Mentor City Council voted Scott Marn as council president and Ray Kirchner as vice president during its first meeting of the year.

Kirchner nominated Marn and was seconded by John Krueger. Council members Robert Shiner, Bruce Landeg and Janet Dowling voted for Marn. Carolyn Bucey voted against him, though no one else was nominated.

Kirchner was nominated by Krueger and Dowling and elected unanimously.

Marn thanked previous Council President Shiner for his years of leadership.

"We've been through a lot the last couple of years with the economic recession. Robert Shiner did an excellent job (during that time,") Marn said.

Marn added that he looked forward to working with Landeg and Krueger, council's two newest members.

"It's always good to have fresh ideas," he said.

Kirchner echoed Marn's gratitude and optimism, adding, "I think good days are ahead for the city of Mentor."

Also at the start of the City Council meeting, Shiner, Bucey, Landeg, Krueger and Dowling were sworn in to begin their new terms.

Finally, Council voted on several appointments to city commissions and boards including:

• Sean Blake was voted onto the city's Planning Commission.

Six council members approved of Blake's appointment but Shiner voted against it. Shiner and Blake ran against each other in November for the Ward 1 Council seat.

Blake was a member of the Board of Zoning Appeals. His appointment has left a vacancy in the BZA.

• Meanwhile, Brian Wollet and Rick Zaleski were voted unanimously onto the BZA. Bucey voted for Wollet's appointment, though he ran against her in November.

Wollet was on the city's Fair Housing Board, which creates a vacancy there.

• Sherry Simonian and Stuart Abbey were reappointed to the Community Arts Commission; Raymond Dawson and Jeffrey Waterman, to the Greater Mentor Port Authority; and Jack Walsh, to the Tree Commission.
• The city has seven vacancies on its Beautification Commission after three members' terms ended and another four resigned.
• All totaled, the city is looking to fill one vacancy on the BZA, two on the Fair Housing Board and seven on the Beautification Commission.