Wickliffe City Council reaffirms mayoral appointments and sets committee liaisons at 2025 organizational meeting

The Wickliffe City Council convened its 2025 organizational meeting and on a series of motions affirmed mayoral department-head appointments, adopted rules of council and named council representatives to city boards and commissions.

The council voted to affirm the appointment of Sandra Fink as council clerk and to adopt the council rules referenced as Charter chapter 121.01 (Rules of Council). The council also voted to appoint Michael A. Kenny as city prosecutor and to reaffirm a set of mayoral appointments to boards, commissions and department heads, including Jeremy Iosu as director of law, Dave Krawcheck as director of public service, Shalandra Hunter as director of finance, Pete Fermiqa as city engineer and Timothy Stopp as director of recreation.

Why it matters: The organizational meeting establishes official liaisons and reaffirms administrative leadership and procedural rules the council will rely on during the coming year.

In addition to department-head confirmations, the council named council liaisons and mayoral appointees to advisory bodies. Council representatives named included Matt Jaworski as the council representative to the Planning Commission and Randy Gerhardtstein as the council representative to the Board of Zoning Appeals. The council also affirmed appointments to the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Keep Wickliffe Beautiful Commission, the Environmental Commission and the Cemetery Board; several mayoral appointees were assigned multi-year terms.

During a review of committee items the council discussed items to remove from committee lists and items to keep for follow-up, including sidewalk and path projects (Johnson Estate sidewalks; walking path at Colby), grant applications for an amphitheater, LED street-lighting tied to road projects, storm-sewer work on Grand, and proposed 2025 road improvements. Council members said some items would be retained for future discussion and others removed because projects are complete or grants were not awarded.

Mayor remarks: The mayor thanked volunteers and staff and summarized development and infrastructure highlights from 2024, saying, “Wickliffe had a great 2024,” and noted zoning changes, new businesses, playground and course improvements, and planned repaving of Euclid Avenue and Ridge Road.

Votes at a glance (selected motions) - Affirm appointment of Sandra Fink as council clerk — Moved by Councilman Gerhardtstein; second by Councilman Thielman; outcome: approved on roll call. - Adopt rules of council (Charter chapter 121.01, Rules of Council) — Moved by Councilwoman Koski; second by Councilman Thielman; outcome: approved on roll call. - Appoint Michael A. Kenny as city prosecutor — Moved by Councilwoman Koski; second by (recorded as) Copeland/Bella; outcome: approved on roll call. - Appoint Matt Jaworski as council representative to the Planning Commission — Moved by Councilwoman Koski; second by Councilman Jaworski; outcome: approved on roll call. - Appoint Randy Gerhardtstein as council representative to the Board of Zoning Appeals — Moved by Councilwoman Koski; second by Councilman Thielman; outcome: approved on roll call. - Reaffirm Jeremy Iosu as director of law — Moved by Councilwoman Koski; second by Councilman Bell; outcome: approved on roll call. - Reaffirm Dave Krawcheck as director of public service — Moved by Councilman Mikowski; second by Councilman Kielman; outcome: approved on roll call. - Reaffirm Shalandra Hunter as director of finance — Moved by Councilman Gerhardtstein; second by Councilman Thielman; outcome: approved on roll call. - Reaffirm Pete Fermiqa as city engineer — Moved by Councilman Ballas; second by Councilman Thielman; outcome: approved on roll call. - Reaffirm Timothy Stopp as director of recreation — Moved by Councilman Balla; second by (recorded); outcome: approved on roll call (record shows one dissent: Koski voted No during that roll call). - Appointments to advisory bodies (examples): Joe Nicholas to Board of Zoning Appeals (term to expire 12/31/2029); Danette Pevic and Greg Anderson to Parks and Recreation Commission (terms to expire 12/31/2027); Donald Zimmerman to Environmental Commission (to fill unexpired term through 12/31/2026); Teresa Shine to the Cemetery Board (term to expire 12/31/2027). All were affirmed on roll call.

Discussion and next steps: Council members reviewed committee assignment lists and removed items they agreed were complete or better addressed elsewhere (for example, completed sewer projects and certain economic-development follow-ups). Several items remain for future committee review depending on grant outcomes or staff reports, including certain sidewalk/path projects and storm-sewer work. The council president directed staff to reconvene specific committee discussions and to follow up with department staff for dates and details.

The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn that carried on roll call.