Former councilman Metz recalls life of public service

WAPAKONETA — When Wapakoneta City Council was called to order at the start of 2021, one seat on that Zoom call was noticeably empty.

Rod Metz, a 28-year veteran of service to the city, resigned from office during the last meeting of 2020, citing a conflict with his new membership on the Auglaize County Board of Elections. He said he may be watching the meeting via Facebook, but he no longer has an official say in city government.

Metz was first elected a city councilor in 1990 and served through 2007. He ran for mayor in 2007, won that election, and took the oath of office for a four-year term that began Jan. 1, 2008. He served two, four-year terms before losing his bid for a third term to Tom Stinebaugh. When Randy Fisher resigned from council in early 2017 after moving out of the city, Metz was appointed to fill that unexpired term and then ran for another two-year term. He leaves council with one year remaining on his current term.

Looking back over those 28 years, Metz said he was inspired to run for office by those who told him it was easy to be critical of decisions when you aren’t in the room.

“I was always told it’s easy to complain,” Metz said. “Get involved and fix it.”

And that’s what he did.

The same philosophy encouraged his bid for the mayor’s seat.

“It was time for Wapakoneta to step up, get projects started and ensure (the city’s) growth in the future,” he said.

Metz can point to a number of projects he believes helped positively alter the course of Wapakoneta’s history.

The downtown’s renovation is one of those projects. Council’s authorization of funding to improve infrastructure helped secure the footing for a revitalization of the area that continues today with work on the river walk path between downtown and the Auglaize River, helping to cement the downtown area as a designation for shoppers and diners.

Another highlight is the JRS — or Jobs Ready Site project, whose most notable new resident is Pratt Industries, but is also home to some of the city’s industrial bigwigs, like Flex Arm, the Ohio Greenhouse, Miller Textiles and Megacity Fire and Securities.

“Council, guided by the assistance of then-Economic Development Director Greg Myers, found ways to fund the JRS project and all of the things that came with it, to keep it moving forward for the growth of Wapakoneta,” Metz said of the multi-year, multi-million dollar project.

Metz has also been a familiar face at committee and organization meetings, particularly the Downtown Wapakoneta Partnership and its Facade Improvement Program. The facade program in particular, Metz said, has been a visible sign of the city’s commitment to ensuring the greater downtown area remains vibrant.

“(The Facade Improvement Program) continues the growth in the downtown historical district and answers concerns that were voiced during the Comprehensive Plan process — that downtown is an important hub in the community,” he said.

Metz said there are almost too many project to list to pick one of which he is most proud.

“Downtown renovation. The renovation of the Wapakoneta pool. Being named Best Small City. Multiple completed street programs. South interceptor sewer project. The JRS project. My involvement with Sister Cities that led to two trips to Lengerich, Germany, and hosting Mayor Prigge here,” Metz listed. “These will live in my memory forever.”

And what advice would he give to whomever is appointed to his council seat?

“Listen to the residents of Wapakoneta and to the oath of office you take,” Metz said. “You are there to serve your electors.”