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Village of Jackson swears in president, confirms slate of committee and commission appointments
Summary
At its April 15, 2025, organizational meeting the Village of Jackson board administered oaths of office, heard brief remarks from the village president and approved a package of committee and commission appointments by voice vote.
Bridal Hechendorf was sworn in as village president and several newly elected trustees were administered the oath of office at the Village of Jackson organizational meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025. The board then ratified a slate of committee and commission appointments by voice vote.
Hechendorf, who thanked residents for their support, also recognized recent staff changes and new department directors. "It is an honor for me to serve the Village of Jackson," Hechendorf said, and she thanked village staff and volunteers for keeping operations running smoothly.
The organizational meeting set who will serve on standing committees and local boards that oversee finance, public works, planning, parks, tourism and other municipal functions. Most appointments were made by motion from the village president and approved by voice vote with no recorded roll-call tallies.
Votes at a glance: Appointments and outcomes
- Appointed Trustee Don Olsen and Trustee Tracy Wells to the Budget and Finance Committee for one-year terms expiring in April 2026; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Emerick; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Trustees Bridal Emmerich and John Kripke to the Personnel Committee for one-year terms expiring in April 2026; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Emerick; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Bridal Hechendorf as chair of the Board of Public Works and appointed Trustees Tim Englehart and John Kripke to the Board of Public Works for one-year terms expiring in April 2026; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Emerick; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Ryan Ganscho as a citizen member of the Board of Public Works for a three-year term expiring April 2028; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Englehart; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Trustees Brian Emrick and John Kripke to the Plan Commission for one-year terms expiring April 2026; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Englehart; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed John Molcantyne and Dan Reich as citizen members of the Plan Commission for three-year terms expiring April 2028; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Emerick; voice vote, motion carries.
- Reappointed Doug Elske to a five-year term on the Police and Fire Commission with a term expiring in February (year not specified in the record); motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Wells; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Trustee Tracy Wells to the Parks and Recreation Commission for a one-year term expiring April 2026; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Englehart; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Casey Lats as chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission for a three-year term expiring April 2028; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Emerick; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Larry Hamlin to the Tourism Commission for a one-year term expiring in 2026 and appointed Bernadette Buser as a citizen member of the Tourism Commission for a one-year term expiring in 2026; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Emerick; voice vote, motion carries.
- Reappointed Michelle Zack to the Residence Board for a five-year term (term expiration stated in the record as 02/1930, record may contain a typographical error); motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Olsen; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Trustee Tim Englehart to the Community Development Authority (CDA) with a term expiring in 2026, and appointed Tracy Keyes and Richard Toye as citizen CDA members to three-year terms expiring April 2028; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Olsen; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Larry Hatke and Mark Nolte to two-year terms on the Ethics Committee expiring in 2027; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Olson; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed Trustee Don Olsen as the Village representative and Trustee Debbie Kurtz as the alternate to the Mid Moraine Legislative Committee; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Emerick; voice vote, motion carries.
- Reappointed Trustee Tracy Wells as the school district liaison; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Emerick; voice vote, motion carries.
- Appointed John Vinsfield as chair and John Schoenick to the Zoning Board of Appeals for three-year terms expiring April 2028, and appointed Ethan Hollenberger to fill a remaining term expiring in 2026 vacated by Jason Marquardt; motion by Bridal Hechendorf, second by Wells/Emerick as noted in the record; voice vote, motion carries.
What the board said and what happens next
Hechendorf opened the meeting with remarks about change and thanked village staff, naming Village Administrator Jen Heitke and newly hired department directors Jack Strayler (public works) and Tyler Mentzel (parks and recreation). She also noted recent retirements among long-serving directors and expressed optimism about new personnel.
Most appointments will take effect immediately; several citizen appointees who were not present will be sworn in by the village clerk before their first meetings, the board noted. Where the transcript recorded only voice approval, no roll-call vote totals were provided.
The meeting contained routine reorganization business; no ordinances, budget votes or policy adoptions were recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.
