The Village Board has appointed Trustee Nick Ahlers to fill the remainder of Edward Chart’s term as Village President following Chart’s passing on December 4th. Ahlers’s trustee seat is now vacant, and the Board will be accepting applications to fill the vacancy. The term will run through April of 2025. Applications should be submitted to Village Administrator Betty Novy ([email protected]) by Friday, January 5th.
In addition, two of the three incumbents for Village Trustee whose terms expire in April of 2024, Chris Johnson and Leslie Kinsey, will not be running for re-election in the spring. The Village encourages any residents who are interested in running for Village Trustee for the 2024-2026 term to file candidacy papers by the deadline of 5:00 PM on Tuesday, January 2nd. Required papers include a campaign finance registration statement, declaration of candidacy, and nomination papers with 20-100 signatures of Village residents.
Interested candidates may choose to both apply for appointment and submit papers to run in the spring election. The Village Board will conduct interviews in open session and make an appointment to fill Ahlers’s trustee seat at their meeting on January 8th. An appointed candidate could then withdraw candidacy from the spring election if they had filed papers to run.
About the Village Board
The Village of Rochester is managed by an elected non-partisan Board of seven members: one president and six trustees. Officials are elected “at large.” Any qualified elector of the municipality is able to run for any seat. Qualified candidates must be at least 18 years old, U.S. citizens, and residents of the Village of Rochester, with no felony convictions.
Village Board members are responsible for managing village property, finances, safety, health, comfort, and the general welfare of village property owners and residents by: establishing broad policies and objectives; overseeing growth and development in the community; passing, amending, and repealing local ordinances; selecting, appointing, and reviewing the performance of village officials and employees; overseeing the budget of and distribution of taxpayer dollars; and accounting to taxpayers for the village’s performance. Helpful traits for Village Board members include: attention to detail, open mindedness, patience, and willingness to listen and learn; ability to work as a team and make decisions based on the best interests of the community; ability to speak and write clearly; ability to think critically; and a sufficient understanding of financial information to evaluate budgets and financial statements.
This is an opportunity for Rochester residents who would like to be more involved in their community to do so. Village Trustees are paid an annual salary of $4,700 and receive an additional stipend of $20 – $25 per meeting attended. Informational and procedural support will be provided to successful candidates. Anyone with questions is welcome to contact the Village Clerk-Treasurer’s Office at (262) 534-2431.