Northfield council appoints Alan Hipps president pro tem after earlier deadlock

The Village of Northfield Council unanimously appointed Councilor Alan Hipps as president pro tem for 2025 after earlier nominations failed to meet the two-thirds majority required by the village charter.

The meeting, called to order by Mayor Jenn Domzalski, began with two competing nominations. Kevin Lewis moved to appoint Alan Hipps; that motion failed on roll call. Jesse Ferko then moved to appoint Gary Vojtush; that motion also failed to attract the two-thirds vote needed under Village Charter Section 4.04, Law Director Brad Bryan said. “The motion failed due to its not receiving the required two-thirds majority required by Village Charter Section 4.04,” Bryan explained at the time.

Councilors considered postponing the decision but agreed to revisit the matter at the end of the evening. The council entered executive session at 7:58 p.m. to discuss appointment matters and labor negotiations under Ohio law. After returning at 9:11 p.m., council made a new motion to appoint Hipps; the roll call recorded in the minutes shows the motion carried and Hipps was appointed president pro tem for 2025. The meeting adjourned at 9:13 p.m.

Why it matters: The president pro tem serves as the council’s presiding officer when the mayor is unavailable and is a key internal leadership role for setting committee assignments and handling procedural matters. The initial deadlock illustrated a procedural requirement in the charter that can require broader support for leadership nominations than a simple majority.

What’s next: The minutes record the appointment and note no further follow-up actions tied to the selection. Any changes to committee assignments or duties would appear on future meeting agendas.