Paddock Lake’s two vacant trustee seats will be filled by election in November, it was announced at Wednesday’s Village Board committee of the whole meeting.
Petitions for getting on the ballot will be able to be circulated starting in July, village administrator Tim Popanda said. If needed, a primary election to narrow the field to four candidates would be held Aug. 13.
In the meantime, the board will be reduced to four members because village President Terry Burns has resigned his position as of May 12.
Trustee Michael Rayniak died April 9. He had just been re-elected to a new term April 2. Trustee Barbara Brenner was also re-elected April 2, but notified the village that she is choosing not to be seated, village administrator Tim Popanda said.
Replacements for Rayniak and Brenner’s seats cannot be appointed because so much of their term — two full years — remains, Popanda said. Those seats will have to be filled through an election.
The president’s role will likely be filled on a pro tempore basis by a trustee, with the seat ultimately filled by election next April, Popanda said.
The need for a special election has been rare in Paddock Lake’s history. Longtime village attorney Jeffrey Davison said Wednesday that it has not been needed since an election for municipal judge in the 1980s.
