Ortonville- The village has a new clerk.
The council voted 6-1 at their June 8 meeting to hire village resident Heidi Barckholtz as the new part-time clerk at a rate of $17 per hour.
‘I am flattered and excited,? said Barckholtz, 36. ‘It’s a new opportunity and the village is important to me, so I am excited to work for them. My main goal is to learn the job the best I can and do the best job I can for the village.?
Barckholtz has no previous experience as a clerk. She has been an administration assistant for Freedom Adult Foster Care in Clarkston for the past 6-and-a-half years, with her duties including bill paying, and maintaining employee files, hard copies of bills and checks, and answering phones. Previously, she was a corrections officer with Eaton County for 3-and-a-half years. Barckholtz has completed 100 college credit hours at Lansing Community College and Oakland University, studying criminal justice and general studies. She is married to Terry and has three children.
Councilmember Mary Kassuba, the lone dissenting vote, said she has nothing against Heidi personally, but voted the way she did because the position was never posted.
‘I just don’t think that’s the way it should have been done,? Kassuba said. ‘Other people should have had the opportunity to put their resume out for it.?
Quisenberry acknowledged the position was never posted. He said other candidates were considered, although they ‘may not have known? they were being considered.
Barckholtz is scheduled to begin work June 15 and replaces Julie Alexander, who resigned last month to take another position.