Council appoints Matt McClellan to fill Delaware City 3rd Ward vacancy after finalist interviews

The Delaware City Council on Feb. 16 appointed Matt McClellan to fill a vacancy in the city’s 3rd Ward after interviewing six candidates and meeting in executive session.

The appointment followed a string of candidate interviews and a closed deliberation under Ohio Revised Code section 121.22(g)(1). Council announced two finalists after the executive session — Matt McClellan and Dan (Daniel) Sanchez — then held a roll-call selection. Council members recorded four votes for McClellan and declared he had the necessary support to take the seat.

McClellan, who spoke to the council about previous experience in state government and economic development, told members he plans to prioritize connecting Ward 3 residents to the rest of the city, pursuing economic development that creates local jobs, and maintaining basic services and infrastructure. “That’s the kind of leadership Delaware deserves, and that’s what I bring to the table,” McClellan said during his interview, describing a leadership style he said emphasizes listening and transparency.

The council’s candidate process began with a procedural discussion after it became clear some applicants had submitted questionnaire responses late or not at all. Council member Reiter moved that candidates present but not scheduled be interviewed; Reiter argued that missing pieces should affect only how the council weighs an application, not whether an applicant is allowed to speak to council. The motion to interview additional present applicants did not pass after members said accepting late materials could be unfair to those who met the deadline.

City attorney David Moser drew names by lot to set the interview order and confirmed six interviewees would appear that night after a withdrawal. Each candidate gave a two-minute biography and then answered council questions. Among the candidates who spoke were Brooke Diedrich, a local business owner who emphasized neutrality, community identity and small-business support; Jake (Jacob) Jinkowski, who emphasized community engagement and filling vacant industrial space; Sharice Bell, who highlighted long local residence and volunteer work; and Daniel Sanchez, who described a military and consulting background and stressed objective, data-driven decision-making.

During the finalists’ follow-up questions after executive session, council asked how each would explain the council-manager form of government to constituents, how they would communicate city initiatives, and how they would approach the city’s tax base and capital improvement needs. McClellan said proactive mailings and office hours would be part of his outreach approach and said all revenue options should be considered if necessary to fund capital projects. Sanchez emphasized fact-based decisions and stakeholder engagement when confronted with competing interests.

Council members completed individual roll-call selections for the appointment. The roll-call record shows at least six members stating their pick aloud; four votes were recorded for McClellan, which the council announced as sufficient for appointment. The council then moved to adjourn at 7:01 p.m.

The council did not adopt written conditions or an ordinance tying the appointment to specific obligations; the meeting record indicates only the appointment vote and the executive-session authority cited. The council’s actions conclude the special meeting; McClellan will assume the responsibilities of the 3rd Ward seat according to the city’s standard appointment procedures.