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Hiram work session: planning commission chair resigns after 19 years; staff reports full compliance on GBI audit and outlines 2026 appointments
Summary
Council discussed 2026 appointments (city attorney contract, standby judges, indigent defense counsel, conflict prosecutor), learned the planning commission chair resigned after 19 years, and heard from staff that the city passed its fifth GBI audit with full compliance. A motion to join the work session was made; no vote is recorded in the transcript.
City of Hiram officials reviewed several administrative items at the work session, including 2026 appointments, a planning commission leadership change, and a staff audit report.
Speaker 7 outlined 2026 appointments and said the city attorney's contract was uploaded to the portal and scheduled for a December 2 vote. Judge Plumlee's letter recommending McCreary and McLaughlin as standby judges was noted. Speaker 7 identified Linda Caldwell as the indigent defense attorney and named Victoria Aronaut in connection with the prosecutor role; Speaker 7 said a conflict prosecutor would be appointed (Brubaker would step in if Victoria has a conflict).
Speaker 1 announced that, "for those of you who don't know because it just happened today," the city manager and the chairman of the Poly County Planning Commission had resigned, and that the chair had served 19 years: "After 19 years on the planning commission, he decided he's had enough." Speaker 8 praised Jody's effectiveness as planning commission chair and cautioned that his departure would leave "huge shoes to fill."
On administrative compliance, Speaker 7 reported the city had "passed or found in compliance our fifth g non criminal justice GBI audit," adding that staff were "100 percented" in the review and praised staff diligence. Elizabeth (staff) assisted in assembling the files for the audit.
Procedurally, Speaker 3 moved to join the work session and Speaker 1 seconded the motion; the transcript does not record the outcome of that motion. The next council meeting is set for Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. in the same building, and city offices will observe a short holiday closure later in the week.
