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Akron Fire will do away with the exam it once required for promotions throughout its departments and will lean on education, training, and seniority for advancement.

On Tuesday, Mayor Dan Horrigan, along with Deputy Mayor for Labor Relations Randy Briggs and Local 330 Lieutenant Russ Brode, announced the result of negotiations between the unions and the city; most of the recommended changes came from the Blue Ribbon Task Force, commissioned by the Mayor himself.

Ten years of legal battles over the now obsolete promotional tests have prevented the department from giving its city employees raises. The new education-based procedure provides a "roadmap for firefighters coming in now, to show how they can become officers in this department," says Deputy Mayor for Labor Relations Randy Briggs.

Mayor Dan Horrigan said, during the press conference outside Memorial Station 4 on E. Thornton St., "It's an historical day. I think we've reached an unprecidented partnership with our local unions." He went on to say of the new process, "The true focus is on talent development."

Along with Atlanta, Arlington, Virginia and Alexandria, Virginia, Akron is only the fourth city in the U.S. currently implementing this education and training-based promotion system. That makes them part of the "A-Team" as Deputy Mayor Briggs pointed out at the press conference outside Station 4 on E. Thornton St. downtown.

Longtime Akron City Councilman Mike Williams attended his final meeting Monday night after serving 28-years on city council.

Williams had to choose between running for mayor and running for re-election for his at-large seat.

But he wouldn't change a thing -- including his decision to run for mayor.

"The only regrets you have in life are the things you didn't try and that you didn't go for," said Williams. "It was very important to me. It's something that I always wanted to do.

Williams said he's still not sure what's in store for the future, but he plans to stay active in the community.

"This community has been wonderful to my family and it our obligation to give back, and it's the same thing I've taught my children."

The other members leaving council this year include Jack Hefner, DeAndre Forney and Jim Hurley who lost his seat in the primary.

Akron's Mayor-elect Dan Horrigan used his first press conference this morning, following his election win Tuesday, to announce details related to a new advisory board that will look into the city's financial and economic health.

"It's just not looking at things that are wrong, but also looking at things that are right and improving them," said Horrigan .

Horrigan announced that the city of Akron will be forming the Blue Ribbon Task Force, which will be led by Tim Ochsenhirt, a retired managing partner at Roetzel & Andress.

"We're going to look at the finances of the city. We're going to look at the operations of the city and some of the opportunities and risks that the city may face," said Ochsenhirt.

The task force will be comprised of several local leaders, including Dan Colantone, president and CEO of the Greater Akron Chamber and David James, superintendent of Akron Public Schools.

According to Horrigan, the task force has been asked to focus on the following areas:

· City finances

· City operations

· Personnel and human resource management

· Economic and neighborhood development

· Risk management

· Charter changes

The budget for the task force has been set at $300,000 to pay for consultant fees and the force itself, but details on the breakdown have not been released.

The task force is expected to present their findings to Akron City Council in February.