CHAUNCEY, Ohio — Amy Renner resigned as Chauncey’s mayor effective Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. The village will discuss next steps at a meeting this evening.
Renner said she announced her resignation at the December council meeting.
“I’ve been serving Chauncey for over seven years, and as my kids are getting older, it’s just gotten really hard for me to juggle a full time job and motherhood and then also being mayor,” she said. “I just could not juggle it all anymore.”
After serving on the village council, Renner was first elected mayor in 2019, defeating incumbent Robert Mattey. She was unopposed for the position in 2023. Renner attempted to challenge Charlie Adkins for a seat on the Athens County Board of Commissioners, but the Athens County Board of Elections rejected her petition.
Renner oversaw the village through major changes, including the growth of the Baileys Trail System, redevelopment of the nearby park, and ongoing major infrastructure upgrades to the village’s sewer system.
“Seeing all the kids playing [at the Chauncey-Dover Trailhead Park], it’s just something that brings me so much joy – but also just the infrastructure,” Renner said. “Roads, water, sewer – these are things that prevent communities from economic development, from quality of life initiatives that they want to work on. … I really focused so hard on just getting Chauncey to a place where they could start working on more important initiative initiatives. And so, to have the sewer line replacement project underway, and roads all paved, it just felt like a huge achievement for Chauncey, and I think that it’s going to be a lot easier now for them to be more sustainable moving forward.”
Council members spoke highly of Renner’s achievements for the village.
“I really think that everything she did really lifted Chauncey up,” said village council member Evelyn Nagy. “She really moved us forward.”
Council member Connaught Cullen highlighted Renner’s dedication to applying for grants to fund improvements, citing the sewer and park projects, as well as an upcoming downtown revitalization project.
“She accomplished a lot for the village,” said Cullen.
Village solicitor Jonathan Robe spoke highly of Renner’s term as mayor, too.
“Of course, no politician is perfect, but of all of the people, I think Mayor Renner really poured her heart and her soul into our community, and sometimes without getting credit,” Robe said. “I think her administration tried to do the fair and just things as best as she could.”
Renner works for the Rural Community Assistance Partnership as its community development senior program manager, providing consulting support to rural and tribal communities across the country. She said she “would never have gotten that job if it wasn’t for the success that I had with Chauncey,” adding that “it’s so much fun” to support rural communities every day.
Renner’s term was set to expire at the end of 2027. Under Ohio law, the village council president serves as mayor pro tempore until a new mayor can be chosen in the next regularly scheduled municipal election. Therefore, in Chauncey, Tammy Hawk will act as mayor until the village elects someone in November to fill the remainder of Renner’s unexpired term.
Hawk declined to comment for this story, offering to speak after the January council meeting.
Cullen said she hopes Chauncey’s next mayor can build on Renner’s legacy.
“I’m hoping the next person can continue to [apply for grants], because there are more things the village needs that we don’t have money for,” Cullen said.
Meanwhile, Nagy said, it’s now up to the council to continue Renner’s work.
“I’m really hoping that the council that we have and the new council that we elect are ready to work together to keep going with that momentum that she created for us,” Nagy said.
Chauncey Village Council will meet tonight, Thursday, Jan. 9, at 5:30 p.m. at the Chauncey Dover Volunteer Fire Department, 40 Converse St.
Note: This story has been updated since its initial publication to include additional comment from Renner. The story has also been updated to provide additional information about Renner’s employment.
Disclosure: Robe completed and filed incorporation papers for Southeast Ohio Independent News, the nonprofit that publishes the Athens County Independent. He also has provided the Independent with legal advice.
