City Council

City Council consists of seven elected officials who represent all residents living with Hilliard city boundaries. As Hilliard’s legislative body, City Council sets policy, establishes goals, and oversees the municipal government’s annual budget.

Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month in Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, 3800 Municipal Way.

  • Agendas and minutes: Information about upcoming and previous meetings are available online.
  • Keyword search: It is also possible to do a keyword search for specific legislation or action from previous meetings. Note that the documents found in this search are not an official copy. For official, signed copies, contact Clerk of Council.
  • Speaking before Council: To speak before City Council, residents and others are asked to sign in on a form provided by the Clerk of Council. All speakers must maintain civil conduct and only address topics they designated when signing in. Contact the Clerk of Council with questions or for more information.
  • Contact City Council: Email City Council with your thoughts or concerns.

City Council meets as a Committee of the Whole as necessary to consider board and commission appointments and to discuss topics of interest, required legislation before its introduction at a regular Council Meeting, potential legislation, or any other matter. All such meetings are subject to public meeting laws. A Committee of the Whole meeting may be called by the President of Council or upon request of the City Manager.

City Council Members

Headshot of Albert Iosue Frank L. (Les) Carrier has served on Hilliard City Council since being elected in 2013. His community service has included membership on the Hilliard City Schools’ Audit and Accountability Committee and the St. Brendan School Advisory Board.

Les currently works for Arcadia Settlement Consulting Group, using his 30 years of insurance claims and litigation experience in his position as a structured settlement consultant for the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic Regions.

Les began his insurance career in 1994 at Nationwide Insurance Company in Columbus as a casualty claims representative. He later worked as a litigation claims manager within Nationwide’s Specialty Claims operation. In that capacity, he managed claims and litigation that included casualty, material damage, and product liability for 27 western U.S. jurisdictions and Canada.

Les is a graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law and a member of the Ohio State Bar Association. He is a member of the National Structured Settlement Trade Association (NSSTA). He received his undergraduate degree in business administration from Ohio University, is a Certified Structured Settlement Consultant (CSSC), and secured his master’s degree in structured settlement consulting (MSSC) from Notre Dame Mendoza business school.

Additionally, Les has earned the Associate in Claims (AIC) professional designation, a nationally recognized educational program consisting of four courses and national exams that covers the handling of insurance claims. His most recent professional designation supports planning around governmental benefits and personal injury settlements, earning his CMSS designation (Certified Medicare Settlement Specialist.)

Les, his wife, Heather, and their two children, Molly and Sean, moved to Hilliard in 1998. They are active members of St. Brendan Parish in Hilliard and enjoy the many wonderful school activities in our community.

His term runs through December 31, 2025.


Headshot of Kelly McGivernAfter recently retiring from a career managing projects for a Central Ohio publishing company, Tina Cottone is now ready to help the City of Hilliard chart its course for the future in other ways as a member of Hilliard’s City Council.

Tina was elected to her first term as a member of City Council in November 2021, and says she is honored to have this opportunity to serve the Hilliard community and its wonderful citizens.

“As our city continues to grow, I will be a voice for the community to implement changes at the city level that reflect the wants and needs of all the people who live here,” she said.

Tina has been a regular volunteer at the Hilliard Food Pantry, delivering monthly grocery items to people in senior living communities. She is currently the secretary of her homeowners association, and frequently bakes casseroles and cakes for people who need help.

With her free time, she enjoys spending time outside walking, gardening and playing with her two Maltese dogs, Tank and Max. Tina is part of a book club that introduces her to books that are not mysteries. She loves public art and is a big fan of modern dance.

She graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in English.

She and her husband, Rick Adams, have lived in Hilliard since 2010.

Tina’s four-year term runs through December 2025.


Headshot of Kelly McGivernNot only is Peggy Hale the only board-certified emergency medical physician to have a seat among the members of Hilliard City Council, she also is the only officially trained ninja among the seven elected officials!

