Members of Powell City Council selected Tom Counts to serve as the City’s new mayor and Heather Karr as the vice mayor, both serving two-year terms.
Mayor Counts has served on City Council since 2006, fulfilling the role of Mayor during the 2008-2009 term. In addition, he has served as the chairman of the Finance Committee. Before serving on City Council, Tom served on the Board of Zoning Appeals for five years and then on the Planning and Zoning Commission for five years. Tom is married to Carolyn Eselgroth and has two daughters, Abby and Rachel. Tom and his family have been Powell residents since 1995. Tom is a lawyer and is employed as real estate counsel to the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.
“It is an honor to once again serve as mayor of the Powell community,” said Mayor Counts. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on City Council, our staff, and the members of the community as we continue to make Powell a great place to call home.”
Vice Mayor Karr has served on City Council since 2020. She serves on the Finance and Community Diversity Advisory committees. Heather and her husband, David, and children Hannah and Nate, have lived in The Chase subdivision in Powell since 2002.
The Mayor is the presiding officer of the City Council and is recognized as the head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes. The vice mayor of Council presides over Council meetings in the absence of the Mayor.
Two new members and two incumbents of City Council took their oath of office during the first meeting of the year. Leif Carlson and Tyler Herrmann, and two incumbents – Ferzan Ahmed and Heather Karr – were elected to City Council during the fall 2023 election.