[0:00] Good evening. Welcome to Lebanon City
[0:01] Council, December 2nd, 2025. Mr. Burke,
[0:04] please call roll. Mayor Messer here.
[0:06] >> Vice Mayor Norris here.
[0:08] >> Mr. Sers
[0:09] >> here.
[0:10] >> Mrs. Harper
[0:11] >> here.
[0:11] >> Mr. Lamera
[0:12] >> here.
[0:13] >> Mrs. Edgars
[0:13] >> here.
[0:14] >> Mr. Cook
[0:14] >> here.
[0:18] To you.
[0:20] >> I pledge allegiance.
[0:24] I aliance to the flag of the United
[0:27] States of America and to the republic
[0:30] for which it stands. One nation under
[0:33] God, indivisible, with liberty and
[0:36] justice for all.
[0:43] » Okay. So, hi, my name is Mark. I'm a
[0:46] city attorney. We're here this evening
[0:49] uh to uh swear in council and have an
[0:54] organizational meeting where council um
[0:57] elects the mayor and vice mayor. So
[1:00] according to the charter of the city of
[1:02] Lebanon section 2.04 04 the beginning of a of a term of office
[1:08] for a council person. Um the term of
[1:11] office of council members shall begin on
[1:14] the first Monday in December following
[1:16] the regular municipal elections to be
[1:18] held on the first Tuesday after the
[1:20] first Monday in November in the odd
[1:23] number of years. Um some of you may not
[1:25] be familiar with drafting charters but
[1:28] they try to make it as opaque and
[1:30] confusing as you possibly can. Okay, I
[1:33] don't really
[1:34] give you very clear direction. It's a
[1:36] lot of mumbo jumbo, but um basically the
[1:40] council term started yesterday. And uh
[1:43] so council um uh following each
[1:46] municipal election, council shall meet
[1:48] within 5 days after the beginning of the
[1:50] term of office of the newly elected
[1:52] members of council for the purpose of
[1:53] organizing. Uh at such meeting the newly
[1:56] elected members of council shall take
[1:58] the oath of office and council shall
[2:00] proceed to elect a mayor and vice mayor
[2:03] and transact such other business as may
[2:05] come before it. Uh thereafter regular
[2:08] meetings shall be held as prescribed in
[2:10] the council rules but not less
[2:12] frequently than twice each month. All
[2:14] meetings of council shall be open to the
[2:16] public except that council may by
[2:18] majority vote of all members present
[2:20] enter into exe executive session uh only
[2:23] for those purposes uh permitted by the
[2:25] general laws of the state of Ohio and a
[2:27] majority of the members shall constitute
[2:29] a quorum at all meetings. So again, a
[2:31] lot of mumbo jumbo, but it basically
[2:33] means we're here to swear in new council
[2:34] members and to um elect a mayor and a
[2:39] vice mayor. um there is very little
[2:42] guidance and I'm sure if there was
[2:44] guidance it would be um confusing and
[2:46] awkwardly worded uh but there isn't any.
[2:49] So the way that we have proceeded
[2:52] customarily has been to begin um with an
[2:56] oath and uh I'll have council members
[2:59] sign two copies of the oath um which
[3:02] will be notorized by me. One of those
[3:05] will go in your personnel file and um
[3:08] one of them you can have if you want it
[3:10] sort of into your copy. I can I can I
[3:12] can accommodate that. But um they're
[3:14] just kind of on plain paper. Um, a lot
[3:18] of times in the past we've skipped when
[3:20] people have been reelected to council,
[3:22] but um, Council Member Edgars pointed
[3:25] out that it might be nice to have people
[3:27] um, come and uh, participate uh, family
[3:31] members and and fans and so forth. Um,
[3:34] so we're sort of starting a new
[3:35] tradition which I think I'm I'm for it.
[3:38] I'm very think it's very nice and I'm
[3:41] trying to, you know, somewhat organized
[3:43] over there. Um so uh if it's okay with
[3:46] you, mayor, we'll proceed in
[3:48] alphabetical order. Uh I'll take uh
[3:51] we'll state the oath down at the um the
[3:53] podium and then we'll go sign. Okay. So
[3:56] proceeding um alphabetically um I think
[4:00] uh Mr. H will be the first. Great
[4:04] person.
[4:10] So
[4:18] this
[4:21] I'm going to go ahead and give you
[4:31] not as organized you thought
[4:34] [laughter]
[4:38] have.
[4:44] Okay, here we go.
[4:47] I'm going to have to No, that's Oh,
[4:50] shoot. I see what I did.
