Jason Schantz likely will become the next mayor of Marthasville. According to city officials, an official appointment will be made during the March 21 board of aldermen meeting. Aldermen met with Schantz Monday evening to discuss the position. Schantz, a city resident for the last seven years, would fill the seat vacated by former Mayor Dale Verges, who resigned in December because of work obligations in Ohio. He will serve the remainder of Verges' unexpired term that concludes in April 2013. Schantz said he expressed interest in the position as he felt it was his civic duty. "When Dale (Verges) resigned, a number of people asked me if I was interested in the position, but I wanted to keep a low profile," he said. "I was interested in local issues and as part of citizenship, I feel you have to step into the breach. That's what keeps the country running." Schantz is currently employed with Environmental Services and Associates (ESA), which is contracted with the city for its water and sewer services. He has also previously worked for Boonslick Regional Planning Commission (BRPC). He said his experience gained from those jobs and his educational background in political science have given him perspective that could be beneficial to the mayor's position. "My current position allows me a lot more information on the city's infrastructure," he said. "With the water and sewer systems, those are hidden - literally and figuratively - and I'll have a different perspective on one of the more costly endeavors that the city faces." Schantz said he also gained experience while with BRPC, which assists local governments in Warren, Lincoln and Montgomery counties in a variety of matters. "That job gave me a lot of working knowledge on a lot of government issues and how to run meetings," he said. "It showed me some of the pitfalls and opportunities as well." Having a background with BRPC, Schantz noted that it would help the city stay connected to larger, regional stakeholders. He said local community governments need to expand beyond their borders whenever possible. "That provides more ideas and more opportunities to bring the city forward and I think I bring that to the table," he said. And while Schantz said he doesn't currently have an agenda or platform, he did say there were things that he wanted to see change in the city now and in the future. "During the board of aldermen meetings, I'd like to move efficiently and make the best use of everyone's time," he said. "If there's an issue someone can handle that doesn't need to be discussed at a meeting then we'll do that. "Down the road, I'd like to see new businesses in the city continue to grow," Schantz added. "I like to support local shopping and keep local funds here." He also mentioned that he liked the extended city hall hours as it provides a stronger communication with the city and its citizens - a link Schantz said was imperative to keeping the city moving in the right direction. "We have to think of anyway we can to make the citizens more aware of what's going on in the city," he said. "Not only here, but everywhere, I think grumbling starts to come from a lack of information. "When you look at the city with planning and investments for the future, I think it's critical that residents play a part in that," he said. "It needs to be community driven and led so we can create a vision of what we'd like Marthasville to be."