Lima City Council honors Samaria Hall for Ultimate Preteen Nationals success

The Lima City Council held its regular meeting on July 14, 2025, where several key resolutions and discussions took place, highlighting community achievements and ongoing city matters.

The meeting commenced with a resolution honoring Samaria Hall, an 11-year-old fifth grader from Liberty Arts Magnet School, for her remarkable accomplishments in the 2025 American Ultimate Preteen Nationals. Samaria earned the title of 2025 Midwest Ultimate Preteen and achieved first runner-up at the national competition in Indianapolis. The council expressed pride in her achievements, emphasizing her leadership and entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated through her lemonade stand and custom bracelet business. Council members praised her poise and determination, with several offering personal congratulations and encouragement for her future endeavors. The resolution passed unanimously with an 8-0 vote.

Following this, the council moved on to Resolution 925, which expressed appreciation for retiring Police Chief James Baker for his dedicated service to the Lima Police Department and the community. Although Chief Baker was not present at the meeting, the council acknowledged his contributions and planned to present him with the resolution.

The meeting also included a consent calendar, where Councilor Jordan moved to receive and approve item A, which passed without opposition. Additionally, Councilor Jones proposed referring communication number 2 to the Economic and Community Development Committee for further discussion regarding the city zoning code, which was also approved.

The meeting concluded with a call for public participation, but no members of the public, including Charles McDonald, were present to address the council. The session wrapped up with reports from officials, including updates from the Lima Police Department's DARE program.

Overall, the meeting underscored the council's commitment to recognizing community achievements and addressing city governance matters, with a focus on fostering pride and support for local youth and public service.