5 to be interviewed for Rossford council spot

City seeks to fill seat left vacant by member’s death

12/16/2013
BY CARL RYAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Five hopefuls have applied for the Rossford City Council seat left vacant by the death of Chuck Duricek.

Council has set a special meeting for 7 p.m. today to interview applicants and make the appointment.

The process will not be wholly transparent.

According to the meeting agenda, council members plan to go into a closed session to discuss the selection, then return to regular session for the vote.

Law Director Kevin Heban said Ohio law permits closed council discussion on candidates for elective office.

Mr. Duricek, a veteran council member and well-known Rossford business owner, died unexpectedly in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day. He was the top vote-getter in the Nov. 5 council elections.

The candidates for his seat are William Carroll, Bob Densic, Pamela Domalski-Duricek, Dennis Foy, and Joseph Minarcin.

● Mr. Carroll, a retired president and chief operating officer of Dana Corp., is chairman of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.

● Mr. Densic, a licensed architect, lost his election bid on Nov. 5 but was the next highest vote-getter after the cutoff.

● Mrs. Domalski-Duricek, the widow of Mr. Duricek, is an advanced nurse assistant/​medical technician at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center.

● Mr. Foy is a former councilman and Rossford police chief who also ran for council in November.

● Mr. Minarcin, who is retired, was a Rossford school board member and owner of Moe’s Place Bar and Restaurant.

Council members were split over how to fill Mr. Duricek’s seat. Some wanted to appoint the next highest vote-getter in November, and others favored advertising for applications and going through an interview process.

At the Dec. 2 regular meeting, Larry Oberdorf, who favors the interview process, was re-elected council president. But he announced he intended to resign as president.

At last week’s regular meeting, however, he read a statement that he had changed his mind.

"After much thoughtful consideration, I have made a firm decision to rescind my statement of intent to resign as president of the Rossford City Council,” he said, explaining that he had been emotional and expected council members to think issues through thoroughly.

Councilman Greg Marquette, who, along with council member Dan Wagner, believed the seat should go to the next highest vote-getter, asked for a discussion on whether a revote was needed for Mr. Oberdorf to continue as president. Mr. Heban, the law director, said holding another vote was council’s prerogative but Mr. Oberdorf rescinded his resignation.

Councilman Robert Ruse said the resignation had not been in writing, wasn’t formal, and the rescission was unnecessary. Councilman Caroline Eckel said Mr. Oberdorf “needs to decide if he wants to be president and move forward.” No revote was held.

In other business, council adopted a 2014 budget that calls for general fund spending of $6,133,385, including $1,769,237 for police and $745,334 for public works, and gave a first reading to two five-year, 0.4-mill replacement levies for recreation that would be on the May 6 ballot.

Council also approved Mayor Neil MacKinnon’s reappointments of John Folcik to a three-year term on the tree commission; John Rust, Jr., to a four-year term on the planning commission and four-year term to the board of the Wood County Port Authority; Dan Soviar to a five-year term on the board of zoning appeals; Jeanne Zajac and Betty Wood to three-year terms on the tree commission, and Raymond J. Miller, Jr., to a six-year term on the civil service commission.