It was the end of an era. It was the beginning of an era.
Monday's council meeting saw the departure of Fred Rodabaugh, who served as Bluffton mayor for the past 10 years and as a council member for 22 years. The meeting saw the swearing in of Eric Fulcomer as Bluffton's new mayor and of new council member, Joe Sehlhorst. Dennis Gallant was also sworn in to his reelected council term.
The Apollo Career Center board of education will hold its 2012 reorganization meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 9, at the Career Center. Brad Fruchey represents Bluffton on the board.
School districts and their board representatives follow:
Dennis Fricke Elida Local
Brad Fruchey Bluffton Exempted Village
Penny Kill Spencerville Local
Jackie Place Bath Local
Michael Purdy Hardin Northern Local
Ned Stechschulte Columbus Grove Local
The Jan. 9 agenda is in an attachment at the bottom of this story.
Position available, immediate opening, must be resident of Village of Bluffton. Must have the village's interest as a high priority.
Bluffton council will soon seek to fill a vacancy on the council. The vacancy will occur in January when Eric Fulcomer resigns his seat to become mayor. Two years remain on Fulcomer's term.
Fred Rodabaugh presided over his final complete Bluffton council meeting as mayor on Dec. 19. Although he will convene the first meeting in January he will pass the reigns of village government to Eric Fulcomer, mayor-elect, once the bills are paid.
Rodabaugh's involvement in Bluffton village government as a council member and mayor goes back to the 1970s. The first meeting of 2012 is Monday, Jan. 9. At that time Fulcomer will resign as a council member and will be sworn in as mayor.
The board passed a resolution on Monday opposing Ohio House Bill 136 (School Choice) and stated its opposition to any legislation that seeks to transfer public money to support private education.
After a serving on Bluffton council since 2002 and as council president since 2004, Fulcomer, Ph. D., who is vice president for enrollment management and student life at Bluffton University, decided to seek the mayoral office of the village following Fred Rodabaugh's announcement last January that he would not seek reelection.
