It was a full house at St. Marys City Council as a federal official from Washington D.C. traveled out to Auglaize County. On Monday evening, United States Ambassador for the Embassy of the Republic of The Marshall Islands, Charles Paul, spoke to council and residents. Ambassador Paul's visit was due to public concerns made in the October 28th council meeting that Marshallese communities are buying churches in St. Marys to house multiple families. In an interview last Friday with St. Marys Mayor Joe Hurlburt Jr., Mayor Hurlburt stated that a church was previously purchased but only as a place for worship. After council, we spoke with Ambassador Paul about what key messages he addressed.

A United States ambassador to the Marshall Islands will be traveling to St. Marys to address public concerns raised at the October 28th St. Marys City Council meeting. According to St. Marys Mayor Joe Hurlburt Jr., several members of the public raised concerns that Marshallese communities are buying churches in St. Marys and surrounding communities to house multiple families.