Rosencrans, who was serving his second term as Moraine’s mayor, was killed in a traffic collision Friday night as he waited to drive onto U.S. 35 in Dayton, police said.
“It’s very random and very senseless, this accident,” said Elaine Allison, Moraine’s deputy mayor who will now serve as acting mayor until a May 2011 special election.
Rosencrans, 61, originally from east Dayton, lived in Moraine for almost 30 years. He was elected in November after being recalled in 2007.
Rosencrans had been waiting to turn left from South Gettysburg Avenue onto a U.S. 35 entrance ramp when an oncoming car that was possibly drag racing struck his car shortly after 7:30 p.m. Friday, police said.
Two adults and a child in the other vehicle were injured and taken to hospitals. No charges were filed. The investigation could take several weeks, police said.
Moraine officials remember him as a man who served the city during its toughest times.
“He was able to continue to push through, no matter what issues came up and bumps on the road, he always remained committed to continue the goals for the city,” City Manager Dave Hicks said.
Deputy Mayor Elaine Allison will step in as acting mayor until a special election in May determines who the city’s next mayor will be until 2013. Allison will have the option to run for the mayor’s seat, or retain her current At-Large seat.
Surviving political ups and downs
Rosencrans grew up in east Dayton and moved to Moraine in the 1980s. A University of Dayton graduate, where he earned a degree in engineering, Rosencrans worked the bulk of his career at Bowser-Morner Inc. in Dayton.
He first ran for city council in 1991 and remained active in politics. In 2007 , Moraine resident Sonny Johnson led the recall of Rosencrans from his mayorship.
Johnson was then elected mayor in a special election and took office in July 2007, only to be recalled, himself, in 2008.
The County Board of Elections threw out petition signatures in a separate recall in 2008 aimed at keeping Rosencrans from completing his term as councilman because of problems that arose during the collection of those signatures.
Rosencrans returned to the mayoral seat after being elected in November.
“Bob always, always put the best for city first, no matter what — never a personal agenda of what would be better for his ward,” Allison said. “He was always looking out for the city’s best interest. That would sometimes require unpleasant decisions, but always for the best in keeping citizens at heart. ”
Proud of, grateful to his community
During city council meetings, Rosencrans often referenced well wishes to city residents.
He also thanked the community for its support while his son was serving in Iraq .
“He was so proud of his son and just became a grandpa earlier this year,” Allison said.
In July, when the city was in dire need of $700,000 to rebuild the Northlawn Avenue bridge, just west of Ohio 741, and finally secured that funding, Rosencrans shared that he “begged” anyone who could help out. The bridge otherwise would have remained closed for two years.
Rosencrans also pushed for the cleanup of the former General Motor’s Assembly plant, where the parking lots had become overtaken with weeds and discarded debris since GM entered bankruptcy and Motors Liquidation Co. took ownership of the site.
He promised residents that if Motors Liquidation did not come through in promises to cleanup the site, he would make sure the city did. A few weeks later, Motors Liquidation cleaned up the site.
Rosencrans is survived by his mother, as well as son, Wesley Rosencrans; daughter, Megan Rosencrans; and an infant grandson, Hicks said.
It is the second time in 10 years the city has to fill a council seat after a death. In 2001, Moraine City Councilman Ronald Payne and his wife, Margaret, died in a house fire.
“It is a tough time for the city,” Allison said. “It is so sudden.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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