Newton Falls mayor submits resignation, leaves for new government job

Mayor submits resignation, leaves for new government job

NEWTON FALLS -- After nearly four years as mayor in the village, Kenneth Kline has submitted his resignation and will be leaving effective today for a new career.

Councilman John Baryak, who served as vice president of council, assumed the duties as mayor.

At the beginning of a special council meeting Monday, Kline left his seat and announced to the more than 20 people in attendance that he was turning in his resignation.

"I want to thank people for voting for me as mayor and putting your trust and faith in me. I hope I did not disappoint anyone in my time as mayor. It's been just a dream to be the mayor of the community that I love so much," Kline said.

He said he will be working as a government supervisor with youth at a juvenile justice center in Portage County. The Ohio Revised Code does not allow him to remain as an elected official at the same time.

He said his new position will provide a pay increase, benefits and a pension. He also resigned as pastor at Newton Falls Assembly of God.

"It came my way and was something I could not pass up. I wanted to be here as the mayor but this opportunity changed that," he said.

Kline said he notified the Trumbull County Board of Elections that he would not be running as mayor in November. Kline's name still will appear on the ballot, but voters will be told a vote for him doesn't count.

With Kline resigning and withdrawing from the election, resident David Hanson is the only candidate for mayor and would begin serving after the election.

Kline said the special meeting was "illegal" saying it was a duplicate of a meeting on Wednesday that council ended following arguments and disruption among council and residents. He said whatever council passed would be invalid and illegal.

Council members Kevin Rufener and Julie Stimpert agreed the meeting was not legal and left.

Rufener said per the village's administrative code, "Special meeting means a meeting which is neither a regular meeting nor an adjournment of a regular or special meeting to another time or day to consider terms specifically stated on the original agenda of such regular or special meeting" and those council members voting in favor violate council's own rules.

Because there were only three remaining council members, Baryak, Gideon Fetterolf and Tesa Splezter's motions received a 3-0 vote for first reading only.

Attorney Bruce Wick of Westlake, who is a registered parliamentarian, assisted council at the meeting. He said the meeting had a quorum of three council members, allowing for first reading of ordinances at a special meeting.

Baryak said anyone disrupting would be given a warning given first, and if the person continued, he or she would be escorted out of the building by a sheriff's deputy.

Council voted 3-0 on a first reading for a contract extension and pay increase for City Manager Pam Priddy.

Resident Julie Lemon said it was an illegal meeting because Kline was the mayor until today. Lemon said she was against Priddy receiving a $30,000 pay increase, bringing her pay to $90,000.

"This is wrong. She is not worth $90,000. She is not worth nine cents," Lemon said.

Resident Rick Kerlin said Priddy has helped the community get many grants and took the city manager position when no one else would and served eight months with no pay.

"She has been doing a good job," he said.

Other residents said council did not have a quorum since Baryak was mayor and should not have been voting.

Also first reading was given for extending the contract of Brad Bryan as law director to the end of the year. Spletzer said the village contacted bar associations, advertised in legal publications and on the village webpage, but no one applied.

After the meeting, Baryak said he will be serving as mayor until the November election. Baryak can no longer serve on council because of term limits.