Maumee Changes

Note: Full Maumee Council Meeting Video below. Ziss Swearing in Starts at 5:00

Big names and big money showed up at the Maumee council meeting tonight to argue about Data Centers. Then Lots of Good will exploded coming on the heels of the the swearing in of Maumees new Mayor Chelsea Ziss..

If you don't want to watch hear are the key takeaways,

1. Maumee has a new Mayor Chelsea Ziss and its going to be a process of trying to figure out how to fill her now vacant seat on city council. That will happen in the next few weeks.

2. Important: The council DID PASS the First Reading of the zoning changes that will move data centers from an approved use to a conditional use which is no doubt why the head of Danberry Reality as well as one other major land owner showed up to speak against the zoning changes that would make it more difficult for them to sell for millions to Data Center investors.

3. Councilman elect Isaiah Gonzalez spoke to the council coming out heavily against Data Centers saying the Centers would not be a good fit for Maumee at all. On top of that current councilman Philip Leinbach said he may be open to a complete moratorium on Data Centers if the legalities work out just to give the cities residents who dont know about them to learn everything they can about Data Centers before any future projects are decided upon. He was very measured saying he wasnt really for or against them but that people need to be educated before anything happens.

4. Maumee has been at political war with itself for a long time but todays meeting brought an emergency financial assistance measure that will effect those who are having trouble with the cost of the sewer upgrades that residents were having trouble paying for.

5. The room was happy for a change. There was a light hearted atmosphere that has been missing in the council room for a long time in Maumee. Councilman Gabe Barrow came out shining like a class act as he made way for Ziss to become Mayor in the wake of the resignation of Jim MacDonald by stepping down from his council presidents seat. Its caused good will in Maumee on social media and seems to be a truly humble move on Barrows part

6. Jon Fiscus tried valiantly to stop the snow pouring down outside with a request to the media. He asked for a moratorium on snow. He was a few minutes late as the POWER THAT IS decided to dump more snow tonight on us even before the meeting ended. Darn.