VERMILION — City Council voted Monday to postpone Mayor Jim Forthofer’s proposed appointments to several city boards and commissions, deciding instead to let the incoming administration make the selections in January.
The mayor’s slate included appointments to the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Historic Design and Review Board, the Parks and Recreation Board, the Tree Commission, and the Vermilion Planning Commission. Most of the proposed terms would have extended through 2028, with one, Councilman Brian Holmes’ reappointment to the Planning Commission, running through 2030.
The proposed appointments were Pete Bahner to the Board of Zoning Appeals; Judy Doll, Tara Leslie, and Dan Pryor to the Historic Design and Review Board; Tina Swinehart, Liz Elden, Phil Dombrowski, Mark Musial, and Karen Viterna to the Parks and Recreation Board; Tim Costello and Anne Naugle to the Tree Commission; and Brian Holmes to the Planning Commission.
Letters from residents, including Bill McCarthy and Mayor-elect Russ Owens, were read into the record urging council to delay the appointments until after the new year.
Council members agreed the nominees were qualified but felt it was more appropriate to allow Mayor-elect Russ Owens and the incoming council to make those decisions after taking office.
Council President John Gabriel said the motion to defer was intended to ensure a smooth and transparent transition between administrations. The decision effectively blocks Forthofer’s outgoing appointments, leaving the positions to be filled after the first of the year.
The matter is expected to return to the agenda in January under new leadership
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