Posted by Dave Dykema - email
OTTAWA, OH (WTOL) - The arrest of Kenneth Maag earlier this week on solicitation for prostitution charges has led to some complicated developments in Ottawa.
Maag is running uncontested for re-election in November but it's too late for anyone else to get on the ballot.
The deadline for write-in candidates to get on the ballot was this past Monday and no one submitted their name.
If Maag stays on the ballot, he could be re-elected.
If he takes his name off, no one would be on the ballot.
If that happens whoever is council president in January would then be named mayor, according to council member Deb Bauer.
In the meantime, Dean Meyer is the Acting Mayor of Ottawa.
"It's one of those things that nobody ever expected. I mean I sure didn't. Kenny's been a great mayor for 20 years. You know, this just comes out of the blue for me," Meyer said.
City council has received a letter from the attorney for Maag, saying Maag needs a temporary leave of absence because he can't perform his duties as mayor.
Council voted unanimously to make Maag's leave unpaid.
Bauer called on Maag to do the "right thing" and step down.
"A lot of things happen to human beings and they made decisions and they think consequences will not occur and then sometimes consequences do occur. And this could be just an incidence of some bad decisions," Bauer said.
Meyer said, "It's a black eye for the village. It sure is."
Bauer also called on Maag to remove his name from the November ballot, but Maag's attorney said Tuesday that Maag will not resign his position.
Maag's attorney did enter a not guilty plea in court on the solicitation charges Wednesday.
