O'Donnell Retires from Avon Lake City Council
09/04/2024 – Avon Lake City Council President Martin O’Donnell announced his resignation from City Council after 21 years of elective service with 13 years as Council President.
“My wife and I would like to have more time to travel and spend time with family, stated O’Donnell. I would like to thank the Mayors and Council Members I have served with, the safety forces, and city employees who make this a great city to live in and raise a family.”
O’Donnell was responsible for the establishment of the Community Development Department which streamed lined planning and zoning under one department to assist new and present businesses in Avon Lake. He founded the Avon Lake Dog Park, the Concerts in the Park, and the Avon Lake Community Council. The Community Council is 24 organizations in Avon Lake that assist each other with community activities and have awarded the Citizen and Project of the Year in Avon Lake over the past 14 years, for which he is the President.
“I am very proud of major legislation that our Council designed and implemented, and other cities copied. I have been fortunate to have past and present quality Council Members.
The legislation was related to deer culling, stricter dog laws, the Jobs Growth Program, and increased fines and penalties on drivers passing school buses when stopped.
In 2007, O’Donnell and former Councilman Nick Brusky of Amherst had an unvoted sales tax passed by the County Commissions rescinded. “We went out and collected 13,000 signatures to put the unvoted tax increase on the ballot and the public voted 79% to reject the tax. We saved residents thousands of dollars,” said O’Donnell.
O’Donnell was recognized by Cleveland State University with the David C. Sweet Award by their Leadership Academy Society. He also served 12 years on the Lakewood School Board being Board President for three of those years and retired as the Interim Director of the Cuyahoga Child Support Enforcement Agency in
2003. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University and Cleveland State University Leadership Academy.
“I would like to thank the residents of Avon Lake; it’s been a privilege and honor to serve the community. The city has a great future with the redevelopment of the power plant property, completion of the ALPS project next summer, and the redesign of Weiss Field.
