Avon Lake's O'Donnell is Elected Official of the Year

Avon Lake City Council President, Marty O’Donnell was chosen by Cleveland State University Leadership Academy  as the David C. Sweet Award winner for being the Outstanding Elected Official for 2013. He was honored at a dinner May 23.    
         
“I am grateful to my constituents for giving me the privilege to serve the community,” O’Donnell said. “It is a tremendous honor to be chosen for such a distinguished award.”             

O’Donnell currently serves as the Avon Lake Council President and is in his third term as council-at-large since 2001. Avon Lake Mayor Greg Zilka nominated him for the award. 

“I think Marty has been a tremendous asset due to his commitment and organizational skills,” Zilka said.  “He has a keen sense of issues and the root of a problem."

Calling O'Donnell "fair" and pragmatic, Zilka said he is an asset to the city. 

“You have to have the right people working not for you, but with you.” Zilka praised O’Donnell for pushing the city to joining the 911 Regional Dispatch System system and moved the City to a regional fire district study with eight other cities in the surrounding areas. 

“He also founded the dog park and Avon Lake Community Council,” Zilka said, the latter of which has earned praise for bringing community groups together.

O’Donnell’s March Away Hunger Drive held in conjunction with the Community Council brings in thousands of pounds of food each year. 

O’Donnell attended the Leadership Academy while still working with the Cuyahoga County Child Enforcement Agency, which he retired from in 2002. In total, he completed 33 years in public service, including serving on the Lakewood Board of Education from 1985 to 1997.

As Council President, O’Donnell initiated the first public interview of council candidates to fill an absentee council position. The interviews were scored and done in a public forum with residents being able to ask questions instead of holding the initial process in an executive session, which is a common practice of public leaders. The process was recommended as a model for other public elected officials.  

“I have been fortunate in my career to work with past and present elected officials and administrators who worked in a collaborative effort to obtain efficient and effective government,” O’Donnell said. O’Donnell is a graduate of The Ohio State University and a graduate of the Cleveland State University Leadership Academy. 

O’Donnell is the fifth Avon Lake official to be honored by the Leadership Academy. Vince Urbin (2000), Greg Zilka (2000) and Jennifer Fenderbosch (2011) earned their respective year’s award for Outstanding Elected Official and City Engineering Manager Joe Reitz was honored in 2009 as the Outstanding Administrative Leader.

O’Donnell’s wife Holly, councilwoman Jennifer Fenderbosch and Clerk of Council Barbara Dopp also attended the dinner.