Lehner, 75, decided to retire after nearly three decades in elected office at the municipal and state level. Her term expires at the end of the year.
She plans to stay involved and serve the community in ways she feels will make a difference. Through the next year, she said it will be important to increase the numbers of volunteers in the city.
“Before COVID we had 1,000 volunteers. After COVID, we were down to about 200 or 300.” Whether on council or as a volunteer, “you have a real opportunity to make a real difference,” Lehner said.
Also leaving at the end of the year is the city’s vice mayor, Jacque Fisher, who was first elected in 2018 as an at-large council member. She reached her term limits and was unable to run in the November election.
She, too, will remain active and will continue as Kettering’s military liaison along with other programs, such as the sister cities organization and Kettering backpack program that provides at-risk students with food for the weekend when school breakfast and lunch is not available.
“Unlike the penny, I’m not going away,” Fisher said.
Both women were recognized by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s office and state Rep. Andrea White, R-Kettering, for their service. In addition, the council declared Tuesday Jacque Fisher Day and Peggy Lehner Day in the city.
The city’s law director, Ted Hamer, also is retiring and participated in his last council meeting.
The council voted to give 3% raises to city employees not represented by a union.
Those raises also included Clerk of Council Amy Hayslip and City Manager Matt Greeson. With the 3% raise, Greeson’s salary increased to $104,310, said Jenny Smith, human resource director.
The council also voted to make a $15,000 donation to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Memorial Association in support of its planned permanent memorial. The association has raised about two-thirds of the funding its needs through private and public donations for the memorial at a site next to the Dayton Masonic Center, according to the city.
“On behalf of the Kettering Police Department we’re very grateful as are all law enforcement agencies in the county,” said Kettering Police Chief Chip Protsman. “This donation is to recognize those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our communities, so thank you very much.”
The council also approved the donation of a drone for the police department from the Kettering Police Foundation and a safety intervention grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation for the Kettering Fire Department.
The fire department plans to buy medic stair chairs to take patients, especially those with mobility issues, up and down stairs when stretchers won’t fit instead of manually carrying patients and potentially causing back injuries, said Fire Chief Mitch Robbins.
The battery-powered chairs are foldable and use tracks and safety straps, he said.
The total cost for the chairs is just shy of $65,000, with $40,000 coming from the grant and $24,966 from the city.
The next council meeting is Jan. 13.
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