Peggy was elected to her first term on Council in November 2021 on a platform that included an emphasis on health and wellness – a natural fit, considering her experience as an ER physician, a former teacher in grades 6-9, and a mother of two young boys.

She also was a member of the Healthy Hilliard PAC, the community group that advocated for the passage of the 2021 Issue 22 income tax increase, which earmarked funds for recreation and parks – including the construction and operation of the City’s planned Community Center.

“As a doctor, I am a huge proponent of health and wellness. I will always support the health and wellness of our community,” Peggy said.

Peggy even competed to be on the TV show “American Ninja Warrior” in 2017, making her the only person to ever be both an elected City of Hilliard official and a ninja.

She is actively involved in the community, including serving as the Good Tidings Christmas Store Donation coordinator, Cornerstone Christian Fellowship E-learning director, UALC Community Garden volunteer, SON Ministry/FESTA Dinner Angel, and guest lecturer at English as a Second Language classes.

Peggy is a Hilliard City Schools lecturer for Just-in-Case (topic: anti-discrimination) and composting, volunteer at Hoffman Trails Elementary, and a volunteer doctor at Vineyard Free Clinic. She operates a pro-bono telemedicine clinic for the homeless, uninsured or underinsured individuals; is a food pantry volunteer; is a guest lecturer at Cross Sports at the Ohio State University; and is a Younglife/Wyldlife host.

She was named Chief Resident for 2009-2010, Resident of the Year in 2007-2009, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital Resident of the Year in 2010. She was a participant in the third annual Paul Ambrose Health Promotion Student Leadership Symposium, was a recipient of the Paul Ambrose Health Promotion Grant, and was a National Merit Scholar.

Peggy earned her bachelor’s degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree from the Midwestern University of Osteopathic Medicine in Glendale, Arizona.

She and her husband, Matt, have two children. They have lived in Hilliard since 2012.

Peggy’s four-year term runs through December 2025.


Headshot of Pete MarshPete Marsh is originally from Bowling Green, Ohio.  After receiving an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Notre Dame in 2003, Pete moved to Columbus to pursue a master’s degree in landscape architecture at The Ohio State University.

Pete began his professional career as a landscape designer for Buck & Sons Landscape Service, a Hilliard-based landscaping company. After acquiring 13 years of experience, Pete founded Blue Oak Patio & Landscape in Hilliard in 2018.

Before his appointment to City Council in early 2018, Pete was an original member of Hilliard’s Environmental Sustainability Commission (ESC).  The ESC serves as an advisory body to City Council on sustainability matters, and for the last three years Pete served as ESC Chair.  Pete was also a member of the Board of Directors of Destination Hilliard for two years before his appointment, serving the last year as treasurer of the organization.

Pete is an active member of St. Brendan the Navigator parish, where he regularly volunteers to assist the Garden and Landscape Committee.

Pete lives in Hilliard with his wife of eight years, Beverly. Pete and Beverly have three energetic daughters.

His term runs through December 2023.


Headshot of Omar TaraziOmar Tarazi was appointed in March 2019 to fill a vacancy on Hilliard City Council. He was re-elected to a new term starting in 2020.

He has lived in Ohio for 29 years and in Hilliard since 2009. He and his wife, Heather O’Bannon, have raised their children in Hilliard. Two are Eagle Scouts and two currently attend Hilliard schools.

He received his undergraduate degree in business administration from Franklin University.

He graduated cum laude from Dayton Law School with honors in dispute resolution and has been a practicing attorney in Central Ohio for more than a decade, serving the legal needs of families, small business, and nonprofits.

Before joining City Council he served on the Hilliard Board of Zoning Appeals. He continues to serve on both the Ethics Committee and Admissions Committee of the Columbus Bar Association.

Omar Tarazi is currently City Council President.

Tarazi’s term runs through December 2023.


