NEWTON FALLS — Village council has named Gary Van Brocklin as the new law director/prosecutor and Kathy King as clerk for the village and council, noting the two will be able to work daily at the administration building with the new village manager, Jeremy Shaffer, who started Monday.

The two new hires were met with pushback from some residents over their salaries.

The full-time law director/prosecutor will be paid $110,000 and has agreed to waive any health insurance offered by the village. He will receive two weeks vacation. Van Brocklin will hire a part-time employee to serve as municipal prosecutor at $25,000.

King will serve as a temporary part-time clerk of council/city clerk and continue duties as interim village manager working with Shaffer. She will work 24 to 30 hours per week at $114,000.

Second Ward Councilman Brian Axiotis said the village is in the process of finding a permanent full-time clerk for council and the village. King will train and prepare them for the job. Axiotis said King will be serving in two positions until a permanent clerk of council/village is hired.

Mayor David Hanson said King has served the village for many years and has done a great job, noting she has helped the village in the interim process of getting a new village manager and soon a new clerk.

Resident Julie Lemon said the village has never paid $114,000 for a clerk, let alone a part-time one, and questioned the $110,000 salary for the law director.

“Council needs to justify these salary amounts. This is ridiculous. Why are you doing this? Where are you getting the money from? There has been talk in the past year the city was broke,” she said.

Lemon said Michael Acomb, who has served as clerk, made less than $50,000.

Axiotis said Van Brocklin, who replaces Jeff Limbian, will be able to be at the municipal building daily and work with the new village manager. Van Brocklin served as assistant law director under Limbian.

Officials said Limbian has another job and can’t be in the village on a daily basis like Van Brocklin can. Limbian’s services with the village ended Monday.

First Ward Councilman Brian Kropp said he is excited about the direction the city is going with the new hires.

Kropp said it is important to pay people for the work they do.

He said Van Brocklin is an asset to the village being available to address various issues each day in the village.

Acomb is leaving July 17. He has served as council clerk since April 2022.

“It has been my pleasure to serve the community. I appreciated the opportunity to serve,” Acomb said.

Axiotis said King will work as clerk for council and the village and will continue her duties as interim village manager, which justifies the salary. He said when the new clerk is hired, King will assist that person to become familiar with the duties and responsibilities

“She has done a fantastic job in helping the city when we lost our last city manager,” he said.

Axiotis said in the past two years, there have been three different village managers.