SIDNEY — The city of Sidney will be holding a City Council Candidate Orientation program on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, starting at 6 p.m. for potential City Council candidates to get a solid foundation in local government management. The meeting will be held in the council chambers at City Hall, 201 W. Poplar St., Sidney.

During the orientation program, prospective candidates will be provided an organization overview, background on the council-manager form of government as well as a brief overview of city finances. Ohio ethics, public records and open meeting laws will also be discussed. Candidates will also be directed to additional resources available online to learn more about city government operations.

“This orientation meeting will introduce prospective candidates to the basics of city government operations to give them a solid foundation as they begin their campaigns,” City Manager Andrew Bowsher said. “While the candidate orientation program is somewhat new to this community, many communities in the state and nationwide offer this type of information session. All members of the public are encouraged to regularly attend city council meetings, but we especially urge prospective candidates to begin attending now to get a feel for the issues currently being debated.”

The city charter states that petitions for those individuals interested in being elected to city council may begin to circulate nominating petitions after May 1, during election years. The election this year will be for the three at-large seats. City council candidates must submit to the Shelby County Board of Elections nominating petitions signed by not less than 100 electors of the community.

Individuals interested in attending the City Council Candidate Orientation program should contact City Clerk Kari Egbert at [email protected] or 937-498-8148 to reserve a seat and ensure adequate materials are available.