Columbus Day decision puts Sandusky in national spotlight

SANDUSKY — No matter if they accidentally stumbled upon or purposely discovered the information, news on Sandusky's government canceling Columbus Day made serious viral rounds across North America.On Jan. 30, the Register published an online article detailing city commission's call to swap out Columbus Day in October for Election Day in November as a paid day off, beginning this year, for municipal workers. The same article printed two days later in the newspaper.Last week, many major media outlets — including CNN NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Sacramento Bee and The Hill — picked up the article, attributing the Register for first reporting this news story.Sandusky officials never expected their decision to garner so much attention.But they're glad it did."It's really exciting that something we did in Sandusky has helped spur a national dialogue relating to the expansion of Election Day and giving people more opportunities to vote," said city manager Eric Wobser, who, on Friday, appeared on "The Daily Briefing," a nationally televised program broadcast by Fox News, to field additional questions about the decision.Sandusky city manager Eric Wobser appeared on "The Daily Briefing," on Fox News on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. Wobser discussed the city's decision to swap Columbus Day in October for Election Day in November as a paid day off for municipal workers.Wobser described the feedback he's received thus far as "overwhelmingly positive."In almost every article and interview on the topic, Wobser leveraged the chance to spotlight Sandusky's many recent successes, underscored by about $100 million in ongoing investments citywide. This would include:• A $72 million project to create a new campus and buildings for Sandusky Schools• A $13.6 million initiative to build a college campus and apartments in downtown• An $11.5 million task to rehabilitate a block of blighted buildings into a new complex housing City Hall, apartments and various businesses, also in downtown"I'm so happy to talk about all the progress we have been making in Sandusky," Wobser said. "I'm telling people about our bicentennial celebration, the transformation of downtown Sandusky and more to a national audience."A decision by Sandusky's government to swap out Columbus Day in October for Election Day in November garnered national attention and mass media exposure.Checking on Columbus Day for other local governmentsEarlier this week, the Register emailed representatives from governments within its coverage area to determine if that particular public entity:• Recognizes Columbus Day as a paid holiday for its workers• Has considered swapping out Columbus Day for Election Day as a paid holiday for its workersOnly those from Ottawa County and Huron said their workers regularly report to work on Columbus Day, generally the second Monday in October. Those two governments do, in exchange, receive a paid day off on the Friday following Thanksgiving.No representative responding indicated they would, or possibly might, take off Election Day and work on Columbus Day, akin to Sandusky.Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.