[4:52] I'm going to have to do this. I'll redo
[4:55] this later. Okay,
[5:02] for those of you who are here and
[5:04] watching at home, this is harder than it
[5:06] looks. I swear guy. [laughter] I know I
[5:09] look like a bumbling bowing oath. I'm
[5:11] not going to say I'm not generally
[5:12] bowing, but this really is tougher
[5:16] than it looks. [snorts]
[5:22] All written out of 15 firefighters.
[5:26] >> I know. I know. I'm always sympathetic.
[5:30] >> Okay, if you um would uh raise your
[5:32] right hand, Mr. Co and repeat after me.
[5:35] I'm Michael Cop. I Michael Coat
[5:37] >> solemnly swear
[5:39] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[5:40] the United States
[5:41] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[5:43] the United States
[5:44] >> and the State of Ohio
[5:45] >> in the state of Ohio
[5:46] >> and will obey the laws thereof
[5:48] >> and I will obey the laws thereof
[5:50] >> and that I will
[5:51] >> in all respects
[5:53] >> uphold and enforce
[5:56] >> the provisions of the charter
[5:59] >> and ordinances of this city
[6:00] >> and ordinance of this city
[6:02] >> and will faithfully discharge
[6:05] >> the duties duties of the position of
[6:06] council member
[6:07] >> the duties of the position of council
[6:09] member
[6:09] >> upon which I'm about to enter.
[6:12] >> Congratulations, sir.
[6:13] >> Thank you.
[6:15] [applause]
[6:25] Mr. glamorous.
[6:44] [clears throat]
[6:45] My name's right. That's good.
[6:48] >> Now, what kind of city attorney would I
[6:50] be if I misspelled a council member's
[6:52] name? Well,
[6:53] >> there's a there's a lot of letters
[6:54] there. I I mean it could be a a typo
[6:56] could be but I you know that's like
[6:59] that's an inexcusable in my opinion.
[7:02] Okay. I can screw up everything else but
[7:04] I got the got to get the names right.
[7:07] Raise your right hand and repeat after
[7:08] me. I, Brad Lamro,
[7:09] >> I, Brad Lamaro,
[7:10] >> solemnly swear
[7:12] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[7:14] the United States
[7:15] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[7:17] the United States
[7:18] >> and of the State of Ohio
[7:20] >> and will obey the laws thereof
[7:22] >> and and will obey the laws thereof
[7:23] >> and that I will
[7:25] >> in all respects
[7:27] >> uphold and enforce
[7:29] >> the provisions of the charter
[7:32] >> and ordinances of this city
[7:34] >> and the ordinances of this city. I will
[7:36] faithfully discharge
[7:37] >> I will faithfully discharge
[7:38] >> the duties of the position of council
[7:40] member
[7:40] >> the duties of the position of council
[7:42] member
[7:43] >> upon which I'm about to enter.
[7:46] >> Congratulations sir.
[7:48] [applause]
[7:54] Mr. Norris,
[7:57] come on down. What the hell is that?
[8:05] » I'd run out. I was ready to triple the
[8:07] fall.
[8:08] >> No one want to fall. I think you do that
[8:11] coverage.
[8:14] » If you'd raise your right hand, please
[8:16] sir, and repeat after me. I Scott Norris
[8:18] >> I Scott Norris
[8:19] >> solemnly swear
[8:21] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[8:23] the United States
[8:24] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[8:25] the United States
[8:26] >> and of the State of Ohio
[8:29] >> I will obey the laws thereof
[8:30] >> and I will obey the laws thereof
[8:32] >> and that I will
[8:33] >> in all respects
[8:35] >> uphold and enforce
[8:37] >> the provisions of the charter
[8:40] >> and ordinances of this city
[8:43] >> I will faithfully discharge
[8:44] >> and will faithfully discharge
[8:46] >> the duties of of the position of council
[8:47] member
[8:48] >> the duties of the position of council
[8:50] member
[8:50] >> upon which I am about to enter
[8:51] >> upon which I'm about to enter.
[8:53] >> Congratulations
[8:55] [applause]
[9:04] Mr. Sellers,
[9:22] you have a lot of fans here, Mr.
[9:24] >> I do.
[9:26] That's good.
