Hiram council appoints Juan Fernandez to fill vacant seat after 3-2 vote

The Hiram Village Council appointed Juan Fernandez to a vacant council seat in a 3-2 vote following an executive session on personnel matters Tuesday night. Council convened the closed session at 8:15 p.m. under Ohio Revised Code §121.22 and reconvened at 8:45 p.m., after which the council took two recorded nomination votes.

David Smith moved to nominate Chris Cobb; Ed Frato-Sweeney seconded the motion and the nomination failed on a 2-3 vote. Justin Bisutti then moved to nominate Juan Fernandez; Christopher Perme seconded and the nomination passed 3-2. The minutes record the council’s exit from executive session at 8:45 p.m. and adjournment at 8:47 p.m.

Mayor Anne Haynam presided over the meeting. The minutes do not record additional debate about the nominees during open session; the nominations occurred immediately after council reconvened from the personnel session. The council’s action filled the open seat without a public vote; procedures for swearing in and any subsequent administrative steps were not specified in the minutes.

The meeting minutes were attested by Fiscal Officer Megan Fogel and Mayor Anne Haynam.