Shuffle on Cuyahoga Falls City Council means new Ward 4 representative will be appointed

Cuyahoga Falls Council's Ward 4 councilwoman has moved into of the city's three at-large council positions.

Mary Nichols-Rhodes was sworn in Monday as the new at-large council member after Tim Gorbach announced at the April 10 meeting he was stepping down from the role. His last on the council was April 14.

Both the Ward 4 and at-large terms expire Dec. 31.

Council President Russell Balthis said Gorbach gave no reason for his decision, and that he was surprised by the resignation.

According to information from the Cuyahoga Falls Democratic Club, Gorbach was first elected to a City Council at-large seat in 1999, serving two consecutive terms. Ten years later, Gorbach returned to the council when he won an at-large seat once again in 2017. In 2019, he ran for a different at-large seat that was open.

Gorbach also served two terms as the chair of the Summit County Board of Elections, from 2007 to 2016.

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Nichols-Rhodes was appointed as Ward 4 councilwoman in 2013; she served for six months, but lost the seat in that year's November election. She was elected to the seat in 2015.

Balthis said that under the city's charter, the Democratic Central Committee will appoint someone to fill Nichols-Rhodes unexpired term. The new Ward 4 representative is expected to be sworn in during Council's May 8 meeting.

A look back: Mary Nichols-Rhodes selected to serve as new Ward 4 Cuyahoga Falls City Council member (with video)

City Council typically meets Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting rooms at the Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium, 2345 Fourth St.

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cuyahoga Falls councilwoman fills at-large seat vacated by Tim Gorbach