Heyeck's Last Gavel. Coombs' Promises.

City Council Honors Mike Heyeck and Coutanya Coombs for Their Service

Tuesday’s city council meeting ran a little longer than usual as members of council, city staff and residents took time to congratulate Mike Heyeck on his 40 years of service and Dr. Coutanya Coombs on her four years of contributions to the community. The extra time was well spent.

Councilmember Mike Heyeck

For Heyeck, the evening marked the end of an era. After nearly four decades in public service, including 32 years on council, he wrapped up his final meeting with the same steady presence that defined his tenure. He took with him the original plastic nameplate issued to him 40 years ago when he first joined the city’s Transportation Committee. That small piece of plastic carried the full weight of his career.

His closing remarks centered on gratitude, purpose, and the belief that public service matters. He opened with a Bobby Kennedy line that guided his approach to leadership: “Some see things as they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were and ask why not.’

He dedicated his work to his mother, thanked the mentors and friends who helped shape his path, and spoke warmly of his wife, Fernanda, and his family. He highlighted the contributions that defined his time on council. Balanced development, the North Westerville plan, strengthened financial practices that earned and maintained AAA bond ratings, and steady investments in first responders. He pointed to Westerville’s parks, trails, and Uptown as the city’s crown jewels. He reminded the room that every achievement was a shared effort shaped by teamwork and the city’s council manager form of government.

Heyeck also noted a promise he made from the start. For all 32 of his years on council, he donated every stipend to local charities including WARM and the Westerville Parks Foundation. His final check was delivered tonight.

He closed with words from Theodore Roosevelt on stepping into the arena, then ended with a line from St. Paul: “I have competed well. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.” With thanks to the city he served, he asked for a motion to adjourn his final meeting.

Councilmember Coutanya Coombs

Coombs preceded Heyeck with remarks that were candid, firm, and filled with gratitude. She reflected on her four years on council as an honor she will never forget. While the election result was not what she hoped for, she accepted it with humility and appreciation for the trust residents placed in her.

She spoke about public service as an act of trust. For four years, residents asked her to help guide the city’s future, and she worked to honor that trust with integrity, careful listening, and a willingness to lean into difficult conversations. She acknowledged moments when the work became political in ways she believed distracted from who council was meant to serve, yet she remained proud of what she and her colleagues accomplished with city staff during her time on the dais.

Coombs noted the credentials and experience she brought to the role and how they shaped her commitment to ask hard questions and focus on long-term outcomes. She spoke about the value of blending youth and experience in leadership, a balance she hoped future councils would embrace.

She credited Chairman Heyeck for giving her confidence early in her term and acknowledged the shift that will come with his retirement. She reminded the room that change does not erase the progress made together.

Her remarks moved between appreciation and challenge. She highlighted ongoing issues she will continue advocating for, including housing affordability and environmental concerns affecting residents near the southern edge of the city. She urged the new council to approach the role with preparation, professionalism, and an understanding that the seat carries real weight.

She addressed residents directly, thanking those who supported her, challenged her, or pushed her. She said their engagement made her a stronger leader and a better person. Stepping off the dais, she made it clear she is not stepping away from the work. She will continue to advocate, continue to speak up, and continue to care because she lives here too.

Coombs ended with a line that captured her voice fully. She would not drop the mic, she said, because she did not want to pay for it. She would simply set it down. Then she closed by saying, “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

The Westerville News is a reader-supported publication by Gary Gardiner, a lifelong journalist who believes hyper-local reporting is the future of news. This publication focuses exclusively on Westerville—its local news, influence on Central Ohio, and how surrounding areas shape the community.

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