By Eamon Baird

[email protected]

PIQUA — Mayor Cindy Pearson, second ward commissioner, and Fifth Ward Commissioner Kazy Hinds oversaw their last Piqua City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12.

Hinds, elected to the commission in 2016, is finishing her second term, where she also served as mayor. Pearson began on the commission in 2020, and was appointed mayor on May 4, 2022.

Pearson and Hinds will serve on the Piqua commission until the end of the year and will be replaced by Paul Simmons, second ward, and Frank DeBrosse, fifth ward, on Jan. 1, 2024.

During the next Piqua City Commission meeting on Jan. 2, 2024, the five commissioners will elect one commissioner as the next mayor of Piqua to serve a two-year term.

While reflecting on their time as commissioner, Pearson and Hinds expressed excitement for the future of Piqua, particularly with the city’s Lock 9 project scheduled to be completed in 2024.

“We have so many positive things going on right now in our city that we’re moving forward with. The Lock 9 project is going to be huge. We have already adopted the rental program, we have a new information officer, and she is going to put the word out and talk about all the great things happening in Piqua. I think that seeing all of this happen is just very exciting. And I think our citizens are excited about it. It’s a great time to be right here in Piqua,” Pearson said.

“Our riverfront for our citizens is such a benefit for our community. And when I was mayor traveling up and down the Miami Valley, there were a lot of communities that were not poised on the riverfront that would love to have the river coming through their community. And we’re so lucky to have that and to and to use it for our you know, for economic development and for the betterment of our citizens,” Hinds said.

When asked about the biggest challenges faced as the commissioner Hinds and Pearson expressed keeping a positive mindset and open communication.

“I think sometimes our citizens need to look at all the positives that are going on. There’s always negative you can find; that’s the reality of life, but the more positive we are about our own lives, the more positive we are about our city, the more positivity that spreads with other people,” Hinds said.

“The first thing would be communication. I think it’s frustrating for that of our systems to figure out what’s going on on Saturday night. Is there something going on downtown? Or is there an event that we can attend, my kids can go to getting the word out,” Pearson said.

They also provided words of wisdom to the commissioners’ who will be assuming their positions.

“The first thing is to listen and to really hear what’s going on, so as things come up, decisions may have been made, and there may be some reason behind that so that you have some idea. It’s also important to look back on where you’ve been as you try to envision yourself. and I think good leaders are ones that listen first,” Hinds said.

“Get involved as much as you possibly can. That means attending board meetings. Go out and talk to citizens. I enjoy that the most when we have a ribbon cutting, and we have a chance to meet that store owner and find out where they’ve been and why they’re in Piqua. What brought them here to open a store. It’s so exciting. So I think that that’s one of the big issues is to get out and meet the people and talk to them and problem solve,” Pearson said.

At the end of the meeting, Pearson acknowledged the public while reminding them to take the

“I want to thank everybody. It’s been a pleasure to serve this community,” Pearson said. “It was a great place to live, work and play. Thank you.”