Alan Andreani, mayor of Alliance, retires from public service after 51 years

ALLIANCE ‒ Alan Andreani has served the Alliance community for six decades, much of it in the public eye.

He's now ready for private life.

Andreani, 73, made the decision in June to retire as the city's mayor after almost three terms. His final day in office was Aug. 1.

"He always seems to go with what was best for the community," said Council President Art Garnes, "and not what was best for this person or that person."

His successor, Andrew Grove, is expected to be appointed to the post tonight.

A few days before he left office, Andreani discussed his 51-year career and community involvement. Along the way, he and his wife, Sharon, raised two children and have a granddaughter.

But it all started in biology class.

He was an Marlington Local educator for 30 years

Prior to elected office, Andreani served in a different way. He taught.

Except for a two-month period, Andreani spent 30 years in the Marlington Local School District. He taught biology and general science teacher from 1972 to 1980 before moving into an administrative role.

By 1993, Andreani was in charge of the district, serving as Marlington's superintendent for eight years. He retired in 2001 and became an adjunct professor at the University of Mount Union.

Andreani said he always had an interest in politics.

"I was going to run for the state legislature and try to work on state education financing," he said.

But first he thought he need to build his political resume before seeking a state position. "I initially thought about running for council president," until a seat on Alliance City Council opened in 2004.

"I put my name in for consideration and I got appointed," Andreani said.

Similar skill sets for mayor and superintendent

Andreani was re-elected three times, serving eight years in a council-at-large position. He never looked back at his dream of running for state office because Alliance was home.

"My interest focused on Alliance," he said.

In 2012, Andreani became the 50th mayor of the Carnation City, replacing Toni Middleton. He won three terms in office. He did not seek a fourth term in May and supported Grove to replace him.

Andreani said he always felt his time in charge of a school district helped prepare him to be mayor. "The skill sets for mayor and superintendent are pretty close," he said. "There are parallels."

Andreani said mayors and school superintendents must be adept in state finances, negotiations and state laws. And he added: "They both have the same mission" to provide safety environments and quality service to those they serve.

The importance of serving the Alliance community

Andreani said he was raised to help the community by his parents. It was expected. He also served in the Army and remains a member of several church and civic organization boards.

Growing up, Andreani said, "community service was a prime importance in the family."

He brought that sense of service into the mayor's office. He said he felt his role was to foster community partnerships, improve the economic base and guide through tough times.

The tough times included the COVID-19 outbreak and financial distress that put the city on state fiscal watch. After nearly five years, the city might be in a position to get off the list.

"We've gone from deficit spending to, I think, again balancing the budget this year," Andreani said. "I think we probably could have gotten out of fiscal watch a year ago, but COVID slowed the process."

Garnes said one of the initiatives "that I really admired" under Andreani was "Coffee with the Mayor" at the Alliance Area Senior Center.

"People could come and communicate with him," Garnes said. "Not just those who come into the office or those who had an issue. He treated both sides equally and listened."

Andreani said it was time to step down from office and public life so he can spend more time with his wife and family. They had been with him nearly every step of the way for six decades.

"It's been very rewarding," he said.

Lastly, his advice to future city leaders: "You're a public servant. That means you serve the public. I always think you need to prioritize things. People over systems. And pay attention to the small details."

One more thing, he added: "Don't ever let the sun set on a phone call. Call them back. You'll be amazed."

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @bduerREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Alan Andreani, mayor of Alliance, retires. His final day was Aug. 1.