West Liberty Village Council appointed resident Patty Kauffman as the new council member for the sixth position. Council interviewed three residents — Patty Kauffman, Sam Park and Dan Klaas — for the position during Monday evening’s regular meeting.
Councilwoman Jayne Griffith said she admired Kauffman’s willingness to help.
“She offered to do whatever she could do to help council,” Griffith said. “She was honest and frank and has been to meetings before and is willing to learn.”
Mayor Chance Carroll added that Kauffman came off as very open-minded.
“This community matters to me,” Kauffman said during her interview. “I want to be in on the scuttlebutt.”
Kauffman said recently she’s lived in West Liberty for 1.5 years, but raised her sons there and has had ties to the area for a long time.
She told council she has a pragmatic way of thinking.
“I’d like to think, ‘Is it practical?’ and ‘How will it benefit the majority of the people?’”
Something she’d like to see improved is communication from the council to the community — by way of more prompt meeting minutes.
“I’m a pair of helping hands,” Kauffman said simply. “I don’t know what I would be able to do, I just know that I want to help out.”
Jeremy Keller was also appointed to fill the first open council position.
In other business, Councilwoman Jill McKelvey will be acting mayor until Jan. 21 as Carroll will be out of town. McKelvey was also selected as council president for 2020.
Council also passed resolutions to contract with
• LeVan’s Excavating for a waterline extension project at a cost of $144,616; and
• with Fletco Construction for $47,971 for demolition of the water treatment plant.
In addition, there will be a Splash Pad fundraiser Thursday, Jan. 16, night from 5 to 10 p.m. at Brewfontaine, 211 S Main St., Bellefontaine.