Sylvania returns veteran to council

3/6/2007

Todd Milner, 47, a former Sylvania City Council member, last night returned to a seat on council, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Mark Bula.

Council appointed Mr. Milner to the seat, and he was then sworn into office. Mr. Bula, who is moving out of state, resigned last week.

Mr. Milner, a 21-year resident of the city, was one of seven candidates interviewed last night in City Council chambers. It was the second round of interviews.

Jim Seney, a former Sylvania mayor, withdrew his application about an hour before council's committee-of-the-whole meeting began.

The public was invited to ask questions, but only one resident came forward to quiz the candidates.

In council's first ballot during the committee-of-the-whole meeting, Mr. Milner and Frank Kozak, past president of the Sylvania Area Community Improvement Corp., each received five votes (council members cast votes for their top two choices). On the second ballot, Mr. Milner received four votes and Mr. Kozak received two.

The committee-of-the-whole recommended Mr. Milner be named to the seat. During council's regular meeting that followed, he was approved as the new council member. To retain the seat, he must run in November to complete the two years remaining on Mr. Bula's term.

Mr. Milner, a sales manager for Thacker Caskets Inc., was a councilman from 2001 to 2005. He has served on the city's municipal planning commission and on the gateway committee exploring plans to upgrade the Monroe Street corridor as well as other areas in Sylvania.