Explanation
Title
To recognize Thomas J. Wester as he joins the Ohio Department of Transportation as the Director of District 6.
Body
WHEREAS Thomas J. Wester was appointed Deputy Director of the City's Public Service Department in June 2002, bringing twenty-five years of private sector engineering and management experience to the role of providing leadership and oversight of the transportation and fleet management divisions; and
WHEREAS Governor Ted Strickland has appointed Tom Wester Director of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 6; and
WHEREAS Director Wester will lead Franklin, Delaware, Fayette, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway and Union counties in ODOT planning and programs, production, highway management and business & human services; and
WHEREAS Tom Wester will certainly be busy considering that ODOT serves 8.7 million licensed drivers, and nationally, Ohio ranks 7th in total population, has the 5th largest interstate system, the 7th largest highway system and has more bridges than any other state except one; and
WHEREAS ever the engineer, Director Wester is known for his love of all things mechanical, ranging from performance automobiles to model trains; and
WHEREAS ODOT District 6 Director Wester is also a family man, having raised four sons with his wife Karan, with whom he recently celebrated 39 years of marriage; and
WHEREAS Mayor Coleman and members of City Council look forward to partnering with ODOT and Director Wester on an unprecedented number of transportation projects crucial to the region's quality of life and economic development potential; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council wishes Thomas J. Wester great success as he continues in public service as the newly appointed Director of the Ohio Department of Transportation District 6.