[9:28] If you would raise your right hand and
[9:29] repeat after me, please. I, Matt
[9:31] Sellers,
[9:32] >> I, Matt Sellers,
[9:33] >> solemnly swear
[9:34] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[9:36] the United States
[9:37] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[9:38] the United States
[9:40] >> and of the State of Ohio
[9:42] >> and will obey the laws thereof
[9:45] >> and that I will
[9:47] >> in all respects
[9:48] >> uphold and enforce
[9:51] >> the provisions of the charter
[9:53] >> and ordinances of this city
[9:56] >> and will faithfully discharge
[9:59] >> the duties of the position of council
[10:01] member
[10:01] >> the duties of the position of council
[10:03] member
[10:03] >> upon which I'm about to enter.
[10:06] >> Congratulations sir. [applause]
[10:17] Now that all the council people have
[10:20] been sworn
[10:24] we proceed to elect a mayor and vice
[10:27] mayor. Again, there's really no guidance
[10:30] in the uh charter as to specifically how
[10:34] that happens.
[10:35] So, historically, what we've done is
[10:38] there's been a motion to open
[10:40] nominations in a second. Nominations are
[10:43] then open and anybody can nominate
[10:47] anybody from the floor. [snorts] Uh
[10:49] after nominations are closed, if there
[10:52] are more than one council person who is
[10:57] has been nominated, we would hold a
[10:59] vote.
[11:01] Uh we've done that different ways. We've
[11:03] done it by hand vote. We've also done it
[11:05] by secret ballot before.
[11:08] >> [clears throat]
[11:08] >> Um,
[11:10] historically there haven't often been
[11:13] more than one person nominated for for
[11:16] these positions, but it's happened and
[11:20] um that's how we would proceed. So the
[11:23] uh a motion and a second u for to open
[11:26] nominations for vice mayor uh
[11:29] nominations, then a a motion and a
[11:31] second to close. Um, and we can do that
[11:34] by consent because laws doesn't require
[11:38] you to take a roll call vote. So, if
[11:40] there are no objections to both motions,
[11:43] [snorts] um, we either uh proceed to um,
[11:48] uh, swear in a vice mayor or hold an
[11:52] election for the vice mayor. Uh, same
[11:54] procedure um, with mayor. So, if that's
[11:58] agreeable to everybody, that's how um,
[12:00] we would proceed.
[12:03] Okay.
[12:04] >> Do you need a do you need a motion?
[12:06] >> No. Okay. We can just do that by
[12:08] consent. So, the first thing I need is a
[12:10] motion to open nominations
[12:13] for vice mayor. Do I have a Do I Do I
[12:17] have a second?
[12:17] >> Second.
[12:18] >> Okay. So, nominations are now open. Are
[12:21] there any nominations from the floor?
[12:23] >> I'd like to nominate Scott Norris.
[12:24] >> Second. Okay. So, there's a motion and a
[12:27] second to nominate Scott Norris. Any
[12:29] other nominations?
[12:32] Seeing none, do I have a motion to close
[12:35] nominations?
[12:36] >> Second.
[12:37] >> Okay. So, I have a motion in a second.
[12:39] Um, any objection to closing
[12:41] nominations? Seeing none, and seeing
[12:44] that Mr. Norris is the only person
[12:46] nominated. Um, it would appear that Mr.
[12:49] Norris has been uh elected to be the
[12:53] vice mayor. So sir, if you step down
[12:55] here
[13:03] and we're going to actually have to fill
[13:04] in your name here because I didn't know
[13:05] that you were going to be
[13:07] >> I had a hunch, [laughter]
[13:10] >> but I So if you raise your uh right hand
[13:14] and repeat after me, sir. I Scott Norris
[13:16] >> I Scott Norris
[13:17] >> solemnly swear
[13:19] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[13:20] the United States
[13:21] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[13:23] the United States
[13:24] >> and of the state of Ohio [snorts]
[13:25] >> and of the state of Ohio
[13:27] >> and will obey the laws thereof
[13:30] >> and that I will
[13:32] >> in all respects
[13:34] >> uphold and enforce
[13:37] >> the provisions of the charter
[13:40] >> and ordinances of this city
[13:43] >> and will faithfully discharge
[13:46] >> the position of vice mayor
[13:51] >> I'm sorry I should have said the duties
[13:53] of the position of vice mayor
[13:55] >> the duties of the position of vice mayor
[13:57] >> upon which I am about to enter
[13:58] >> upon which I'm about to enter
[14:00] >> congratulations vice mayor [applause]
[14:07] » does he give a speech at all he may have
[14:10] don't give him a Recognize [laughter]
[14:17] the real strange behind Scott.
