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👥 Who: Niceville City Council, Heath Rominger, Doug Tolbert, Sal Nodjomian, Carl Donahoo, Bill Schaetzle
•📜 What: Swearing-in of two new city councilmembers as two longtime members end their terms
•📅 When: Monday night March 10, 2025
•📍 Where: Niceville City Hall
•❓ Why: Nodjomian and Donahoo chose not to seek re-election, making way for new leadership in the city council
Niceville said goodbye to almost 20 years of experience on the city council dais Monday night – but welcomed back an old hand and elevated a former planning and zoning commission chairman to take their places.
The pair were the only two to file for two council seats. Sal Nodjomian and Carl Donahoo announced they would not seek re-election.
Niceville general contractor, former city councilman, Navy vet, and 1988 Niceville Eagle Football State Champion Heath Rominger took the oath of office and returned to the city council. He previously served two terms on the council between 2010 and 2018. His wife, Caryn, and two children attended the ceremony, requiring them to attend a two-and-a-half-hour meeting beforehand.
Doug Tolbert, the longtime planning and zoning chairman, pilot, and the loser of the coin flip to take resigned former councilman Abner Williams’ seat, also took the oath. “That [oath of office] was much longer than the one I took to enter the Air Force,” the Montana native said with a laugh at the end of the ceremony as the audience chuckled.
Mayor Pro Tem Bill Schaetzle hagiographized outgoing city councilmembers Sal Nodjomian and Carl Donahoo and presented them with a wall clock to commemorate their services to the city.
“Please accept this desk clock, and it even is set on this at the right time,” Schaetzle joked about the clock to Nodjomian.
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Donahoo and Nodjomian told the assembled crowd they would still be in the area now that their terms have ended – but outlined very different goals for the future.
Former Councilman Carl Donahoo said he’d like to see everyone on Broadway – as he planned to take one of his wife, Jocelyn’s, books and turn it into a play for the stage.
“Thank you,” Donahoo said to the crowd, “the pleasure has been all mine.”
Nodjomian also thanked the crowd, city employees, and his fellow councilmembers for their service. He noted that he would continue to work at his company, Matrix Design Group, where he is CEO.
“I think it’s appropriate to move aside, let others get a chance to be up there. Share their ideas, share their thoughts. It’s been a great ride. I don’t know what I’m going to do with the second Tuesday of every month,” Nodjomian said.
