Fort Wayne City Council President Russ Jehl stepped down as council head Tuesday night.
Jehl cited his work travel schedule as his reason to step down from leadership.
He recommended that Councilman Geoff Paddock take the gavel for the rest of 2025, citing leadership.
"Jeff, you and I started on council together 14 years ago. You are the right person, the right experience at the right time to finish out the year and lead the Fort Wayne City Council," Jehl said. "You are a statesman and a unifier."
Jehl is a Republican and Paddock is a Democrat.
Jehl recommended fellow Republican Vice President Marty Bender be elected to the position at the beginning of 2026.
But as the council took their votes to approve of Paddock in the interim, the two other democrats on the council expressed hope that he is considered for leadership again in the future.
Sixth-district Councilwoman Rohli Booker led on that point.
“We're all looking at the state legislature to fix the mess that they have made of our budget. How much further would our messaging go if we had bipartisan leadership advocating for the things that we need in this city and in our community?," Booker said. "I would like for us to remember this spirit of bipartisanship when it is time to do these elections for 2026.”
The motion for Paddock to serve as president for the last few meetings of the year passed unanimously, with Councilman Dr. Scott Myers absent.
