Avon

By Rebecca Turman

Clint Pelfrey will serve the city of Avon as council president for the next two years.

At the Jan. 3 organizational meeting of Avon City Council, the majority of council voted to have Pelfrey serve as president of council for his two-year term.

During the meeting, Councilman Dennis McBride nominated Pelfrey. Councilman Kevin Ward nominated Councilman Dan Zegarac for the position. Ultimately, Councilmen Bryan Jensen, Dan Urban, McBride and Pelfrey voted for Pelfrey.

This is Pelfrey’s fourth term on Avon City Council. For his first term, he served as council president after receiving the most votes out of the three elected council at large members.

For the past four years, Councilman at Large Craig Witherspoon served as council president.

Just after Pelfrey was voted into the president position last Monday, he thanked Witherspoon for his dedication to the city.

Once Pelfrey assumed the role of president, he added several items to the Jan. 3 agenda, including the appointment of the council clerk, assistant council clerk and council treasurer positions.

Prior to City Council entering into an executive session, Assistant Clerk of Council Gail Hayden spoke on Clerk of Council Ellen Young’s behalf.

“I worked closely with Ellen and I see daily all her job entails,” she said. “She brings 10 years experience to the job. She really goes the extra mile to help. She has exceptional computer skills and writing skills. She knows about the procedures. As a recycling coordinator, she’s done and amazing job. Ellen is very dedicated to the city and to her job.”

Before council started the executive session to discuss to personnel, Witherspoon asked that Young be permitted to sit in on the executive session “if discussion is about her future employment.”

Pelfrey agreed to Witherspoon’s request.

Ultimately, after more than an hour-long executive session, council members voted to reappoint Young and Hayden to their positions, along with reappointing Barb Kraus as the treasurer.

During the Jan. 9 City Council meeting, Pelfrey said Kraus notified city officials of her plans to retire after 28 years with the city.

“(Barb) has done a wonderful job serving the city,” Pelfrey said.

Kraus plans to stay on until the middle of April to help train her replacement, he added.

Because of the long executive session during the Jan. 3 organizational meeting, council members then voted to “recess” the organizational meeting until Jan. 9.

When council reconvened the organizational meeting Monday night, the following appointments were approved:

Council Committees

Finance Committee Chairman: Dennis McBride

Legal Committee Chairman: Dan Urban

Service Committee Chairman: Bryan Jensen

Safety Committee Chairman: Craig Witherspoon

Economic Development Committee Chairman: Dan Zegarac

Parks & Recreation Committee Chairman: Kevin Ward

Appointment to boards and commissions

ADA Review Board: Dennis McBride

French Creek Development Association: Bryan Jensen

Lorain County Community Alliance: Dan Urban

Lorain County Office on Aging: Craig Witherspoon

Senior Citizens’ Advisory Commission: Clint Pelfrey

Parks and Recreation Commission: Craig Witherspoon

Planning Commission: Bryan Jensen