Village voters unseated longtime mayors in Mantua and Hiram

A welcome sign for the Village of Mantua, Ohio, including the name of the mayor, Linda Clark
Lyndsey Brennan/The Portager

Mantua Mayor Linda Clark and Hiram Mayor Lou Bertrand will turn over the keys of their respective village halls after over a decade of service, according to the unofficial results of the Nov. 7 election.

Voters in both villages opted for new leadership after challengers entered the race offering change.

In Mantua, Village Council President Tammy Meyer won with 180 votes. Clark captured 166 votes, and a third contestant, Nicko Koutavas, took 41 votes.

In Hiram, 23-year resident Anne Haynam, a write-in candidate, won with 137 votes to Bertrand’s 63.

The unofficial election night tally is not a final result and may not include some provisional and other ballots.

“I’m tired of sitting here saying someone should do something about this. It’s time for me to step up and do something,” Haynam told The Portager in an interview before the election. “It’s time for all of us to step up and be a part of change.”

She promised to improve relations with Hiram College, her alma mater, to develop the village and address budget constraints.

Meyer’s victory comes after years of controversy in the village about Clark’s management style and Meyer’s decision to investigate allegations of favoritism in the police department. 

​​“As mayor, I can better facilitate communication between the village, the government and the community. I don’t want it to be contentious. It’s all collaboration,” Meyer told The Portager last month. “I want to bring diverse perspectives to the table to make informed decisions that benefit our community.”

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Ben Wolford is the editor and publisher of The Portager.

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