Staff report

POLAND

Village council selected local lawyer Mike Thompson to fill the seat vacated by Leah Wilson at a special meeting Tuesday.

Mayor Tim Sicafuse was absent, so council president Linda Srnec cast the deciding vote for Thompson.

Both Thompson and fellow candidate Rex Fisher had received two votes from council.

A lifelong village resident, Thompson previously chaired the Poland Village Planning Committee and served as president of the Poland Schools Foundation for Educational Excellence.

Thompson assured council he would inhabit the role of councilman as a citizen first.

“I’m not one of those lawyers who confuses my law license with having extended powers when appointed to a legislative body,” Thompson said.

Thompson intends to run for the seat for its full term when it is up for election in November.

Wilson resigned from her position Jan. 2 and refused to comment on the reason for her departure.