Toledo, OH – Yesterday, Mark Sobczak submitted his resignation as President and an At-Large member of Toledo City Council. The resignation will take effect following the City Council meeting on June 23.
Ward states, “I respect Councilman Sobczak for having the courage to take the unpopular road, and do what he thought was in the best interest of his family. Councilman Sobczak recognizes the importance of being able to serve all people, and due to the dual demands of his responsibilities to the city, his job, and his family, he had to make a tough decision. I thank him for serving the citizens of Toledo.”
Because of the resignation, council will have 30 days to fill the at-large vacancy. If council does not act, the appointment can be made by the mayor. The Republican and Democratic parties are screening candidates, and will be submitting their recommendations to council in hopes of having one of their candidates selected to fill the vacant seat.
Ward asserts, “I strongly believe that government solely exists to serve its people. The best interest of the people must be the highest priority of City Council. Change and action are paramount to the future of our city. No longer can important decisions be made with too little input from the citizens who will be affected by those decisions. With the resignation of Councilman Sobczak, our elected officials are now faced with an important decision.”
Several candidates are seeking the recommendation of the political parties to be selected to fill the vacant council seat.
Ward asserts, “I take a servant leadership approach to government. I believe that we must involve the citizens in the decision making process of government. Unfortunately, the current process in the city charter does not provide the opportunity for the citizens to select the candidate who they would like to fill the vacant council seat. We must redefine politics, and allow the people to be involved in the decision making process. My stance has not been to please the status-quo, but to do what was right in serving the citizens of Toledo; to serve all people. While some candidates are seeking the recommendation of the political parties to be selected to fill the vacant seat, I believe that is a disservice to the voting process. I believe the citizens of Toledo deserve the right to choose who they would like to serve them. I don't want to deny the citizens of this. The greatest leader forgets himself, and attends to the development of others. Therefore, as I continue to serve the people, I will not be seeking the recommendation of either party to fill the vacant seat. I believe that responsibility should rest in the hearts of the citizens of Toledo and not in the back room deals of politics.”
Stephen Ward is running a 'no-monetary donation' campaign, and is the only candidate who has pledged to donate 20% of his city council salary back to the city to help with the current budget deficit.
He would like to serve the citizens of Toledo by:
Regenerating our safety and security. Resuscitating our economy, schools, and neighborhoods. And by reclaiming Toledo for all people.
