HUDSON, Ohio — Hudson officially has a new chief executive, with City Manager Thomas Sheridan having the "interim" tag removed from his title on Wednesday.
City Council unanimously approved Sheridan's permanent appointment, selecting the former assistant city manager following a nationwide search for candidates. Sheridan had been overseeing the office on an acting basis since March, when his predecessor Jane Howington resigned.
"Thom Sheridan has the experience in the community, the respect of an overwhelming majority of his coworkers, and the trust of Council, which will all help him succeed in the City Manager role," Council President Chris Foster said. "Combined with his tenure, engineering mindset, and fact-based attitude, I cannot image a more qualified individual."
Sheridan has been a member of Hudson's government for more than a decade, first overseeing the city's annual budget as city engineer from 2008-17. He was then promoted to assistant city manager under Howington, managing capital projects and community development with the engineering department now answering to him.
However, Sheridan was thrust into the spotlight last spring when Council voted to suspend Howington following several clashes with legislators and "consistently below average annual evaluation review scores." Howington ultimately chose to step down, and Sheridan assumed the role temporarily before Council decided he was the man for the job.
Sheridan released the following statement:
"I am truly honored the Hudson City Council unanimously selected me as the new City Manager to lead the city. Hudson is a vibrant and historic city with the finest schools and neighborhoods, world-class companies, and a safe place to live. As a long-time employee of the city, I understand the historic characteristics of the city, and I will strive to protect the charm that makes Hudson an excellent community in which to live, work and visit. I am dedicated to driving economic development to help support the Council's goals for the future, and I will ensure the excellent service all of our employees provide the city."
The hiring of Sheridan seems to close a book on a bizarre saga that saw Hudson's city manager and mayor both resign within weeks of each other. In an unrelated incident during the same meeting where Council voted to suspend Howington, then-Mayor Craig Shubert raised eyebrows and made national headlines when he claimed ice fishing could lead to prostitution. Shubert asserted his comments were "grossly misunderstood" but left office shortly thereafter, citing the recent death of his wife and also saying his role was "complete."
Under Hudson's charter, the city manager holds the bulk of the administrative powers while serving at the pleasure of Council. While the mayor is elected by citizens and voices concerns at council meeting and elsewhere, he or she is not able to vote or enact legislation.
Sheridan currently lives with his wife and four children in Stow, whose government he previously worked for in a variety of engineering positions. The family will now relocate to Hudson as he takes his new job.
