PORT CLINTON, OH (WTOL) - The mayor of Port Clinton Hugh Wheeler resigned for what he described as a “hostile environment at the city level.”
The city council held a hastily-called meeting Friday night to accept Wheeler’s letter of resignation.
There wasn’t an empty seat in the chambers.
There were mixed reactions from people at the meeting.
Harold Brandt said that was “probably a good thing,” and Barb Kupp said “It’s okay. It’s okay. Got to move on.”
The former mayor fired Port Clinton Safety Services Director Olen Martin after he testified during a court hearing that Wheeler had allegedly threatened to kill a city worker who was seeking a protection order against him.
Martin was later re-instated and the hearing resumes on Monday.
“He’s the mayor land I think he’s the leader of the environment here. He created a lot of his own problems,” Port Clinton resident Tom Heim said.
Wheeler was not at the meeting. But he stated in his resignation letter he has always tried to do “what was best for the city and taxpayers,” which he said it is “hard to achieve that goal anymore."
“I think all of Port Clinton is ready for some consistency and ready for some people who are going to stick with it and do a lot of good work for the community,” Councilman Brian Hild said.
City Council President Deanna Kuzma has been appointed acting mayor.
Anyone interested in finishing out Mr. Wheeler’s term is asked to e-mail an application to her at city hall by Monday night. The city council will meet Tuesday night to discuss possible candidates.
