NEWTON FALLS — Village Council has begun the process to find a new village manager as Jamie Vernaccini has submitted her resignation effective April 13.

Council voted 5-0 at Wednesday’s meeting to accept Vernaccini’s resignation.

Vernaccini was hired as village manager in September 2025 after having served as interim manager for five months prior. She had also served as finance director for the village since August 2024 until she became village manager.

Council met in executive session for more than 30 minutes after the meeting on personnel matters.

First Ward Councilman Brian Kropp said the village will begin the process of finding a replacement to be prepared for the transition period.

“We want to find good candidates who will help us in moving the village forward,” he said.

Kropp said he was disappointed in Vernaccini’s resignation but accepts her decision.

Third Ward Councilman Bob Burke said he is upset that Vernaccini is leaving, noting she has worked very hard in the position and will be difficult to be replaced.

“We will have a difficult time finding someone who has done what she has done. We need to find a way to keep her,” Burke said.

The village will also need to find a new zoning inspector and an assistant law director, as both of those positions have had recent resignations.

Vernaccini said the zoning inspector is leaving March 13.

Councilwoman-at-Large Julie Stimpert said the assistant law director position needs to be filled since the person who was to serve in the post has also resigned.

Stimpert said no action was to be taken after the executive session.

TREASURE HUNT

In other business, council members reported on the kickoff of the treasure hunt event in the village this week.

Kropp said the more people coming to the village to take part is helping the local businesses.

Fourth Ward Councilman Kevin Rufener said the event is meant for people to have fun, but guidelines need to be followed, with some locations such as the village municipal building and historical sites off-limits.

Officials said the village manager’s office and police department have received calls of people climbing on and under the covered bridge, by the water tower and in the historical room at the Newton Falls Library

“Some of the things that happened are not appropriate. There are places that have been specified as not part of the treasure hunt. I know there is a lot of hype and excitement over this, but there are certain limits. Safety is important, and being respectful of people’s properties and the historical places,” Rufener said.

The village municipal building has a sign posted on the door indicating the building is not part of the treasure hunt activities and no treasure is inside the building.

ABSTAINING PROCESS

Council postponed until the March 18 meeting acting on an ordinance adding a new section governing the process for requesting abstentions and failure to vote by members of council.

The ordinance is regarding the process of what happens when a member of council abstains on a matter with a reason that other members of council either accept or do not accept and vote upon.

Kropp said the charter is set up so a member of council must give a reason for abstaining, which is voted upon by the other council members.

He said an ordinance needs to be in place indicating what process to follow if someone abstains without approval from the rest of council.

Kropp said if someone abstains on a motion, the vote of the rest of council could end up 2-2 with the mayor having to break the tie vote. He said there could be all kinds of situations that could arise with someone abstaining.

Burke said he chose to abstain at a February meeting to bring to the agenda an item on rehab homes since he said there have been lawsuits when communities try to ban or prevent them.

He said it was his “freedom of speech” to abstain from placing the matter on the agenda because of his concerns.

Kropp suggested the council hold a caucus session to discuss abstaining issues.

He said he had questions for Law Director Jeff Limbian, who he was told could not attend the meeting due to a prior commitment.

In other business, council gave first reading to an ordinance on repealing various sections of current village administrative codes to ensure they are constitutionally compliant, align with state laws and are legally defensible.

Kropp said the one section is that elected officials are not required for drug testing, which he said is different than someone who is employed by the village.

He said there is no law mandating elected officials be required for a drug test, which opens the village to a lawsuit.

Resident Julie Lemon said council should lead by example and be willing to take a drug test.

Second Ward Councilman Brian Axiotis said the rules are different for elected officials since they are not employees of the village. He said most communities in Ohio do not require a drug test of elected officials.

Kropp said in 2021 when he was on council, he did not take a drug test and resigned from council, noting he could have filed a lawsuit against the village since the drug test was unconstitutional.

He said a previous council passed this requirement, hoping that individuals would not pass a drug test and not be qualified for serving as members of council.

Rufener said another change is while the public has a right to speak at council meetings under citizens’ comments and while statements can be made, a person can get themselves into trouble by making slanderous and defamatory statements publicly accusing someone of something that they have no proof of.

Also, Rufener said a section on the village having a cable television commission from 2007 that can approve franchises is being removed since it is no longer valid with all such matters handled at the state level. He said a cable commission is no longer needed.