New City Council meets, selects its officers

WARREN — Newly elected Warren City Council members had their first council meeting Nov. 28 and voted in new officers.

Angela Rogensues, who holds one of the two at-large council seats, was voted council president by her peers. This is her second term on the council. In her first term, she was not an officer.

Melody Magee, representing District 1, was voted council vice president. This is Magee’s first term on the council, and she makes history as the city’s first Black council member.

Mindy Moore, who is now serving in her third term, will resume her role as council secretary, which she held during her second term from 2019 to 2023. Because of Moore’s experience, some thought she would be the next council president.

“It (the secretary) is the most involved position on council,” Moore explained as to why she prefers this role. “And I think that’s where I can use my expertise and experience in the best way to help the council, especially the new council members and the new mayor coming in.”

According to Moore, the council secretary has varying responsibilities which include but are not limited to oversight of the council office and personnel matters. The secretary makes the agenda, schedules committee of the whole meetings, special meetings and closed sessions. The secretary office also communicates with the administration on items they want on the agenda. In addition, those in this role monitor media for information, so people are recognized for their accomplishments in the community through council resolutions.

Dave Dwyer, who holds the other at-large seat, was elected assistant secretary. Dwyer was the top vote-getter in the election, which also makes him Warren’s mayor pro tem.

Warren Mayor Lori Stone was in attendance and addressed the council during the audience comment portion of the meeting.

“I am so proud to be here with you serving as a co-equal branch of governance. Having served in the legislative branch, nothing in government gets done unless it’s a collaboration. I am proud to join you here and congratulate you heartily for earning the support of our community, for them to elect you as their voice and representative in conducting the business of the city,” Stone said. “I am anxious to get to work with you on our policy priorities and making sure that we continue to improve our services to our community. And so, with that, I want to say thank you, and make the services of our department available to you, and (I) look forward to working with you.”

 

New council handles old business
A recurring item on the council’s agenda was the property at 2128 Michael Ave., which has reportedly been an issue for the city’s nuisance abatement program for years.

The owner of the property pleaded with the City Council not to demolish it.

“I beg you not to demolish the place. I have owned that house since the ’80s and I fell a bit behind,” said the owner of the property, George Dedeian, at the council meeting. “I’ll be happy to do what I need to do to get it off the nuisance abatement program.”

“I brought this home up to council three years ago when I was on council,” said Garry Watts, who served on the Warren City Council from 2019 to 2013. “He (Dedeian) has done nothing to this home.”

“There have been people who I communicate with up to today, who have moved out of that neighborhood because of that house,” Watts said. “I just urge (the) council to move on and make these neighbors whole.”

The council voted 6-1 for the property to be demolished. Magee voted against the demolition.