City of Wooster department heads and Mayor Bob Reynolds on Monday offered brief New Year’s resolutions and departmental priorities for 2026, stressing better internal and external communication, a more intentional municipal approach to service, and expansions in transit and housing options.

Joel Montgomery, director of administration for the City of Wooster, said the administration will work to "communicate better, both internally and externally," and to implement "municipal hospitality," an approach he described as going "beyond offering services and treating our community as customers" and instead building relationships that "really, really matter." Montgomery also said he would like to "convince Mayor Reynolds to run again for a second term." No formal announcement or vote followed his comment.

The transportation department signaled a service-focus shift. Kevin White, Transportation Manager, said the department's priority is "to improve our fixed route capacity and provide more transit to more residents in the city," indicating an emphasis on expanding regular bus or fixed-route service rather than only on-demand or pilot programs.

Planning and zoning priorities include housing and mixed-use development. Vince Marion, Planning and Zoning Manager, said the department will "expand the housing choices for our residents while looking at the greater opportunities for mixed use developments that meet our residents' needs and are harmonious with our established neighborhoods." He framed the work as balancing new housing supply with neighborhood compatibility.

Department-level staff-focused goals were also highlighted. John Rice, city engineer, said the engineering division will promote a hospitality mindset among contractors working for the city and focus on small operational details—he cited porta-potty placement as an example—that shape residents' impressions of city construction projects. Joe Bodnar, manager and chief building official at the Division of Building Standards, stressed customer service improvements, saying his team will "try to get back emails within 24 hours of receipt" and complete work on new approval stamps for 2026.

Other department priorities included staff safety and wellness from Human Resources (Jeanette and Stacy), expanded recreation programming from Michelle Hurst, and mentorship and succession planning from Fire Chief Barry Saley. Andrea Uhler, law director, said the law department will continue ensuring city projects, processes and policies are "legally sound, safe, and fair." Chief Matt Fisher said he will show "more gratitude and thankfulness for the people around me," emphasizing morale and collegiality.

Mayor Bob Reynolds closed the remarks by saying his resolution is "to be more appreciative" of family, friends, community and his health and extended well wishes for the coming year.

No formal motions, votes, or binding decisions were recorded during these statements; the presentations were statements of departmental priorities rather than actions that require council approval. Departments mentioned operational goals that will require further staff planning, budget review or council process for implementation.