MANSFIELD — Former Mansfield City Council 6th Ward representative Jean Taddie has joined the Richland County Regional Planning Commission as the transit development manager.
Taddie announced Oct. 20 during a council meeting that she was leaving elected office immediately to accept the new position. She cannot serve on Mansfield City Council while working for RCRPC, which administers federal grants.
In her final meeting, Taddie said it had been been an honor to serve the residents of the 6th Ward. She was appointed to council in January 2019 to complete an unexpired term, then was elected to the position in last November’s election.
“I am happy to say during these times of COVID and unemployment, I have landed a great job supporting our community’s transit system,” Taddie said.
In her new role, Taddie is responsible for grants management and partnership building to support Richland County Transit’s mission and goals.
According to a RCRPC statement, Taddie brings more than 10 years’ of experience building partnerships and administering grants on behalf of two local nonprofits.
“She is passionate about the Richland County community and has served on several committees including the OSU Extension Advisory Committee, City of Mansfield/Richland County Earth Stewardship Committee and the United Way Allocations Committee,” the statement said.
During her time on City Council, Taddie was outspoken in efforts to reduce blight and dumping throughout the city, especially in her own ward.
“There is too much of it. It’s something we can do something about,” Taddie told Richland Source early in 2020 for a series on trash collection and dumping. “It’s frustrating that the people who are having to live amidst the piles of trash and dumped junk are, for the most part, not the people (causing the problems).
“If we really want our community to shine, if we really want to draw economic development and investment in Mansfield, if we want to say we’re proud of our city, we have to quit wallowing in garbage,” Taddie said in February.
She also led an unsuccessful effort this summer to get council approval on a resolution declaring racism is a public health crisis in the city and county. Though council voted 5-4 against the issue, work by private citizens into the effort has continued, including the formation of a steering committee to battle against systemic racism in the community.
Taddie earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in applied communication from Cleveland State University.
She is a Leadership Unlimited alum and a graduate of the Richland County Foundation’s Osborne Meese Academy.
She can be reached at 419-774-6396 or jtaddie@rcrpc.org.
The Richland County Democratic Party will meet to select Taddie’s replacement on City Council.
