What's Happening in Stow, OH…

Sara Drew, mayor of Stow, gave the annual state-of-the-city address to council members on January 8, noting the efforts of those employed by the city.

Mayor Drew gave a great deal of credit to city employees for some of 2014’s success stories. She then went on to discuss various events and how the city employees' responses had benefited the community.

The first topic on the agenda, perhaps not surprisingly given the fact that the Midwest is once again in the deep freeze, was the weather. There were a number of difficulties in 2014, including blizzards, intense cold, a tornado, and flooding. In these emergencies, city crews responded efficiently and quickly to help residents. Drew said the city workers showed unparalleled concern for residents.

Other employee-related highlights included the fact that Stow's fire department won a Class 1 rating, the highest available, making it among the best in the country. Mark Stone, the fire chief, won the mayor's approval for his innovations within the department.

Under John Baranek, the city's Finance Director, Stow's finance department won the Ohio Auditor of State Award with Distinction. This honor is awarded to less than 7% of the state's public entities.

To show its pride in its citizens, the city could consider working with a flyer printing company on a mailer for residents, detailing the standard of work and efforts exerted by workers.