which enables residents and visitors to access information about Columbus and submit service requests through their mobile devices.
Councilmember Miller’s service has been informed by his experience as a small business owner and by his desire to make Columbus the best place in the country to own a small business. He was a leader of Council’s Small Business Roundtable, a working group of more than thirty small business owners, business organizations, and non-profits convened by Council to help the city provide constructive and proactive support to small businesses. Among the products of the roundtable was the creation of a small business concierge position to help make city government more open and accessible to new and existing small businesses. Councilmember Miller sponsored the funding for the concierge position in July.
Pro Tem Miller and several local partners, including the Economic and Community Development Institute and the Community Capital Development Corporation, created the KickStart Columbus competitions to help Columbus entrepreneurs get their innovative products and services to the market. The KickStart Columbus Retail Competition has awarded prime downtown storefront space, marketing services, and other prizes to some of our community’s most promising retail business ideas. This year, Councilmember Miller’s SharkMeet competition will give Columbus entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their business ideas to potential investors and a panel of judges that will include Kevin O’Leary, star of ABC’s Shark Tank.
“President Pro Tem Miller’s legacy will be one of sincere, pragmatic, and effective service to the residents of Columbus,” said Council President Andrew J. Ginther. “I know I speak for all of my colleagues when I express my gratitude to Troy for his leadership on Council and the calm, thoughtful nature that he has brought to our deliberations on the issues that matter most to our residents.”
Columbus City Council will announce an appointment process in the coming weeks to fill the pending vacancy. The appointee will stand for election in 2015 to complete Councilmember Miller’s term, which expires at the end of 2017.
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