Washington County Board of Elections Chair Dennis Sipe swore in Harley Noland to fill the at-large vacancy on Marietta City Council on Wednesday. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)

A former councilman will fill a vacancy on Marietta City Council.

Harley Noland was appointed Wednesday by the Washington County Democratic Central Committee to succeed Susan Boyer for an at-large seat on council.

While expressing much appreciation for Boyer’s service, the committee representatives voted unanimously for Noland to complete the two-year term that ends Dec. 31. Boyer’s resignation for personal and family reasons was effective Feb. 28.

Noland was sworn in by Dennis Sipe, chairman of the Washington County Board of Elections, Wednesday after the announcement.

Noland, of 434 Bellevue St. in the Harmar Hill neighborhood, served four terms as an at-large member of council in the mid-2000s. He ran for mayor in November 2019 against Joe Matthews and Mayor Josh Schlicher.

During his past time on council, Noland was chair of the Planning, Zoning and Annexation Committee and chair of the Lands, Parks and Buildings Committee.

Currently, he is chairman of the Marietta Planning Commission, is on the Marietta Income Tax Appeals Board and is president of the Armory Square Inc. board. He is resigning from those posts, in light of his appointment to council.

His community service also has included the Marietta-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau board and the Washington County Historical Society Board, among others.

He has been active in Marietta’s business community, with Historic Trolley Tours and the former Levee House restaurant among his enterprises.

When he served on council last time, Noland said, there were a lot of major projects accomplished: the Municipal Court building and renovation of the Armory, City Hall and the Wastewater Treatment Plant. This time around, American Rescue Plan Act funds have been a big help, but they’re a one-time shot.

He sees the real challenge this time as Marietta is slowly becoming a city of older people and fewer people. He’s seen school enrollment drop to less than 50% of what it was when he left high school in 1970. All of this is a major issue for city revenues and school funding. He thinks it’s a good time to get creative about how to get the population higher and the average age lower.

For example, realtors, school officials and city officials might be able to communicate and brainstorm on how to get the word out about Marietta, he said. After all, he said, it really is a very nice place to live.