By Jordan Puckett
Sun staff
Jim Rees was chosen to fill the council seat that was recently vacated by longtime member Donna Gunn during the regular village council meeting on June 13.
Rees has been a resident of the Bethel area for the last 14 years. He has lived in the village for three years. Before moving to Bethel, Rees lived in Milford and was an active member of the community.
“I’m pretty much a community activist,” Rees told village council. “I like to be involved in the community…I worked in horticulture for 30 years and had a couple of businesses since then.”
Council then voted unanimously to appoint Rees to council. Mayor Alan Ausman swore him in as a new council member and Rees took his seat with the rest of the council.
“I’ve always been involved in my community, but never from the government side,” Rees said after the meeting. “I just want to be able to use my expertise to help my community.”
When asked if he had any specific goals for the village, Rees said he did not.
“I just want to serve my community as best as I can,” he said. “I want to get on the team. I’m not in it to make me. I’m in it to make the village.”
Gunn’s position of vice mayor also had to be filled during the council meeting. Council woman Amy Planck nominated Jeremiah Hembree for the seat, a motion that was quickly met with a second from council member Lily Shepherd. The rest of council voted for Hembree to take the position of vice mayor.
“Thank you for your vote of confidence,” Hembree said later in the meeting. “I look forward to continuing to serve the community.”