Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
Oregon City Council met on Jan. 26 for their second regular meeting of the year, getting down to business with the passing of a number of ordinances and bidding farewell to Joel Mazur, as this was his last council meeting as city administrator.
Regular business
A total of nine items were presented and passed as ordinances. The first had been tabled at the Jan. 12 meeting, but was passed this time, allowing the city to move forward with repairing a breakwall along Lake Erie to prevent flooding in the surrounding residential area. The ordinance passed unanimously, with councilman Dave Andrus abstaining due to being the designer of the repair project.
Another ordinance was passed, with Dennis Walendzak abstaining, to repair a waterline at the Water Treatment Plant’s High Service Pump Station.
In the parks and recreation department, several ordinances were unanimously passed to support the department’s growing programs. These included a revised pay schedule for seasonal employees, purchase orders for sports uniforms, agreements for officials to oversee 2026 athletic events, and to have a new HVAC system installed in the soccer concession stand.
The last three ordinances passed will secure funding for new equipment for the fire department and authorizes expenditures up to $25,000 for recurring operational costs for the fire department in the year 2026.
New appointments
Mayor Steve Salander made three appointments, all of which were approved by council. Jeremiah Rucker and Rick Jurski were appointed to the water department as water distribution maintenance worker and water treatment plant operator, respectively. Rucker’s position is effective Jan. 27 and Jurski on Feb. 9. Justin Rodriguez was appointed to the police department, effective March 2.
Storm weathered
“I just wanted to, with this most recent storm that everybody’s obviously very aware of, I just wanted to say how grateful I am to the police and fire, the streets department out there plowing, the water department — for all the work that they had, a big one there this weekend,” Salander stated. “It was nasty cold, and I’m glad I didn’t have to be out there. So, I’m just very appreciative that they all were, so thank you for that.”
Public service director Paul Roman was asked about the amount of salt the city has for streets. He noted that while there was plenty for this year, the city would need to purchase more this year to have on hand.
“In the last two years, we haven’t purchased salt because we’ve had some mild years and we had a surplus of salt down at the river at the docks,” Roman explained.
Mazur’s departure
“Joel, it’s your last meeting here with us,” Salander announced during the mayor’s report portion of council. “So I just want to express my absolute gratitude to you. When you first came here — and I was not on council, I was not in any elected position at all, just another citizen — you took the time to sit down with me and to talk to me and to get to know me, and I got to know you, that meant a lot to me at the time, that you took the time to do that when I was just a citizen. So thank you for that.
“But I just want to say how grateful I am for everything that you did for me and for the City of Oregon. And I’m sad to see you go. I wish we could hang on to you. I really do. I sincerely mean that with all my heart. So thank you.”
Mazur thanked Salander and then continued, “Yeah, this is my last meeting, and I wanted to give a heartfelt thank you to everybody — everybody up here, and everybody that’s past council members, current council members — and just give a very heartfelt, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for this chance. Thank you for this opportunity. I learned a lot. I met a lot of people. And it’s something I’ll never ever forget, or ever, ever take for granted. So I really do appreciate it. It has been an honor to serve.
“I’m actually still excited to see the direction that the city is going in right now. I know that there are differing opinions on some of the bigger projects going on, but I know it’ll — whatever happens, happens — it’ll work out the way it’s supposed to. But it is exciting to be in this position, for the city to see these things coming together. Not just in the industrial park, but at the town center, the Navarre Avenue improvements, the brewery opening up, the continuation of the bike paths around the city, the changes in the fire department — the police department is steady Eddie. That’s a good — that’s good news — that’s a good thing. You know, everything going on in parks, breaking records every year with participation and, you know, hopefully more. And these are all good things. So I feel that I’m leaving at a time, leaving the city in a better place than what I found it.
“I really do appreciate it. It’s been an honor and a privilege. I really appreciate it. So thank you all so much.”
Sentiments of thanks and well wishes were echoed by the rest in attendance for Mazur’s service as Oregon’s city administrator.
Next meeting
The next regular meeting will take place on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in council chambers.
