Michael Bell (mayor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael P. Bell
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| 61st Mayor of Toledo, Ohio | |
| In office January 4, 2010 – January 4, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Carleton "Carty" S. Finkbeiner |
| Succeeded by | D. Michael Collins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1955 (age 69–70) |
| Political party | Independent |
| Residence | Toledo, Ohio |
| Alma mater | University of Toledo |
Michael P. Bell, born in 1955, is a former mayor of Toledo, Ohio. He served as mayor from 2010 to 2014. Before becoming mayor, he was the Fire Chief for Toledo and the State Fire Marshal.
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Michael Bell's Early Career
Michael Bell started his public service career in 1980. He joined the Toledo Department of Fire and Rescue. He began as a firefighter and later became a certified paramedic/EMT.
In 1990, he was chosen to lead the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department as its Chief. He was the first African American to hold this position. He was also the youngest person ever to become Chief. He stayed in this role for more than 16 years.
Achievements as Fire Chief
Under his leadership, the Toledo Fire Department earned a special honor. It received Accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation. Only the best fire departments achieve this certification. Michael Bell is also a member of the International Fire Chief's Association. He received the President's Award for his work to make the department more diverse.
Serving as State Fire Marshal
In 2007, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland appointed Michael Bell as the State Fire Marshal. In this important role, he started a program called "Everyone Goes Home." This program focused on keeping firefighters safe. The "Everyone Goes Home" program won the Seal of Excellence Award. This award came from the Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives Program.
Becoming Mayor of Toledo
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In 2009, Michael Bell decided to run for mayor of Toledo. He ran as an independent candidate. This meant he was not officially part of a major political party. He ran against Keith Wilkowski, who was a Democrat.
On November 3, Michael Bell won the election. He became mayor by a small difference of only 2% of the votes. He officially started his term as mayor on January 4, 2010. He was the second African-American mayor in Toledo's history.
Re-election Campaign
In 2013, Michael Bell ran for mayor again. However, he lost this election to Councilman D. Michael Collins. Mr. Collins won with 56.5% of the votes, while Mr. Bell received 43.5%.
The final count showed 28,002 votes for Mr. Collins. Mr. Bell received 21,535 votes. About 25.4% of registered voters in the city participated in this election. Michael Bell's term as Mayor of Toledo officially ended on January 4, 2014.
