Mayor-Elect Discusses Immediate Plans in Office.

A new Mayor will soon be sworn into office in the city of Zanesville.

On January 1, 2012, Democrat Jeff Tilton will officially take over the duties as Mayor.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Tilton announced changes to his staff at City Hall.
The Mayor-Elect stopped by the WHIZ studios today, to discuss some of those changes.

"I’ve changed Dale Raines with Rhonda Heskett in as my Budget and Finance person. The Public Safety Director did retire, as of the end of the year, so I replaced Bob Brandford with Mr. Fred Buck who’s been with the city for many years, and I think will do a great job. And at the auditorium, I changed John Kunkel with Ann Combs, who has worked under John for the last few years. " Tilton explained.

Tilton says that he is still looking at more changes at City Hall.
One of his first major projects will be getting a permanent budget in place, and to finalize public safety and utility contracts.

"We’ve got a tentative agreement with the Fire Department right now, we still have the Police Department and the AFSCME people that we need to negotiate a contract with. So, that will be one of my first things." said Tilton.

Mayor-Elect Tilton wanted thank the citizens of Zanesville for giving him the opportunity to be Mayor, and will work as hard as he can to make the "Y-City" a better place.
The newly-elected Mayor believes Zanesville is in a good place going into 2012.

"There’s still tough economic times, we have to keep a tight reign on the money. I think we will move forward, with the talk of the Utica Oil that’s coming to town, the selling of the property out there with Halliburton, things are going to improve here within the next few years. " added Tilton.

Tilton says there is nothing he would ask of his new administration that he wouldn’t be willing to do himself.