RIVERSIDE MAYOR SAYS HE WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION

Flaute: ‘I think it’s time for someone else to take over.’

Riverside Mayor Bill Flaute announced he won’t run for mayor again.

Flaute has been mayor since 2010 and involved in local politics since 1994.

“It has been an honor to be part of a city founding and that the citizens have continued to elect me,” Flaute said.

Flaute announced his intentions at the Thursday night city council meeting.

The deadline to submit an application to run for mayor or city council is Aug. 22.

Flaute said he doesn’t want to run for re-election because he has been involved in local politics for so long that he “can’t remember what it’s like not being in politics.”

“I think it’s time for someone else to take over,” Flaute said.

Riverside has a road levy and several charter amendments on the ballot in November, but Flaute said he doesn’t think his decision not to run will affect any of those issues passing.

“I’m going to continue to be very active and work on getting those things passed until the last minute,” Flaute said.

Current council members Sara Lommatzsch and Mike Denning plan to run for mayor, according to information with the Montgomery County Board of Elections. Peter Williams, currently the director of advancement at Carroll High School, has also picked up petitions.

Flaute said he hopes the next mayor will take Riverside “outside of its boundaries” by getting involved in organizations like the Mayors Association of Ohio and the National League of Cities.