Fairfield City Council member dies

Councilman Bob Myron, who took the oath of office just last year, “would have made us a better council as we went on,” said Vice Mayor Bill Woeste.

Myron, who was sworn-in as the First Ward Fairfield City Council member on May 31, 2016, died Wednesday after he was in the hospital for a medical procedure. He was 76 years old.

His death came to a surprise to those on City Council.

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“Bob was a tremendous asset to City Council as a dedicated 40-year resident of Fairfield with vast business knowledge and experience and a prestigious education,” said Mayor Steve Miller. “We are deeply saddened by his loss, and our sympathies are with his wife, Vicki, and their family. He was a wonderful person and champion for our city, and we will miss him greatly.”

Woeste said Myron “was just the kind of guy you’d want on a council.”

He was selected to succeed Adam Jones as the First Ward councilman over five others — his experience and background factors that some on the council said earned him the appointment. Jones resigned from the council in April 2016 because he moved into a different ward with more than 3-½ years left on his term.

In addition to Myron’s business background, and experience on the planning commission and parks board, “He was a consummate professional,” Woeste said.

“I think as a council member, he was finding his way,” he said. “He took on the job without hesitation and ultimately would have done a good job.”

Miller has known Myron practically all his life, and recalls Myron taking his son, Patrick — who is around the mayor’s age — to Water Works Park to play baseball.

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“I’ve known Bob since I was a kid,” Miller said. “He was a great choice for a council member, he was a good council member, and we will miss him.”

Myron leaves more than two years left on his term, and City Council will appoint a successor. Miller said Council will wait until its August meeting before talking about those next steps.

Myron, who was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Fairfield, lived in the First Ward for 40 years and told the Journal-News last May he thought about running in the past “but between work and doing some consulting, I really haven’t had the time to devote to it the way I’d like.”

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He earned a bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. His education also included the Industrial Marketing Program at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and the Marketing Management Program at the Harvard Business School.

Myron spent most of his professional career with Mosler Inc. in Hamilton. He retired at the end of 2003 but started his own consulting firm, Bob Myron & Associates, focusing on marketing and sales programs. He described himself as a semi-retired strategic business consultant.

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Before being sworn in as a member of City Council, Myron was vice chair on the Fairfield Parks and Recreation Board, and was the parks board representative to the Fairfield Planning Commission. He had also served on the Butler County Mental Health and United Way boards.

Former City Councilman and former Planning Commission member Jeff Holtegel said he enjoyed serving with Myron on planning commission.

“He was independent in his decision-making in that he weighed the options and made decisions based on what he thought was best for the people of Fairfield,” he said. “I admired him for that. I believe had he been healthy, he would have been a very good councilman.”

Myron is survived by his wife, Vicki, two children, Patrick and Kelly, and three grandchildren.

A visitation is set for 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at Avance Funeral Home, 4976 Winton Road. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m. Monday at Sacred Heart, 400 Nilles Road.

American flags at city properties will be flown at half-staff in remembrance of Myron from now until 5 p.m. Monday.

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