Hanwell gives final State of the City before retirement

Sept. 9 was a day of mixed emotions for public officials, local business owners and other community members who visited Williams on the Lake to hear Mayor Dennis Hanwell present his final State of the City address before his retirement.

Hanwell will retire after 42 years of service to the city of Medina — 26 years with the Medina Police Department and 16 years as the city’s mayor.

“I worked six years as a police officer with the Medina Police Department, two as a sergeant, five as a lieutenant and 13 as chief,” he said. “The mayor is also the safety director in the city, so it made sense to me when Mayor (Jane) Leaver decided not to run that being somebody with a safety forces background would be helpful.”

In his final address, Hanwell cited establishing a customer service model and the city’s collaboration with other municipalities and organizations as highlights of his tenure, calling them keys to keeping Medina a great place to live, work and visit.

“I do the welcome at Leadership Medina County every year, and I share with them that collaboration is contagious,” he said. “Once you see that collaboration works in this, then it works in this, then it works in this, other people start doing the same things, and before you know it, everybody’s working together for common goals.”

These collaborations have included a large donation to Spring Grove Cemetery, community events through Main Street Medina, the renovation of Medina High School and the Medina Community Recreation Center, the addition of six pickleball courts at Root Middle School, service partnerships with neighboring townships, the creation of the Miracle League Field with the Medina Lions Club, and the creation of the Medina 9/11 Memorial with Medina Rotary, among others.

Hanwell recalled other highlights from his mayoral career as well, including the city’s collaboration with Castle Noel, Main Street Medina, the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce and the Medina County Convention and Visitors Bureau to provide a special Christmas event for residents of Chimney Rock, North Carolina, affected by Hurricane Helene in 2024. He also noted Medina’s hosting of the Great Race in 2022, where the city was selected as the best lunch stop by participants.

The city’s financial achievements were also recognized in the address. Hanwell said the city’s total income tax collections in 2009, when he was elected mayor, were $12,409,204, while collections in 2024 totaled $21,056,849 — a 70% increase in 15 years.

Additionally, the mayor recognized the addition of new businesses in Medina in recent years, such as the opening of Acme Fresh Market and Meijer and the groundbreaking of the Legacy Hotel.

Following the address, the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce presented a video of numerous elected officials, business owners and other community members paying tribute to Hanwell by recalling memories shared with him and wishing him a happy retirement.

As Hanwell looks forward to the next chapter of his life, he offered a message to the residents of Medina as they await the passing of the torch to the city’s next mayor after the Nov. 4 election.

“I thank them for their trust in me, both as their police chief and electing me four times as mayor, for their support, for their encouragement, for their prayers,” he said. “I want them to continue to talk with city leaders about what they’re happy with, what they think needs addressed, and to equally support those that are newly elected into the positions.”