DELAWARE, Ohio -- Two weeks ago, Gary Milner earned a second four-year term on Delaware City Council. Last night, he became mayor, unseating Windell Wheeler.

Milner, 52, not only bested Wheeler but also upset Vice Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle, who has lobbied to become mayor since 2005.

The City Council made the decision. It selects a mayor and vice mayor every two years.

Milner, who recently closed his sporting-goods business in Delaware, has been a council member since 2005.

On Nov. 3, he finished second to Riggle in the election to help fill the three at-large seats. Riggle secured 24 percent of the vote in that race; Milner had 23 percent; and Wheeler, who had been mayor since 2002, followed with 17 percent. The three incumbents bested four challengers.

But in last night's vote by council members, Milner topped Riggle, earning approval from council members Andrew Brush, Lisa Keller, Jim Moore and himself. Wheeler voted for himself, and Riggle received her own vote plus that of Joe DiGenova.

But Riggle also was unseated as vice mayor, a position she had held since 2005. Wheeler was elected vice mayor with votes from himself, Brush, DiGenova, Keller and Moore.

After the meeting, Milner expressed surprise with the outcome.

"You never know," Milner said, adding that he hadn't polled his colleagues beforehand. "I never called anybody."

Riggle, on the other hand, said she had called her fellow council members and asked for their support. As the top public vote-getter in the 2005 and 2009 elections, Riggle had said she wanted the council vote to mirror the public's.

"I'm very disappointed," Riggle said after the meeting.

Milner said that although the mayoral position is a largely ceremonial one, he hopes to use the post to streamline council meetings and to improve communications with the public.

Also at last night's meeting, City Manager Tom Homan introduced his staff's preliminary recommendations to pare Delaware's budget to $21.2 million next year, from $22 million.

The budget proposes a wage freeze for nonunion employees and the layoffs of six union employees.

Public hearings will begin at the council's next meeting on Monday.

janeehawes@verizon.net