South Russell Council appoints Mark Porter to fill vacant seat

The Village of South Russell council voted to appoint Mark Porter to the council seat vacated after Misha Alexander’s resignation, and Porter took the oath of office.

Council members said they interviewed eight applicants on 02/14 and 02/16 before selecting Porter. An initial resolution read aloud named Porter as the appointee, but the village solicitor later advised that the procedural waiver used to expedite the resolution required a larger supermajority than had been recorded. Council corrected the process by making and seconding a motion to appoint Porter and then confirmed the appointment by roll call; the motion passed with five ayes and one no. "Mark Porter is hereby appointed to the office member of council of the village of South Russell for the unexpired term ending December 31, 2029," the resolution read on the record.

Porter then recited the oath of office on the council floor, swearing to support the constitutions of the United States and the state of Ohio and to faithfully discharge the duties of his office. Council members thanked the other applicants and encouraged them to consider service on village boards or committees in the future.

The council noted that the accelerated appointment process followed advertising and interviews conducted earlier in February. The solicitor advised the council that if the required waiver threshold could not be met, the body could instead appoint Porter by motion, which is the action the council took to finalize the appointment. No other substantive condition or contingency for the appointment was stated on the record.

The council moved on to other business after Porter was sworn in; officials said they would record the procedural change and ensure the appointment paperwork is completed.