Next Monday marks not only the next regular meeting of the Village Council, but also the swearing in of the four individuals that voters chose during the Sept. 11 election.
Douglas Dendel (running as a write-in; 92 votes) and Kenneth Van Portfliet (92) will return to council, and will be joined by newcomers David Churchill (94) and Robert Reetz (86). Ron Zilka was fifth in the voting with 67 votes.
For newcomer Reetz, he is ready to get started and has a few initiatives that he would like to see completed.
‘I want to get in, get acclimated, get my feet on the ground,? he said, adding that he hopes to see the council work to better control rental properties throughout the village by regulating with ordinance enforcement. He would also like to see the downtown utilize some of its vacant space as a place for bikers and skateboarders to go to.
Incumbent Van Portfliet, who, over the years, has spent a total of 14 years on the board, sees his focus being on the budget.
‘I hope that our new council will a stronger fiscal responsibility in the future,? he said, adding that it’s ‘important for the village to remain sound.?
Van Portfliet also plans to look forward a little more in terms of parks and recreation, as well as business development and opening more lines of communication with the township.
Personally, Van Portfliet said he was disappointed with voter turnout.
Just 151 of the village’s 2,071 registered voters (or 7.29-percent) turned out for the Sept. 11 election. These numbers were down from the last village election, held in 2005, when about 13-percent of the voters turned out.
‘I would like to see more voters,? Van Portfliet said, adding that he hopes more individuals get interested in the processes of local government.
In the meantime, Van Portfliet, Dendel and Churchill, having received the three highest number of votes, will start serving their four-year terms, with Reetz carrying a two-year term.
According to Village Clerk Arlene Nichols, who credited the election workers for the smooth and well-operated election, not only will the candidates be sworn in on Sept. 24, but the nominations for the positions of president and president pro tem will also be on the agenda that evening.