SIDNEY — City Manager Mark Cundiff was presented with an official certificate of the Guinness World Record for a new record set in September 2019 for the number of people opening drink cans simultaneously. The event was held in conjunction with the county’s bicentennial celebration.
The presentation was made Monday by Sidney Mayor Mike Barhorst, Sidney Council member Steve Wagner, who chaired the event, and Shelby County Commissioner/event Co-Chair Bob Guillozet during Sidney City Council’s hybrid-style teleconference meeting.
The Guinness World Record was set for 2,344 cans of water popped at the Sidney Memorial Stadium on Sept. 18, 2019. The former record was set in 2019 in Japan when 1,204 cans were opened.
Barhorst noted — although the world record setting event occurred over a year ago — they are just now receiving the certificate because of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and also the fact Sidney was misspelled on the first certificate sent. Several copies of the certificate have been distributed among the entities involved to make the event happen, including Sidney City Schools, as Sidney Memorial Stadium was the location of the event. Also, the Shelby County Commissioners, the Shelby County Historical Society and Stolle Machinery, where the machinery to develop ‘pop-top’ cans was developed, received copies, according to Sidney City Clerk Kari Egbert.
Guillozet and Wagner both said achieving the record would not have been possible without a lot of hard work and help. They both also thanked all involved.
Barhorst joked the Shelby County’s Bicentennial celebrations went off without a hitch, while Sidney’s 2020 Bicentennial celebrations have not gone as well. Due to the ongoing issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Sidney’s Bicentennial celebrations continue to be delayed. Barhorst said the city of Sidney should be in good shape for holding various celebration events next year in 2021.
In other business, city council members gave a round of applause honoring and thanking Fire Chief Brad Jones, who is retiring on Nov. 10, for his service. Monday’s City Council meeting was his last meeting as the Sidney Fire chief. His last day in uniform will be Friday, Oct. 16, as he will take vacation during his remaining days as a city employee.
Cundiff reminded council members about Jones’ open house, an invite-only event. There will be a flag ceremony to honor Jones for his 27 years of fire service.
Deputy Fire Chief Chad Hollinger will assume the interim fire chief position until a new chief is named as Nov. 10 approaches. Cundiff is currently in the hiring process, and plans to name a new chief very close to Nov. 10.
Also, city council went into an executive session to consider the employment of a public employment. No action was taken by council after the session.
After the executive session, Barhorst invited council members to participate in a food distribution day set for Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Shelby County Fairgrounds. The event is being co-sponsored by the Agape Distribution, the Shelby County United Way and the West Ohio Food Bank.
