This AWB has got me wondering.  I'm only been in Ohio about 13 years, having been raised in NJ.  Back there, we had a ward system, so you had someone accountable to represent the interests of your neighborhood.

I don't like this "at-large" system that Columbus has.  A Democratic city is always going to vote in a Democratic council.  As an Republican-leaning Independent, I feel like there's nobody representing me and that I have nobody to bitch to if I have a problem.

Has Columbus always been like this?  If not, why did they change to the current format?  What would it take to go back to a ward system?

It would be very difficult.
It favors Democrats, and since they are in power, they will not wish to give up that power.
In fact, they will likely work to strengthen it.

I don't know all the history involved but my guess is that it has been like this for a long time.  Look at the structure of the area.  Columbus proper is pretty much a cesspool with the out lying area being really nice.   As Columbus proper has expanded and annexed it has swallowed up a bunch of townships and in the process expanding their sphere of influence without any real repercussions because of lack of representation of the constituents.