Lima's new Mayor will be sworn-in to office on November 29th, becoming the first African American and first woman mayor in the city's history.
Sharetta Smith will take her oath of office at November 29th at 10 am at the Veterans Civic Center. Justice Melody Stewart, who is the only African American woman to be elected to the Ohio Supreme Court, will be administering the oath of office to Smith. Smith was hired to be Mayor David Berger's Chief of Staff in 2016. Besides helping run the city, she was instrumental in getting the Lima housing task force started to help address the residential needs in the city. Even though she will be sworn in on Monday, her first day as mayor will be on December 1st.
Berger is leaving his seat on November 30th as the longest serving mayor in Lima’s history. He was also the most contested elected official ever in lima, facing opponents for the mayor's seat seven of the eight elections he won.
“You know that I always considered those elections as job interviews with the public,” says Berger. “They had the opportunity, and I had the opportunity to engage with them. It was a vigorous process, and we were successful.”
Berger served as Lima’s mayor for 32 years.
