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Greenville City Councilperson Mark Lehman smiles as he’s recognized by his fellow council members upon submitting his resignation from the council Tuesday. Lehman served for 26 years on the council. — DN Photo | Cory Smith
GREENVILLE — After more than a quarter-century of shaping city policy, Mark Lehman attended his final meeting as a member of the Greenville City Council on Tuesday evening.
During the meeting, Lehman submitted his resignation, effective the following day, which was accepted by his fellow council members via unanimous approval of the meeting’s consent agenda.
Lehman was most recently re-elected to the council in November 2024.
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“It’s remarkable what has transpired in the last 26 years, and I’ve just been a very humble servant to that, who has played a very small role,” Lehman said. “Every five to 10 years, there’s been reason for me to speak up, and I’ve said my piece, but this much I know for sure — I am leaving with the city in remarkable shape. I know I’m also leaving the city in very capable hands. I just feel this is the time for me to leave. I answered the call 26 years ago, but I feel like I’m getting called in other directions to spend my time and energy.”
Lehman was first elected to a one-year term on the council in November 1997; however, he lost his bid for re-election to former councilman and eventual mayor Lloyd Walker in 1998. Lehman ran again and won unopposed in 2000, and has been re-elected six times every four years, since.
Of those 26 years, Lehman spent one of them (2022) as mayor, which is selected every January by a vote of the seven-member council.
Lehman, 63, who has long worked in the lumber industry and currently works in contractor sales at DeWitt Lumber, headquartered in Blanchard, said he was first inspired to run for the City Council after he observed how the city could work collaboratively with organizations for the benefit of the community.
“It was 1994, I was managing over in Sheridan, and Habitat for Humanity was trying to get going on a house in Lakeview,” he recalled. “There was a small ranch house on the chopping block to be removed for the creation of Greenville West Drive (the ‘truck route’).”
Lehman said that’s when he first met City Manager George Bosanic, who he said helped orchestrate the donation of that ranch house to Habitat, as opposed to having it be demolished.
“After that, we built a wood basement and moved the house,” Lehman said.
Having observed that mindset of city government, Lehman reached out to then-mayor Jon Aylsworth about a desire to serve in some capacity in the city after moving from Eureka Township, where he previously served on the township’s planning commission, into the city limits.
In 1997, Aylsworth informed Lehman there was an opening on the City Council, and the rest is history.
After 26 years on the council, and having married his now-wife, Karen Lehman, last November, Lehman told the Daily News that changes in his personal life — including a desire to spend more time together at their cabin on Winfield Township’s Indian Lake — compelled to finally step away.
Lehman noted that the majority of the times he was ran for City Council, he was unopposed. However, after observing four write-in candidates who competed in the race for an open seat on the council earlier this month, he said he felt the timing was right to resign.
“Thinking about why I am making this decision now, over the years, it’s been a struggle to get people to run for council, whatever the reason,” he said. “This past term, we had a fair amount of interest and I’m encouraged by that. Times change a little bit, and I would encourage anybody of any age to get involved. It has been a very, very rewarding experience. I consider it to have been a great honor to have served the people of Greenville. It was the highest honor for a period of time to serve as mayor.”
Per the City Charter, the council has 30 days to fill the vacancy, which will tentatively occur during the council’s second regular meeting in December, scheduled for Dec. 16.
Whoever is appointed will serve until the next regular election on Nov. 3, 2026.
At that time, the remainder of the partial term — which ends in November 2028 — will be on the ballot as an open seat. Additionally, the seat of current Councilperson Jim Barrus will also be on the ballot for a full four-year term.
While the city has not posted a deadline for applications to be submitted as of Wednesday, anyone interested in serving as a member of the City Council is requested to submit an application and completed questionnaire to City Hall.
In offering his final comments as a member of the council, Lehman expressed his thanks to the many city employees he has observed over his 26 years.
“I want to thank all of our department heads and all of our city employees,” he said. “I really think the police department we have, especially, is as good or better than we’ve had in the 26 years I’ve been here. We truly do have second-to-none departments, employees, and dedication across the board.”
Lehman also pointed to the city’s good financial standing and infrastructure accomplishments, ranging from escaping near-bankruptcy following the closure of Electrolux in 2006 and the Great Recession in 2008, to having now built up its coffers with general fund balances that regularly exceed 50% of annual expenditures.
Much of that is due to a resurgence of industrial, commercial and residential investment, all of which have witnessed significant growth in the past 10 years.
“We were the poster child for a city that was going to go under, with manufacturing leaving, but we turned that right around,” he said. “That wasn’t without its fair share of struggles. It’s not always been a smooth ride, but keeping the city on real solid financial footing, given what we went through, is a long-term accomplishment and it sometimes goes unnoticed. I also celebrate things like the creation of the Fred Meijer Flat River Trail and the tunnel under M-57. When you do take the trail, you’re just reminded of how cool it is. And the development of the industrial park and our relationship with the township, that all needs to be celebrated.”
Members of the council, as well as Bosanic, expressed their gratitude toward Lehman.
“It’s been 26 years that he’s been on City Council — congratulations to him and to his service to our city,” Bosanic said. “Twenty-six years is a long time, and I really wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life. I will miss him greatly.”
“Mark, it’s been a pleasure serving with you — most of the time,” Councilperson Larry Moss added with a grin. “We’ve had our disagreements over the years, a couple of times, but it really has been a pleasure serving with you. Eighteen years we’ve sat here, staring each other down sometimes, but I wish you well and I thank you for your service.”
Mayor Jeff Scoby concluded the council’s thoughts, reflecting on the fact that Lehman, who would regularly conclude meetings by giving a local fishing report, will now have more time available for just that.
“You’ll be missed — even the fishing reports,” he said with a smile. “You often offer comments that are very objective. You often put variety in your voice out there, and that’s been much appreciated. I do wish you the best in your next endeavors.”
