WATERVILLE – Waterville City Council members Todd Borowski, Mary Duncan, Rod Frey and Wayne Wagner, along with Mayor Tim Pedro, unanimously selected Scott Jahns and Nick Sargent to fill two vacant council seats during the Jan. 12 meeting.
“It was a tough decision,” Pedro said, following nearly two hours in an executive session to interview the seven candidates, which also included Rob Allen, Karen Eboch, Tim Guzman, Michael Hampton III and Amy Self.
Jahns, a retired engineer, has lived in Waterville for 32 years, and first got involved with city government six years ago, when he had ideas and questions about a changeover in refuse and recycling collection, recalled Pedro. He then got involved in serving on committees, including Charter Review, Public Works, Waterville Comprehensive Plan and Architectural Review. In the past two years, Jahns has attended nearly every city council meeting.
“I started coming to Council so I could learn how government works. It became a passion of mine,” he said. “I believe I bring a positive outlook, fresh ideas and a common sense approach. I want to see the city prosper.”
Sargent, who moved to Waterville in 2013, is managing partner of S&L Cabling Solutions and brings a background in computer engineering and network infrastructure. He got involved with the city nearly a decade ago, serving on the Safety Committee and then chairing a levy that passed by 70 percent, funding the W3 Co-op – a collaboration between Waterville, Waterville Township and Whitehouse – which provides regular staffing, training and equipment for fire and EMS services in the area.
“Through those actions and the voters passing that legislation, we are able to save lives as firefighters are now physically in the building and responding to calls as opposed to responding from their homes,” he said.
Sargent said he feels like it’s time to give back and be part of the growth and prosperity of the community by working on ordinances that have a long-lasting impact.
Maumee Municipal Court Judge Daniel Hazard will attend the Monday, Jan. 26 meeting to swear in the newly appointed council members.
During the meeting, council also:
-Witnessed Pedro administer the oath of office to re-elected council member Mary Duncan.
-Unanimously voted to name Todd Borowski as vice mayor – a role that includes filling in for Pedro in representing the city in the event he is out of town or unable to serve.
-Learned that the city ended its year with a cash balance of $12.4 million.
-Listened to Dave Weber of the Save the Bridge Association ask council to write letters of support for their efforts to save the Roche de Boeuf Interurban bridge, which was issued a one-year reprieve from demolition in April 2024 by Gov. Mike DeWine. He also asked council to consider applying to become a certified local government to show its commitment to protecting historic sites. And he asked for the city to consider ownership of the bridge. Pedro said a meeting with the current bridge owner, the Ohio Department of Transportation, is slated for Jan. 15.
-Heard that Pedro was interviewed by WGTE for a Monday With Mayors program that aired on Jan. 12.