[14:20] [laughter]
[14:22] » I call her my avatar. [laughter]
[14:29] » If I called my wife my avatar, I'd get
[14:30] pained in the head [laughter]
[14:32] asleep probably.
[14:35] I'm just saying [laughter]
[14:38] have a lot of patience. You're going to
[14:40] be commended for that.
[14:44] » So, we can proceed um to elect a mayor
[14:46] by the the same method. Do I have a
[14:50] motion nominate open nominations for
[14:52] mayor?
[14:53] >> I nominate Mark Me. Sorry.
[14:55] >> Okay. So, there's a motion to open
[14:56] nominations.
[14:58] >> Any objection to opening nominations?
[15:03] >> Now you Now,
[15:04] >> now I will nominate Mark. I haven't I
[15:07] haven't changed my mind.
[15:09] >> [laughter]
[15:10] >> that.
[15:11] >> Are there any other nominations?
[15:15] >> Seeing none, is there a motion to close
[15:16] nominations?
[15:19] >> Uh, no objections. Congratulations, Mr.
[15:22] Messer.
[15:24] >> As a fiscal conservative, I'm liking
[15:26] this because we don't have to print.
[15:29] [clears throat]
[15:31] Save the taxpayer a couple nickels.
[15:32] >> There we go.
[15:33] >> Always a good night, right?
[15:35] >> If you'd raise your hand, sir, and
[15:36] repeat after me. I'm Mark Messer. I
[15:38] Marker
[15:39] >> solemnly swear
[15:40] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[15:42] the United States
[15:43] >> that I will support the Constitution of
[15:44] the United States
[15:45] >> and of the State of Ohio
[15:47] >> and will obey the laws thereof
[15:50] >> and that I will
[15:51] >> in all respects
[15:53] >> uphold and enforce
[15:55] >> the provisions of the charter
[15:56] >> provisions of the charter
[15:57] >> and ordinances of this city
[15:58] >> and the ordinances of this city
[16:00] >> and will faithfully discharge
[16:01] >> I will faithfully discharge
[16:02] >> the duties of the position of mayor
[16:05] >> upon which I'm about to enter
[16:07] >> upon which which I'm about to enter.
[16:08] >> Congratulations.
[16:09] >> Thanks, SIR. [applause]
[16:15] » AGAIN, I have some paperwork um for you
[16:18] all to sign um while we're having our
[16:21] special meeting downstairs. And at this
[16:23] point, I would turn that back over the
[16:25] meeting back over to our newly elected
[16:29] um highly experienced mayor.
[16:33] >> Congratulations.
[16:34] >> Thank you very much. So nervous.
[16:37] >> [laughter]
[16:38] [clears throat]
[16:39] >> So, I could uh if you'd like to open up
[16:41] to any council comments at this point,
[16:44] we can. I know we have that again at the
[16:46] meeting, but you'd like to address
[16:49] anything.
[16:50] >> How were the crews today? I mean, it
[16:51] kind of spot on. Uh
[16:57] » yeah, I mean, it it came down heavy
[17:00] about 3:00 a.m., but um they were out
[17:02] there. So, you know, focused on the
[17:04] primary roads initially and then kind of
[17:05] got back into the subdivisions later and
[17:07] cleaned it up. So, they did a good job.
[17:09] >> From my perspective, they did great.
[17:14] Uh, I'd just [clears throat] like to
[17:15] thank everyone uh for the support. I
[17:17] look forward to working with you all.
[17:20] Congratulations, Vice Mayor Norris. Be
[17:22] uh great to work with you again for the
[17:24] next two years. Um, congratulations on
[17:27] your your victory. [snorts]
[17:29] Uh and uh I think the the city will be
[17:32] moving in a very fine direction uh due
[17:35] to the uh people voting you guys back
[17:37] in.
[17:39] So we can adjourn to the
[17:43] boardroom if uh if that's how you would
[17:45] like this to go.
[17:47] >> Yeah, we just need a motion to close the
[17:48] organizational meeting.
[17:51] >> Motion second.
[17:54] >> B, please call the role.
[17:55] >> Mayor Messer,
[17:56] >> yes.
[17:56] >> Vice Mayor Norris,
[17:58] >> yes. Mr. Sers,
[17:59] >> yes.
[18:00] >> Mrs. Harper,
[18:01] >> yes.
[18:01] >> Mr. Lamura,
[18:02] >> yes.
[18:03] >> Mrs. Zaggers,
[18:04] >> yes.
[18:04] >> Mr. Co,
[18:05] >> yes.
[18:11] » Oh, yeah.
[18:13] >> Thank you.