Rothbury council names Mike Harris president, Denise Kurdziel president pro‑tem; vacancy process set

Rothbury — The Rothbury Village Council on May 6 appointed Mike Harris as Village President and Denise Kurdziel as President Pro‑Tem, confirmed procedures to fill a vacant council seat and agreed to seek options for zoning administration.

Clerk Brandy Williams reported that Vern Talmadge’s resignation had been accepted, leaving a vacant council seat that, under council guidance and attorney advice, the council will fill by appointment only until the November 2026 election. Attorney Brennan Gorman told the council that the person elected to the president's position in 2026 would hold that post only until the 2028 election, when the regular four‑year presidential term would resume.

Autum Drake moved to appoint Mike Harris as Village President; Jim Fekken seconded and the motion carried with 5 ayes, 0 nays and 1 abstention. Dylan Zuniga moved to appoint Denise Kurdziel as President Pro‑Tem; Autum Drake seconded and that motion carried with 5 ayes, 0 nays and 1 abstaining.

The council also asked village legal counsel to provide a written opinion on whether the president holding the planning commission chair and zoning administrator roles could create an incompatibility of office; until that opinion and a future decision the current zoning and planning commission assignments will remain in place. The council agreed to post a request for proposals for a zoning administrator, allowing either an individual hire or a third‑party company to fill zoning-administration duties in the future.

The council did not vote on a replacement for the vacant council seat at this meeting; members agreed to accept in-person applicants at the next regular meeting.