Piqua City Commission to appoint Fourth Ward Commissioner

Vol. III, No. 226 - The sitting four commissioners will choose from a pool of four applicants

The Piqua City Commission will soon choose one of four neighbors from Ward Four to join them on the City Commission, and each person brings a different mix of work, life, and community experience to the table. This choice matters because the person they select will speak for Ward Four on city issues and help shape decisions that affect daily life in Piqua.​ The choice is necessary since there was no candidate in the Fourth Ward Commisison race last year. Since the seat can not remain vacant, it is up to the remaining commissioners to appoint an individual.

Philip Wead has lived in Piqua for about thirty years, which gives him a long view of how the city and Ward Four have changed over time. He graduated from Piqua Central High School in 1970 and later earned an associate degree in industrial management, then went on to spend his career in the food service industry, including roles as an operations manager and team leader where he twice earned an Operations Manager of the Year award. Philip is now retired and has been active in his church community at St. Mary and St. Boniface Parishes, volunteering with youth and taking part in parish programs, experience that may shape how he listens and responds to families and young people in the ward.​

Rhett Dziech has lived in Piqua for about twenty years and brings a strong technology background to his application for the Ward Four seat on the City Commission. He graduated from Piqua High School and the Upper Valley Career Center in 2004, where he focused on computer information technology, and later added industry certifications such as CompTIA A and Network, Cisco coursework, and Microsoft Office training. Over the years Rhett has worked in a variety of information technology roles, including owning a local computer store for twelve years and serving as director of information technology for an auto group, as well as providing tech support in manufacturing and service settings, and he currently serves on the city’s utility board, giving him direct experience with city operations and public service.​ Mr. Dzeich is also the operator of the popular www.piquanewsnow.com platform and often records City Commission meetings for social media.

Sabastian Karabinis represents a much younger voice, having graduated from Piqua High School and Edison State in 2024 and living in Piqua for about nineteen years. His application highlights leadership roles in school activities, including serving as a senior leader for the golf team and show choir, leading a project to build a fence in a Covington park, and holding the position of senior patrol leader in Boy Scouts, experiences that asked him to organize people, manage projects, and see plans through. Sabastian has also volunteered as a poll worker in the 2025 election and regularly helps at the Bethany Center, and he writes that many young people are giving up on the community and that he wants to spark change by getting his generation more involved in making Piqua a great place for everyone.​

Jane Hart has lived on Washington Avenue in Piqua for more than five years and is also seeking to serve Ward Four on the City Commission. She notes that she is retired and does not have prior service in city government, but she brings experience from some college study in business management and a professional background in information technology support. Jane describes her community involvement through everyday neighborhood life and local activities, such as taking part in the annual neighborhood garage sale, volunteering for trash pick-up at Fountain Park, supporting “shop local” efforts, and previously serving as a Girl Scout troop leader and active PTO parent, which suggests she is used to working with families, children, and neighbors to meet shared goals.

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