Bell names 3-person advisory group

TOLEDO, Ohio - Mayor-elect Mike Bell has started the transition process as he prepares to take the reigns as Toledo's next mayor.

In order to help with this transition, Bell has named a Transition Advisory Group that is currently made up of three people.

As of now, the staff consists of:

• Don Harbaugh, President of Toledo Molding & Die, Inc. and Member of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees.
• Joyce Chappel, former Director of Human Resources for the City of Toledo and former Director of the Ohio Department of Aging.
• Joe Walter, Director of the Lucas County Emergency Management Agency and former Director of Safety for the City of Toledo.

This group's job will be to make sure the mayor-elect's transition into office is orderly. They will also recommend a process to select choices for leadership and staff.

The three-person group will help assemble a larger team that will be responsible for interviewing and assessing existing city directors and commissioners. The larger Transition Team will also identify candidates for the chief of staff, Business Advocate and other positions. The group will also help identify a Director of Transition to head the process.

No list has been put together and no contacts have been made pertaining to any choices for staff positions in the new administration.

Bell's campaign headquarters is keeping up with minimal office hours throughout the week and will wrap up operations on Friday, Nov. 20.