By Diane Smith
Record-Courier staff writer
For a few days in early January, the city of Ravenna will be without a mayor.
Mayor Kevin Poland has said he plans to resign on Dec. 31, because he will take the oath of office as a Portage County Municipal Court judge at noon on New Year’s Eve.
However, Law Director Frank Cimino said that no matter when Poland takes his oath of office, he will remain mayor until 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31.
“He is not going to hold two offices at the same time,” he said. “He doesn’t start his term as judge until midnight on Jan. 1.”
Normally, the City Council president automatically would become mayor, and would be sworn in on Jan. 4, when council holds its first meeting of the year. However, Council President Fran Ricciardi, citing a conflict of interest because of his work as an assistant Portage County prosecutor, said he would not accept even an interim appointment.
Therefore, the city will be without a mayor until one is appointed from among council’s members at the Jan. 4 meeting.
Cimino noted that this will not be the first time the city has been without a mayor. When former Mayor Paul Jones resigned at the end of 2005, Poland was council president, but he was not sworn in as mayor until Jan. 3, 2006.
At its Jan. 4 meeting, the agenda calls for the four council members elected in November’s election to be sworn in. They are Joe Bica, Amy Michael, Frank Seman and Sharon Spencer. They will choose the new mayor along with councilmen Scott Rainone, Jack Ferguson and Bruce Ribelin.
Council will go into executive session to discuss appointment of a mayor, then reconvene to elect a mayor to serve the remaining two years of Poland’s term. The new mayor is expected to be sworn in at about 7:30 p.m., with the regular city council meeting following.
Poland’s replacement will serve until his term ends at the end of 2011.
Once council appoints one of its members to serve as mayor, the resulting vacancy on council will be advertised and a new council member will be appointed to the vacant position.