Mayor

Welcome to the City of Gahanna

The City of Gahanna is a strong Mayor-Council form of government. The Mayor is popularly elected by the citizens of Gahanna and serves a four-year term. As the Chief Executive Officer of the City the Mayor is responsible for the management of the City and for ensuring that all laws and ordinances are enforced.  As part of the duties of Mayor appoints directors to each of the City’s departments, which are then responsible to administer the day-to-day operations for the City.

Mayor Laurie Jadwin was sworn into office on January 2, 2020. She and her family are long-time Gahanna residents, making Gahanna their home in May 1992, only two weeks before their first child was born. They raised two daughters in the Gahanna community (both graduating from GLHS). Through the years, she watched Gahanna grow from a small town to a community with many wonderful residents and businesses. 

For 30 years, she has volunteered in the Gahanna community while running her own law practice or as Executive Director of Visit Gahanna.  She has interacted regularly with representatives from cities and businesses all around the Columbus Region. 

Her experience, both in working with local businesses in Gahanna and in engaging with other communities, has helped her to understand the importance of smart economic development – that is, economic development that makes sense for the residents of Gahanna and for the business community.  As Mayor, her vision for Gahanna is for all residents and businesses to view Gahanna as a community where they have a home, not just a city in which they live or do business.

About Gahanna

The city derives its name from a Native American word meaning three creeks joining into one.  Gahanna is also the former name of the Big Walnut Creek.   The city was founded by John Clark in 1849 on the eastern banks of the Big Walnut Creek. The Town of Bridgeport, founded in 1853, was located on the western bank of the Big Walnut Creek and was a rival community to Gahanna.  The two towns eventually put aside their differences and merged into one.  In March of 1881, 55 citizens of Gahanna petitioned Franklin County to incorporate the village. The incorporation was granted in June of that year.  The Village then held its first mayoral election and on October 6, 1881, swore in its first mayor, L. John Neiswander.