Headshot of Andy Teater Andy Teater was elected to Hilliard City Council in January 2018. Before his election to City Council, Andy was a member of Hilliard City School Board for 12 years. He served as board president for three years and vice president for four years. Andy was recognized as the 2017 “Friend of Education” by the Hilliard Education Association.

Andy and his wife of 30 years, Phyllis, have three children who are graduates of Hilliard City Schools. Rachel is a graduate of The Ohio State University and currently a graduate student at Vanderbilt University. Dan attends Anderson University and Sarah attends The Ohio State University.

Andy is an active member of Meadow Park Church of God and has been an Ohio High School Football official for 30 years.

In his professional career, Andy owns Teater Relocation Services and has been involved with relocation assistance for the past 31 years, working with families and businesses that have been displaced by public projects.

His term runs through December 31, 2025.


Headshot of Cynthia Vermillion

Cynthia Vermillion began her first term on Hilliard City Council in January 2020.

She believes effective local government agencies must take steps to involve community residents, seeking their ideas and input, and that bold steps are often necessary for the betterment of a community.

Cynthia is a first-generation American who was raised in San Diego, Calif., by parents who taught her the importance of hard work. Her father started a small wrought iron furniture manufacturing plant in Tijuana, Mexico, while her mother stayed home to take care of her and her three older siblings.

In 2004, Cynthia, her husband, and four children – Rebekah, Sarah, Christian and Madeline – relocated to Hilliard.

In 2014, she and her husband became involved with a group that fed the homeless of Columbus every week. In 2015, they were asked to lead this activity, which they did on a bi-weekly basis for almost 2 1/2 years, serving up homemade meals and gathering donations of blankets, clothing, and other supplies. She believes this service has been one of the most rewarding and eye-opening experiences of her life.

Cynthia received her bachelor of science degree in telecommunications and film from San Diego State University. She works for Coldwell Banker King Thompson as a licensed real estate agent.

She serves as chair of Progress Hilliard, a local progressive group, and is vice president of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Columbus. She has been a member of Columbus Board of Realtors since 2015.

Cynthia Vermillion is currently City Council Vice President.

Cynthia’s term runs through December 2023.

Clerk of Council


Headshot of Diane Werbrich

Diane Werbrich, MMC serves as Hilliard’s clerk of council.

The Clerk of Council acts as a liaison between the City Administration, City Council and its boards and commissions. The Clerk of Council is responsible for preparing meeting agendas and packets, preparing minutes of all meetings of Council, and distributing information to City residents. The Clerk of Council is also responsible for responding to Public Records Requests.

Diane Werbrich came to the City from Moraine, Ohio, where she served as Clerk of Council from 2015-2020. Over her tenure with the City of Moraine she also served as Fire Division Secretary from 2008-2014 and Deputy Clerk of Council from 2006-2008.

She served as President of the Ohio Municipal Clerks Association (OMCA) 2018-2020, is current Past -President of OMCA, she obtained her MMC in 2019, is a member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC), and earned her Athenian Fellow Certificate.

She worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1983-1997 and received the Career Intelligence Medal upon her departure.

Unless noted, City Council meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month.

  • January 11
  • January 23
  • February 13
  • February 27
  • March 13
  • March 27
  • April 10
  • April 24
  • May 8
  • May 22
  • June 12
  • June 26
  • July 10
  • August 28
  • September 11
  • September 25
  • October 9
  • October 23
  • November 13
  • November 27
  • December 11

Important Documents

Legislative Bulletins

The Hilliard City Legislative Bulletin is published under the authority of the Hilliard City Charter and at the direction of the Clerk of Council.

The Legislative Bulletin contains ordinances and resolutions acted upon by City Council. If noted within the ordinance or resolution text, supplemental support documents, such as exhibits, are available upon request to the Clerk of Council at 3800 Municipal Way, Hilliard, Ohio 43026 or CouncilClerk1@hilliardohio.gov. For copies of past issues please contact the Clerk of Council.

Government Links