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Toledo council honors longtime tailor and holiday float creators; confirms zoning-board appointment
Summary
The council recognized Mary Mike Szelcianci for 40 years operating So and Such tailoring and Jeff and Tammy Mentel for their Point Place Shoreland holiday float. The council could not vote on the resolutions due to rules requiring two readings for suspension; it did confirm Julie Randalls to the Board of Zoning Appeals by roll call.
The Toledo City Council used part of its Feb. 11 meeting to honor local small-business owners and volunteers and to confirm a mayoral appointment to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Councilwoman Morris presented Resolution 36-25 recognizing Mary Mike Szelcianci, owner of So and Such, for 40 years of service to the community. The resolution, read into the record, described Szelcianci's business history (beginning in 1982 as a single parent, operating a storefront at 1242 Sylvania Avenue, teaching night classes at Clay High School and Whitmer High School, and being active in the local community). Because the council lacked the votes needed to suspend the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) rules for immediate adoption, the resolution was read and the council honored her that day but the formal vote on the resolution was deferred to a future meeting.
Szelcianci addressed the council, saying, "I do love the city of Toledo and its people," and described plans to retire and travel after closing her business. Council members and classmates attended and posed for photos with her.
The council also presented Resolution 37-25 recognizing Jeff and Tammy Mentel for many years operating the Point Place Shoreland holiday float. Jeff Mentel told the council the float is "nearly 75 feet long, over 20,000 lights" and that volunteers and community donations support the effort. He said the float reached nearly a thousand children during the 10 nights it toured the neighborhood in 2024. Councilwoman Morris described the float as a community fixture, saying it brings free gifts to children and "spreads that kind of joy" throughout Point Place and Shoreland.
Separately, the council considered appointment 38-25: Julie Randalls to replace Steven Sertruck on the Board of Zoning Appeals for a term ending Dec. 20, 2027. The council moved to confirm the appointment; Council President Hartman and other members recorded affirmative votes and the appointment was confirmed on the record. The council also requested a Section 61 waiver as part of the appointment process (as read into the record).
Clerk comments during the meeting explained that several items on the agenda had to be set as first readings because a number of members were absent or ill; that procedural limit prevented immediate votes on several ceremonial resolutions.
The honors and the appointment were the most substantive nonlegislative items during the session, which otherwise focused on introductory (first-reading) ordinances across departments.
Votes at a glance: Appointment 38-25 (Julie Randalls) ' confirmed by roll-call vote on Feb. 11.
