MANSFIELD — Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry will provide her annual “State of the City” address Thursday evening during a Facebook livestream that will later be placed on the city’s website.
Perry, now in her second year in office, made the announcement Tuesday during a City Council meeting.
She told local lawmakers she will “broadcast” the event on the social media platform at 7 p.m. from the offices of DRM Productions.
Perry said she based her decision on the fact lawmakers are still meeting in a Mansfield Municipal Courtroom while their own meeting space is being renovated. She read her “State of the City” in 2024 during a council meeting.
“I decided this year because we’re in a little bit smaller space that it might be better to do it this way while we’re kind of under construction,” Perry said.
Her remarks last year were livestreamed from council chambers, an option that is not available from the courtroom.
“My goal is moving forward that (it can be livestreamed from council) or that it’s in an event that the public can can attend,” the mayor said.
“I thought the livestream still allows people to interact. I’ll try to answer questions as I’m able to … obviously after … and then it’ll be recorded for posterity,” Perry said.
The mayor said there will not be “tons” of surprises in her remarks to viewers who have followed her administration since she took office almost 16 months ago and her priorities of growth, infrastructure and safety.
“They’ll hear some numbers that they don’t normally hear, things like that. I’ll be reporting on more than just what they saw on Facebook or read in the news … more of the day-to-day business of the city that’s important for people to understand … what all happens behind the scenes,” Perry said.
Council OKs new new combined health services agreement
Council unanimously approved the renewal of the combined public health services agreement among Mansfield, Ontario and Richland County.
Perry said the original agreement was signed in the 1980s by former Mayor Ed Meehan and hadn’t been substantially updated since that time.
The mayor said Dr. Julie Chaya, the Richland Public Health commissioner, approached her and Ontario Mayor Kris Knapp about updating and modernizing the agreement.
“We want to make sure that public health here in Richland County has the highest quality for all of our citizens, especially in the city of Mansfield, City of Ontario, and the remainder of the county, except for the city of Shelby, who has remained on their own since 1923,” Chaya told lawmakers.
“It’s been a pleasure to really modernize this contract to make sure that the absolute best public health services are being provided.”
Some changes are being made to the agreement, including the composition of the board that governs the combined district, which does business as Richland Public Health.
According to the agreement, which would take effect May 1, the board shall consist of five members, representing Mansfield and Ontario, as well as the villages and townships around Richland County.
The board had previously had 12 members.
On May 1 the board will consist of David Remy, Cathy Sapp, Chelsia DeRenard, Ary Van Harlingen and a licensed physician to be determined.
Remy’s term will expire at the end of 2025 with Sapp at the end of 2026, DeRenard in 2027 and Van Harlingen in 2028. All are now members of the current board.
The agreement will also include term limits and attendance requirements for the first time.
“If we are in an emergency situation, it’s quite easier to get folks on the board assembled in a timely manner, rather than a larger board, especially …. knock on wood … we (hopefully) never have a pandemic ever again that we can easily get our board members together to make informed decisions for the health, well-being, and quality of life of (county residents),” Chaya said.
She told lawmakers the smaller board is in line with with state wishes identified in Ohio Revised Code Section 3709.07.
Mayor proclaims ‘Child Abuse Prevention Month’
New Richland County Children Services Executive Director Tara Lautzenhiser told lawmakers the agency wants to focus on prevention in 2025.
“Last year, we investigated 1,120 cases of abuse and neglect. As of today, we have 135 children in (agency) foster care and we only have 55 foster homes in our network,” said Lautzenhiser, a Mansfield native who has been with RCCS since 2008.
“We really want the community to come together. If you or anybody that you know is interested in becoming a foster parent, they’re in dire need, because when we can’t place in our own network, we have to search elsewhere,” she said.
“The rest of the children that are not placed in our county sometimes go as far (away) as Dayton,” Lautzenhiser said. “We’ve had to place them out of state at times.
“It’s really important to keep them here in their school district close to everybody that they know, especially their community support (systems).”
To learn more about the agency’s foster care program, call the agency at 419-774-4100 or visit the agency website.
(Below is a PDF showing a summary of legislation approved Tuesday evening by Mansfield City Council.)