In the latest episode of the HBAC, the hosts sat down to unpack the results of Hilliard’s most consequential local election in years, discuss the future of city leadership, and close out another election season of community coverage.
A Historic Sweep for Hilliard Democrats
Corvo opened with final election results confirming a clean sweep for Democratic candidates in the Hilliard City Council race, cementing complete party control of all seven seats for the first time in city history.
* Top vote-getters: Nadia Rasul led the field with 5,537 votes, followed by Andy Teater, Kathy Parker-Jones, and Tina Cottone.
* Republican candidates trailed significantly, with Bevan Schneck as the top GOP finisher at 3,430 votes.
Kevin reflected on how rapid demographic and political shifts transformed Hilliard’s council makeup. In 2019, Cynthia Vermillion became the city’s first Democrat on council in three decades; just six years later, the party holds every seat. Tim wondered whether the sweep was driven by new Democratic voters moving into the area or by lower Republican turnout.
The guys also noted that public skepticism toward further data center development (and council’s recent appeal of Amazon’s proposed fuel cell facility with the Ohio EPA) did not appear to hurt candidates who took strong stances against unchecked expansion.
Turnover in Norwich Township
Shifting the review, the guys went into the Norwich Township trustee race, where both incumbents Sonny Cantrell and Greg Young were unseated by Kelli Arthur Hykes and Brian Rothenberg. Corvo credited the challengers’ extensive community engagement and coalition-building, including outreach to Hilliard’s growing Muslim community through events at the Noor Islamic Cultural Center.
Jordan frames the overall outcome as part of a broader “new tent” moment for local Democrats. If developed, an organizational consolidation could shape both township and city priorities for years to come.
The Next City Manager: Defining the Role and the Search
With council now settled, attention turns to selecting Hilliard’s next city manager. The city retained Raftelis, a national executive search firm specializing in municipal management and public sector leadership.
The job posting describes Hilliard as a “financially stable, innovative” community seeking a visionary leader at a “pivotal moment” in its growth. The position offers a salary range of $210,000–$275,000, up from prior compensation under outgoing manager Michelle Crandall.
Requirements include at least seven years of local government experience, with a master’s degree preferred. Residency within Hilliard is “preferred but not required,” a change from the prior search process.
Despite a little concern over the posting (calling it “a little Melba toast” but fair) The crew recalled the emphasis from candidates that the next manager will need to build consensus. That consensus will have to cohere across a now single-party council while still navigating ongoing development, infrastructure, and corporate pressure points.
Looking Ahead
In closingthe guys reflected on the end of another election cycle and looked ahead to 2026:
* Some optimism that the newly elected council will “connect more clearly with residents” and bring renewed accountability to city governance - maybe even ward representation.
* Speculated on the scale of interest in the city manager role with Jordan on the low end at 7 and Corvo suggesting 30 applicants.
Another year in the books around election season - look forward to some more interviews throughout the final months of 2025 with some slowdowns and brief interludes around the holidays.
Thanks again for supporting us and we look forward to continuing our service to you all in 2026.
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(Music and Production by Tim Hofmann at Franklin Street Studios)
