Toledo Council Fills Vacant Seat

The Toledo City Council has appointed longtime resident and former councilor Stu Strom to fill a vacant seat through the end of the year. Council noted his experience and institutional memory that would benefit the current council.

The vacancy was created by the resignation of Council President Sylvia. The seat is one of three council positions up for election this November, meaning Strom will serve roughly five and a half months before voters decide who holds the seat long-term.

City Manager Rich Hubner told the council the appointment would run only through the end of the year, and that whoever is chosen “will have to decide whether they want to run for election this year or not.”

Strom, who grew up in the Toledo area and has previously served both on the City Council and the Port of Toledo, emphasized his long history of community service and his belief that residents need to “put back in our community.”

Strom highlighted what he sees as two of Toledo’s biggest strengths: the Georgia-Pacific mill and the city’s water supply. On the other side of the ledger, Strom said Toledo’s changing Main Street and vacant storefronts are a key weakness that will require policy work from the council and planning commission.

New voice makes his case

The council also interviewed applicant Nathan Keel, a UPS driver who moved to Toledo six years ago and is about 30 months from retirement. Keel said he and his family have put down roots in the community and that he wants to “invest in our future.”

Keel acknowledged he has not yet been active in local boards or committees, citing long work hours and raising young children, but said he was ready to learn fast. He also told the council he would be willing to run for a full term.

Debate over experience vs. new blood

After both interviews, Mayor Tracy Mix and councilors moved into open discussion before voting. The first motion, made quickly, was to appoint Strom, prompting at least one councilor to ask why there was no broader discussion first.

“I’m curious to know why it’s such a quick decision without any discussion,” Councilor Keating said, noting he was “comfortable with both applicants” but “excited” about what Keel represented.

“I think that we’re a community that has struggled to get people to show up. Struggled a little bit with volunteerism,” he said. “We just had a new member of our community who I think has been pretty involved. He pays attention. He seems to care a lot.”

Mayor Mix responded that her support for Strom was driven by the immediate needs of the council. “I feel right now we could very much use that historical knowledge and the expertise that Stu has with his prior knowledge,” she said. “I think we could take advantage of having a few months of his wealth of knowledge and experience, and I think we would greatly benefit from that as a city.”

She also pointed out that Keel will still have a clear path to the dais. “If mr. Keel is as interested as he says – which I have no reason to believe he’s not – he can run for that position” in the upcoming election, Mix said.

Other councilors echoed the preference for experience in what several described as a pivotal year for the city, pointing to ongoing work on finances, water planning, and new policies such as the traffic calming ordinance adopted later in the meeting.

After discussion the council voted to appoint Strom to the vacant city council position and he was administered the oath of office, formally seating him in council position 4. The term expires December 31.

Candidate filing for city office in Toledo is open this summer. Keel told the council he would “absolutely” run in the next election, and councilors indicated they expect to see his name on the ballot.