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Messenger photo by Kristy Zurbrick
Mary C. Sanders attended her first meeting Aug. 21 as London City Council’s new Ward 3 representative. |
London City Council’s newest member has 41 years of experience working with the public.
Mary C. Sanders, 84, was chosen Aug. 13 by the Republican Central Committee to fill council’s Ward 3 seat, left vacant after the death of former councilman Robin Reed. Sanders is a registered Republican.
“I am interested in and I care about what happens in London,” said Sanders. “I also felt we should have a woman on council. Quite often, a woman sees things differently.”
Born in Kentucky, Sanders lived in Columbus before moving to London where she has lived for the last 62 years.
She was a teacher for 26 years, the last 16 of which she spent as a seventh- and eighth-grade math and science teacher for London City Schools. She retired in 1974.
“As a teacher, you work with all kinds of people and all kinds of problems, and you have to find reasonable solutions to those problems,” Sanders said.
She is a member of the Madison County Retired Teachers Association and a lifetime member of the Ohio Education Association.
Sanders’ public service also has included six years as a member of the board of trustees for Madi-Lon Youth Inc., a group that works with and for organized youth groups of Madison County. As president, she dealt with the Ohio Secretary of State and Attorney General’s offices for various filings.
After serving nine consecutive years on the board of directors for the Madison County Senior Citizens Center, Sanders decided to give herself a break.
“I’ve spent the last two-and-a-half years with no obligations, but I didn’t feel like I was contributing,” she said. “So, when the council vacancy came about…I thought, ‘I am experienced.’ So, I applied and I got the job.”
Sanders describes herself as an open, honest and ethical person who will represent not just the residents of Ward 3 but the residents of London as a whole. In general conversations with people in the community, she said the two topics that come up often are street conditions and trash around town.
Sanders was sworn in at the Aug. 21 council meeting. She will serve the remainder of Reed’s term, which expires at the end of 2009.
She was one of two Ward 3 residents who expressed interest in the seat. Richard Wood, an independent, was the other.
