City council president to become next mayor of Bluffton
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The president of the Bluffton Common Council will soon take over as the city’s mayor following a caucus held Monday by the Wells County Republican Party.
Our partners at WPTA-TV report Scott Mentzer will serve the remainder of Mayor John Whicker’s term when he takes over on Aug. 1.
Whicker announced last month that he is resigning due to his recovery from knee and hip surgery. He was elected to a second term in 2023.
The Wells County Republican Party says Mentzer was the only person to file for candidacy for the position.
“I knew this was coming, so I’ve had a lot of time to prepare for it. I’ve had a lot time to talk to my council people, a lot of time to talk to the department heads within the city,” Mentzer told WPTA. “I feel like I’m pretty well prepared. I’m ready to get to work.”
Mentzer said his focus will remain on strengthening quality of life, revitalizing neighborhoods and commercial corridors, and making Bluffton’s riverfront a destination for recreation, investment and community connection.
“My target is by the end of this term, we have over $100 million in brand new investment in the city of Bluffton,” he said. “That will be a mark that I don’t know that we’ve ever accomplished before. We’re not there yet, but we’ve got plenty of projects in the queue.”
The party plans to announce a caucus to fill Mentzer’s soon-to-be-vacated position on the Bluffton Common Council.