Ortonville – In March 2004, any village resident may have a deciding voice in the community’s future by winning a seat on the Ortonville village council.
In a town of more than 1,300 residents there are many voices and many ideas available to be shared with the community.
A simple election packet sits between endless winter nights watching reruns from your village living room or actually playing a role in the future of the village in which your sofa rests.
Hopeful candidates must complete an Affidavit of Identity and fulfill a village resident petition requirement in order to be included on the March 2004 ballot.
The packet can be picked up from the village office at 476 Mill St., and returned to the village no later than 4 p.m. Nov. 25. The last day to withdraw from the election is Nov. 28.
This year four members of the village council, which is made up of seven residents, will be finishing out their council terms and will be up for re-election in March.
While not actually filling the seats for a full four- year term, council members Harold Batten and Tom Peters were both appointed to their seats more than a year ago, when the spots were left empty for more than six months. Both seats? terms are up in 2004.
Gina Joy Roemer is another incumbent appointed to council in June after Carrie Fisher resigned for personal reasons. Fisher’s term would not have expired in the spring, so Roemer must run again to win the remaining two years of the term. Village officials say, an appointed council member must run for the seat on the first election subsequent to the appointment.
Current Village President Sue Bess has been on the council for more than 14 years, and is at the end of the required two-year term for council president. If she wishes to remain as council president, she must run again in March.
Kay Green has been on the council for more than 10 years; during six years she served as president pro-tem. Green is at the end of her four-year term and must run again for the council seat and then rely on council re-appointment to maintain pro-tem standing.