Meet Eric Fulcomer, Bluffton mayor-elect.
After a serving on Bluffton council since 2002 and as council president since 2004, Fulcomer, Ph. D., who is vice president for enrollment management and student life at Bluffton University, decided to seek the mayoral office of the village following Fred Rodabaugh's announcement last January that he would not seek reelection.
The immediate effect of Fulcomer's swearing in as mayor is that his council seat will be vacant. He is in the first half of a four-year council term. Upon his "resignation" from council to become mayor, the council will have 30 days to appointment a replacement for his council seat.
If the council fails to make an appointment, Fulcomer as mayor, will make the appointment. There is no formal procedure for replacing a person on Bluffton council. Past council decisions ranged from interviewing interested citizens, to selecting persons who ran but lost in recent council races, or to simply make an appointment during an open council meeting.
One other change in the 2012 council makeup will be the absence of Jerry Cupples, whose term expired. He did not seek reelection. Joe Sehlhorst ran for Cupples' seat unopposed. He will be sworn in during the first meeting of January.
Fulcomer soon joins a long list of men who, coming from an assortment of backgrounds, served as Bluffton mayor. Although their backgrounds vary, their goals have each been to work toward achieving what they believe is best for the Village of Bluffton.
The soon-to-be-mayor lists several items as issues the village will face over the next four years of his term (Jan. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2015).
"The first issue is fiscal challenges. These are significant and high on our priority list," he said. Along with those challenges come needed work on the village's infrastructure, mainly water and sewer line upgrades.
Hoping that a one-quarter percent tax issue will pass in the spring, which will replace the one-quarter town hall renovation tax that will expire, Fulcomer says the Bluffton council will need to address water and sewer line needs.
Fulcomer wants to involve residents in decisions made by the village. High on his wish list is his hope to create a park advisory board. The village park board was eliminated two years ago. The advisory board would also assist in advising needs of the Bluffton Community Swimming Pool.
Another important issue for Fulcomer is economic development. "We need to be serious about economic development. One of my goals is to help create jobs here and assist in further development of the Bluffton I-75 interchanges."
Concerning his mayoral style, Fulcomer said he hopes to develop regular communication with village department heads. "I want to hear and talk with village employees and with Bluffton citizens," he said.
As mayor, Fulcomer becomes the chief law enforcement officer in the village in addition to being the village's chief executive officer. He appoints or affirms all staff positions. He also presides over Bluffton's mayor's court on Monday evenings.
He laughs when he says that there is often a misconception that things in a village are "not" complex. "There are a lot of things to consider (when making decisions)," he said.
When not in his mayor role, Fulcomer spends time with his family. Andrea, his wife, is a physician's assistant in Findlay. The couple, who live at 300 Riverbend Dr., have two children, Noah, a fifth grader, and Anna, a third grader.
"My children know that I'll soon be mayor and they are excited and very supportive," he said.
Fulcomer, a native of Beavercreek, Ohio, holds a bachelor's degree in English from Eastern Michigan University, a master's degree in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Toledo.
He has served in several capacities at Bluffton University. Initially he was a residence hall director from 1993 to 1996. He later became director of Marbeck Center and conferences, then director of career development, later associate dean of student life, and in 2005 became vice president for enrollment management and student life.
