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14-year city Councilman Scott calls it quits
(by Sue Reid - February 10, 2010)
14-year city Councilman Scott calls it quits
By SUE REID
Solon Councilman John T. Scott announced Monday that he will be stepping down from the seat he has held for over 14 years.
Mr. Scott, who is in the middle of his fourth consecutive term serving Ward 3, informed Mayor Susan A. Drucker and fellow council members of his intention to submit a letter of resignation upon the completion of all of the necessary retirement papers being accepted by the Public Employees Retirement System. He said he is stepping down to devote more time to his family.
"It's not easy to do," Mr. Scott said Tuesday, "but I'm real comfortable with it. You just know it's time."
He said he made the decision to step down, because he came to realize that he wanted to do more traveling with his wife, Karen. "I can't just do it part time," he said of serving on City Council. The couple have three grown children and six grandchildren.
"I really throw myself into what's going on with the city," Mr. Scott said. "We have a daughter in North Carolina who we don't see that often. It gives us an opportunity to travel and be together. I'm turning 65, and it's time to step back."
Mr. Scott ran unsuccessfully for mayor three times, most recently in the last election.
"If I had won as mayor, it would have obviously been my agenda," Mr. Scott said. "I had full support of my family and would have done it. Since I didn't, it is a different story."
Mr. Scott said another reason he chose to step down is because he was not certain he would run for re-election, when his term is up in November 2011.
"That would be right in the middle of the Bainbridge Road project," he said. "I thought it would be best to step down now and let the new person get acclimated at how the project works."
Mr. Scott, who serves on the planning commission and the enterprise zone committee, said he did not announce his intention to step down earlier, because he wanted to sit through the budget hearings, which began last week. "We are facing financial hard times in the city." He said he is pleased with the budget hearings and has a lot of faith in the finance committee. "They will do a great job for the city," he said of the committee.
Mr. Scott, who retired from Pivotal Marketing a last year, said he traveled extensively in past years, which took him away from his family.
"The combination of that and my interest in the city took me away again," he said. "It's time to get that time back."
Highlights of his time on council include serving the residents of Ward 3 and the entire city, he said.
"I was fortunate enough to be a big part of the planning and construction of the community center and the senior center," Mr. Scott said. He also was a part of the refurbishing of Old City Hall into the Solon Center for the Arts, as well as the large expansion of the sewage-treatment plant. Other projects he worked on included the new police station and two new fire stations.
Most importantly, Mr. Scott said, he spent a lot of time on the Aurora Road east sewer project, which lasted two years and "greatly affected the people of Ward 3," as well as the Pettibone Road reconstruction. "I took very seriously to do what I could to make the project good for residents," he said.
Mr. Scott served with three mayors -- Robert A. Paulson, Kevin C. Patton and now Susan A. Drucker. He said whoever replaces him on council can count on him.
"There are a lot of things people on Bainbridge Road have been promised, and I intend to follow through," Mr. Scott said. "I certainly know everybody's phone number and have a great relationship with everybody."
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