Hoke was appointed in April 2020 following the resignation of Tim Taylor, who stepped down from council after an Ohio law would have terminated his disability pension for his council service. Taylor’s term ran through December 31, 2023.
Previous members of city staff incorrectly interpreted Bellbrook’s charter process for the appointed term, according to a statement from the city, where a paragraph of the Charter was missed indicating that the appointee “shall hold office and serve until the next regular Municipal election when a new Council member shall be elected to complete the unexpired term.”
The Greene County board of elections notified the city in September that the seat had no valid petitions filed, resulting in no candidates listed on the ballot.
Hoke plans to resubmit his resume for his position.
“Lots of eyes put due diligence on the situation back in April. A mistake was made and it’s a unique situation, but we’ll follow the charter and guidelines moving forward the best we can,” he said.
Bellbrook is also looking to fill an unexpired seat on the planning board, the city announced last week.
The council will accept resumes to fill both positions through Jan. 28, and expect to make the appointment by Valentine’s Day. Candidates must be a registered voter and a resident of Bellbrook.
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