Board expected to appoint someone on May 20
By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
jnewell@mihomepaper.com
OXFORD TWP. — The Oxford Township Board of Trustees will interview seven candidates for an open trustee seat during a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. May 20.
The seat became open after former Trustee Jeffrey M. Omtvedt submitted his resignation to Supervisor Jack Curtis in an email dated April 2, with an effective date of April 9.
Omtvedt, who was elected as township trustee in the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election, wrote that he is resigning his position “due to a personal matter.” The board officially accepted Omtvedt’s resignation during its meeting on April 9.
The interviews had originally been planned for the board’s May 14 regular meeting but the township changed that plan after residents Emily Busch, Patti Durr, Allison Gorman, James Lopiccolo, Ronald Meyer, Paul Schapira and James Sommers all applied for the open seat.
“To ensure each of the seven applicants is given adequate time for a proper interview, the township felt it best to schedule a special meeting for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 20. Immediately following the interviews, the township board will select an applicant to fill the seat,” said C.J. Carnacchio, Oxford Township communications and grants manager.
Trustee candidate interviews are open to the public to attend.
“Based on the timing of the acceptance of the resignation, the resident appointed to fill the vacancy will serve until the Nov. 3, 2026 mid-term General Election at which time the trustee position will be determined by a vote of the registered voters of Oxford Township and Village of Oxford to serve the remainder of the elected Oxford Township trustee position,” Curtis stated.
Oxford residents who wish to run for the seat in the Nov. 3, 2026 mid-term election will have to circulate a valid nominating position and secure the minimum number of qualified signatures in order to be placed on the ballot. Whoever is elected in the Nov. 3, 2026 election will serve the remainder of Omtvedt’s four-year term until the November 2028 election.
If the board does not appoint someone to fill Omtvedt’s seat within 45 days of accepting his resignation it would trigger a special election, and the township would have to pay for the election.