Want to help pick a new councilman? Monday's forum to give public a say

3/1/2007
BY JANET ROMAKER
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Sylvania residents are being invited to participate in the appointment process for filling a vacant seat on City Council.

During council's committee-of-the-whole meeting earlier this week, council agreed to conduct a public forum at 6 p.m. Monday to provide residents with the opportunity to ask the applicants questions.

Barbara Sears, council president, suggests that residents submit written questions to the eight people who have expressed interest in filling the seat that is being vacated by Mark Bula. His resignation is effective today; he is joining his wife in Tennessee. Forms on which residents can submit questions will be available Monday in council chambers where the meeting will be held.

Nine people submitted letters of interest in the post, but Pamela Borgess, an attorney with Zoll & Kranz in Toledo, has withdrawn.

Seven of the eight candidates were interviewed by council this week; candidate Jim Seney, a former council member and former mayor of Sylvania, was out of town.

The other candidates are Nicholas Newnham, a 2006 graduate from Ohio University;

Michael Temple, president of Temple Development Co. LLC; Richard Summers, network administrator for the Toledo Zoo and member of Sylvania's board of zoning appeals; Katie Cappellini, an employee of American Gallery in Sylvania;

Clark Collins, a former Sylvania council member for 24 years; Frank Kozak, past president of the Sylvania Community Improvement Corp. and an employee of Watterson Environmental Group LLC in Sylvania, and Todd Milner, a member of Sylvania council from 2001 to 2005.

Sylvania's charter states that appointments to vacancies on council will be made by council within 30 days. If council doesn't fill the seat within that period, it is up to Mayor Craig Stough to make the appointment.

Whoever is appointed to the vacancy will have to run for election in November to retain the seat and complete the two years remaining in Mr. Bula's term.

Nearly all of the applicants Monday night expressed interest in running in November to complete the term.

Candidates answered questions during the interview on topics ranging from alternative energy sources; the possible merger of Sylvania and Sylvania Township; the ongoing financial issues surrounding the township's fire department that serves the city; economic development, and the role of government.

If residents are interested in submitting written questions directly to the candidates via email, the email addresses are available by contacting the clerk of council at city hall.