Correspondent photo / Chris McBride Incoming and incumbent Warren City Council members were sworn in Monday evening prior to the final council meeting of the year. Front row, from left, are Honeya Price, D-6th Ward; Helen Rucker, D-at Large; and Tina Milner, D-2nd Ward. Back row, from left, are Michael Shrodek, D-5th Ward; Treasurer Tom Letson; Greg Thumm, D-at Large; President John Brown; Michael O’Brien, D-at Large; Ron White, D-7th Ward; James Shaffer, D-4th Ward; and Todd Johnson, I-1st Ward. Greg Greathouse, D-3rd Ward, was unable to attend.

WARREN — Three newcomers were sworn in to Warren City Council on Monday evening, joining several returning council members in a ceremony that welcomed them into the fold.

Michael Shrodek, D-5th Ward; Tina Milner, D-2nd Ward; and Greg Thumm, D-at Large, took the oath of office alongside reelected council members, including President John Brown, who presided over the event.

Those who ran unopposed in the November election included Brown as council president; Greg Greathouse, D-3rd Ward; James Shaffer, D-4th Ward; and Honeya Price, D-6th Ward.

The swearing-in was administered by Warren Municipal Court Judge Patty Knepp at city council chambers, drawing a crowd of city and county officials, family members and residents. The event also featured Girard native and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Ken David leading the color guard.

Nikko Cappitte, a Fairhaven program graduate who has cerebral palsy and is on the autism spectrum, performed the national anthem. Cappitte, who was nonverbal until he began singing as his first form of communication, is a regular performer at Eastwood Field in Niles. His mother stood by his side during the rendition.

The ceremony marked transitions on council, with outgoing members Greg Steinbeck, D-at Large; Andrew Herman, D-2nd Ward; and Tiffany Stanford, D-5th Ward, acknowledged for their service.

Todd Johnson, I-1st Ward, commended Stanford, saying she “did a phenomenal job in her role” and praising her “great courage and perseverance in the face of an incredible amount of attacks and, quite frankly, ignorance, directed toward her and her family.”

Johnson also thanked Steinbeck and Herman for their contributions, expressing gratitude to residents for entrusting him with a third term and acknowledging his predecessor, Larry Larson.

Newcomers were all optimistic about their priorities. Shrodek, who won the 5th Ward seat by defeating Stanford and Ashley McBride in the Nov. 4 election, described the position as a long-sought goal following an unsuccessful state Senate bid two years prior.

“It feels great,” Shrodek said. “This is where I wanted to be all along … this feels right, and you know, I’m going to work my tail off.” He pledged quick action on constituent concerns, including sewer issues causing basement flooding and road damage on streets like Central Parkway and Belvedere, as well as blighted homes and streetlight repairs. Shrodek said he’s eager to get to work and had already helped get about 45 to 48 streetlights fixed during his campaign.

Milner, who ran unopposed for the 2nd Ward after Herman’s retirement, called the moment “a little surreal” and said it was a direction she “never thought I would take, but sometimes we need to step up when the opportunity is open for us.” She talked about wanting to continue work started with Herman and focusing on community input. “The problems in my ward are going to be primarily up to what my constituents want done,” Milner said. “We’re going to have listening campaigns. I want to hear what their issues are in their individual neighborhoods and on their individual streets.”

She announced plans for monthly ward meetings to keep residents informed on legislation and allow direct feedback on city issues, like the quarterly Roosevelt neighborhood group gatherings.

Thumm, one of three at-Large winners alongside council veterans Michael J. O’Brien and Helen Rucker, said he is focused on housing shortages as incoming industries come to the area.

“Warren has great bones,” Thumm said.

However, he expressed concern that neighboring communities like Austintown have historically capitalized on job growth from nearby plants like GM Lordstown by providing housing options.

“Sixty years ago, when GM built Lordstown, people came to work there, but they didn’t have a place in Warren to pick from. They went to Austintown,” he said. “It’s happening kind of, sort of again, in a way, but I want to get a piece of that action. We need homes in Warren for the Foxconn enterprise.”

Johnson also urged seizing the moment for economic opportunities, especially for younger generations. He also added, “Those who have lived here and worked here and in some way suffered here deserve to reap the benefits of those hard years.”

O’Brien, entering his 42nd year in public service, highlighted the need for housing to support new jobs from incoming industries. “We have a lot of industry coming in this community, and we’re going to need additional housing,” he said.

Rucker credited family support to her being able to continue. “You can’t do this stuff without family being close and supporting you … you can’t do it without God. You can’t do it without constituents who believe in you,” she said.

Ronald White, D-7th Ward, thanked supporters and said, “We are moving up. We are moving forward. We have a lot of things happening, especially in the seventh ward.” He added, “Our kids don’t have to leave now because we have jobs coming here.”

Treasurer Tom Letson, who also ran unopposed, showed gratitude to council and his staff.

“I am one of the luckiest people around in my current position, because the office that I have has absolutely the best staff of any department in the state of Ohio,” Letson said.