Coutanya Coombs Reflects on City Council Exit
“I Was Chosen for the First Assignment”
Vice Mayor Coutanya Coombs will leave the Westerville City Council this December after an unsuccessful re-election bid, marking the end of a four-year term she says was defined by public service, policy advocacy, and, ultimately, political crossfire.
“The voters have spoken, and I respect that,” Coombs said in a post-election interview. “I believe in democracy. I also believe where I’m supposed to be is where I will be.”
A Westerville resident since 2005, Coombs brought a deep resume to the council when she was elected in 2021. She holds a PhD in Public Policy and Administration and worked as a consultant in nonprofit leadership while also teaching at Otterbein University. But her re-election campaign, she said, ran head-on into sharp divisions, not over credentials or policy, but politics.
“Before I could even say hello, people asked, ‘Are you a Democrat or Republican?’” she said about talking with voters. “It’s a nonpartisan election, or it’s supposed to be. That question shouldn’t come before ‘What do you stand for?’ or ‘How can you help the city?’”
One of Coombs’ key priorities during her term was expanding the city’s housing options, an effort she says drew more resistance than she anticipated.
“I didn’t expect people to associate ‘affordable housing’ with substandard living,” she said. “Two working adults making a decent income can’t afford to buy a home in Westerville right now. That’s not a theoretical issue. That’s a real one.”
She says online harassment and racially charged messages increased after she began speaking more openly about housing equity. “It shocked me. I didn’t expect my own neighbors to tell me people should just ride the bus in from Morse Road and go back.”
Despite the negativity, Coombs said she remained focused on education and outreach. “I spent much of the campaign explaining what ‘attainable’ actually means. But there’s only so much educating you can do in the middle of a campaign.”
Coombs did not name names, but spoke openly about tension inside the city government over the past two years. She said she became isolated from colleagues after refusing to participate in what she called a “coup attempt” against the council chair.
“I started noticing that I wasn’t invited to meetings, wasn’t asked for input. I was on an island,” she said. “But I made a promise to serve, and I kept showing up. I don’t run from hard things.”
She also acknowledged that she may have become a political target for not aligning with any specific faction.
“I was in the middle of two warring sides,” she said. “And I think some people decided I was the one to remove. Probably because I was the least likely to be bought.”
Still, Coombs leaves with pride in her work and gratitude for the opportunity to serve.
“I came in wanting to bring peace, professionalism, and policy expertise to the job,” she said. “And I’m proud of what I contributed—especially on issues like air quality, where we made real progress by starting conversations beyond our city boundaries.”
Coombs emphasized that while she’ll no longer hold elected office, she still considers herself accountable to the city and plans to continue advocacy work in the community.
“Just because I’m not on the dais doesn’t mean I’m done. I’m still a resident. I’m still an advocate,” she said.
To those just elected, Coombs offered both encouragement and caution.
“Watch your back. Speak your mind. And don’t let the people who got you there speak for you,” she said. “Connect with residents—especially those who don’t already agree with you. That’s where the real work is.”
She also urged them to rely on the expertise of the city’s professional staff.
“Our city team is excellent,” she said. “Trust them to do their jobs—and focus on doing yours.”
Coombs said she has no regrets. “It was painful, yes. But I was proud to serve. And maybe my job wasn’t to stay on council. Maybe it was to show others that they have a right to be there, too.”
Watercolorist Megen Leigh adds vivid color to the Arts Council Open House as families gather to watch her work up close. The Wednesday night event invited the Westerville community to imagine new possibilities for local arts, encouraging residents to share their time, talents, and ideas to help shape the future.
Jimmy V’s on a cold winter night after the first snowfall of the season and a cool, windy evening two days later.
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