Town Talk with J. Todd Grayson

Perrysburg councilman J. Todd Grayson.

J. Todd Grayson, 34, is a Perrysburg city council member. He lives in the Three Meadows subdivision in Perrysburg. He is married to Jodi C. Grayson and has two children, Ty, 6, and Victoria, 5, who will both attend Woodland Elementary School.

1. How long have you lived in Perrysburg? Off and on since I was 5 (1983). I was in Perrysburg schools from K-12. I have lived in Three Meadows and Carrington Woods, and my parents still live there. My in-laws live on Second Street and my wife is from Perrysburg as well.

2. What's your favorite place to go in Perrysburg that's off the beaten path? There is a ravine that runs through Carrington Woods, and I used to walk back there as a kid. It feels like you're in the middle of nowhere, but you're still in the middle of a neighborhood. I'm a big gardener, so I enjoy looking at trees and flowers at Woodland Park and Three Meadows Park as well.

3. If you could go back in time and change careers, what would would you do? My day job is rubber tubing sales, and sales is where I belong. I have so many hobbies though, and I would have loved to have been a cabinet maker. I enjoy working with my hands, building with wood, and being artistic, and furniture/cabinet making would be great.

4. What's your hidden talent? Baking. It's not hidden to those who know me well, but people I meet are always surprised at how well and how often I bake!

5. What's your children's favorite thing to do in Perrysburg? They like visiting with their grandparents and going out for ice cream at the O-Deer Diner when they aren't playing with their friends.

6. What summer movie are you most excited about? I'm not one to go out to see movies, but Ted caught my eye. I'm a sucker for absurd, slap-stick comedy.

7. Why did you decide to move to Perrysburg? I lived in Dayton, Columbus, and Champaign, IL before coming back. This is a great community in the same way that Ohio is a great state. It's the people that make it that way, and you can't beat Ohio in general and Perrysburg in particular when it comes to having hard working, friendly, and neighborly people. The weather isn't the best, but the people make up for it.

8. What's your favorite summer food to eat? Blueberries from my garden and Juan Canary melon (available at Meijer). Nobody seems to have heard of that melon, but it's the best around!

9. What do you think of Katie Homes and Tom Cruise getting divorced? It bothers me that more people care about that than the implications of 50% of the population not paying federal income taxes. That being said, Katie Holmes seems like a nice, local woman and I wish her the best.

10. Where's the best place to get pizza in Perrysburg? I'm cheap, so for my money it's Dominos. Their new recipes are very good for the price.