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 Members of the Wapakoneta Middle School Student Council pose for photo outside the classroom earlier this year. To date, the group has raised nearly $2,300 in which they have donated to various local and area organizations throughout the 2009-2010 school year. Photo provided By KRISTA HAYES
Staff Writer
With the end of the school year nearing, Wapakoneta Middle School Student Council members are hoping to end their term on a positive note.
During the school year, the school government raised nearly $2,300 for various local and area organizations.
“Each year, we try and raise as much money as we can for various clubs and organizations that we vote on and decide to help support at the beginning of the school year,” Wapakoneta Middle School Student Council President Neal Maxson said.
Elected a Student Council representative of his homeroom, Maxson, a seventh-grade student, said this is his second year serving on the council. This year as president, his main responsibility is to set forth an agenda and preside over the group’s monthly meetings which are held the first and third Thursday of each month.
“I joined the Student Council because I was looking for a new activity to do and thought it’d be challenging experience,” Maxson said. “Politics have always been one of the things to stick out in my head and when I grow up, I want to be a lawyer.
“Overall, as president I think I have done a pretty good job,” he said. “Being president is a lot harder than what I thought it would be since I have to make the agendas, run the meetings, and keep the advisers in the loop. I have the whole weight of the council on my shoulders, and at times it can get frustrating, but I would recommend it to all the kids coming to the middle school next year because it’s a fun activity to be involved in.”
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Councilor appointed new chair |
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Wednesday, 18 November 2009 |
By WILLIAM LANEY
Managing Editor
A sitting Wapakoneta City Council member has been tabbed to continue serving the city now and after his retirement as an elected official.
Mayor Rodney Metz appointed 2nd Ward Councilor Dave Campbell as chair of the Wapakoneta Waste Minimization Commission, replacing Toni Simpson, who resigned her post. Councilors approved Campbell as commission chair during Monday’s Wapakoneta City Council meeting. Campbell abstained.
“I have really given this a lot of thought and consideration, especially since there have been a number of people leave because either their term expired, health reasons or other personal reasons,” Metz said prior to announcing his appointment’s name. “This person has a working knowledge of how the program functions, has been involved with the commission for a number of years almost since its inception, has sat on Utilities Committee for years, knows the strengths of the city and its finances and gets along well with the residents — that is why I am appointing Dave Campbell to serve as the chair.”
Metz said he has full confidence in Campbell and his abilities to lead the commission responsible for coordinating Drop & Swap and Household Hazardous Waste drop-off as well as having input on refuse and recycling collection.
“The time has come for this to be a full functioning commission again,” Metz said.
Campbell has served as a councilor for more than two decades. He will retire at the end of December as a councilor when Todd Hartsough fills his seat.
Council President Don Jump inquired about his starting date, but Metz said he will start immediately since the only requirement is the person must be a resident of the city and rules do not limit councilors from serving as a member or chair.
Councilor-at-large Wilbur Wells also announced Peg Matheny would serve as his appointment to the commission.
Councilors suspended the rules of three readings and passed as an emergency a resolution requesting members of Congress delay the U.S. Postal Service’s moving the processing of mail from Lima to Toledo until a study on costs and delivery standards can be conducted.
The resolution was read for the second time Monday before the rules were suspended.
Wapakoneta 3rd Ward Councilor Bonnie Wurst questioned the reason for a resolution when a study was conducted to determine which processing plants to close.
Campbell said the resolution permitted Wapakoneta “a chance to voice their opinion.”
The mayor said a legislative measure “carries more weight with Congress than if a letter from an administrator was sent.”
He mentioned a similar situation happened when the U.S. Postal Service wanted to close a processing plant in Mansfield and consolidate its operations with the Akron plant but did not after receiving resolutions from municipalities and letters from residents.
Councilor-at-large Dr. Ed Wallen said the resolution also speaks to local constituents.
“We are sending a message to the community that we are asking that our postal services not be eroded anymore than they already are now,” Wallen said.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 19 November 2009 )
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