TIFFIN, Ohio — After five rounds of voting, Tiffin City Council elected at-large council member Zack Perkins the new mayor Monday night.
"It was very much a rollercoaster of emotions," Perkins said of the process. "I have the utmost respect for the other candidates. They really put themselves out there. They would all be great choices. For the vote to slowly sway my way, it was a lot. It was a lot to deal with."
Perkins takes over for Aaron Montz, who resigned last month to become president of the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership, a non-profit corporation designed to improve the area's economy. Council member Bridget Boyle is serving the period between Montz's resignation and Perkins' inauguration.
The other candidates included fellow council member Dawn Iannantuono, Executive Director of the Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce Bryce Riggs, and local businessman and former college track coach Brian Cole.
The first four rounds of votes were split among three candidates as follows: two for Riggs, two for Iannantuono, and three for Perkins. Members of council were concerned they wouldn't come to a majority decision, and legally would have to defer to common pleas court to decide.
"You want to resolve things as quickly as possible, so I'm glad we were able to come to a conclusion tonight," council president Ben Gillig said.
Gillig was the deciding vote, flipping from Iannantuono to Perkins and giving him the four-vote majority needed. In the end, Gillig says it was Perkins' honesty that secured his vote.
"I had to talk to council member Perkins, future mayor Perkins, about a lot of things that were not all that comfortable and he was always honest with me," Gillig said. "Just knowing him as I do, I think he's going to do an outstanding job for Tiffin."
The act was essentially Gillig's last as council president, as Gillig resigned over the weekend effective Tuesday. Perkins only has a short term to fill as mayor, serving from his inauguration until December 2023, but says he's ready to get to work.
"It's a very humbling experience," Perkins said. "And I'm very excited and I'm ready for the challenge."