At its March 11 meeting, the Scio Township Board accepted the resignation of Board Trustee Judy Devooght Moenck. The board also appointed David Read to fill the position on the board. Devooght Moenck was elected to the position in the recent November general election.
The Township Board accepted Moenck’s resignation by a vote of the board. The resignation was requested by letter dated Feb 28. The vacancy was an immediate thing after the vote to accept it. The letter, which was read by township clerk Jessica Flintoft, requested the resignation, but gave no exact reasoning behind it.
In follow up to this vote, Read was then appointed by a vote of the board. Township clerk Flintoft put forth the proposal to appoint Read to the role.
In her report to the board, Flintoft cited MCL168.370 and MCL168.370a. She said together they provide that the vacancy must be filled by appointment by the township board and that because of when this vacancy has occurred, the person appointed shall hold office only until a successor is elected on November 3, 2026.
Flintoft cited the recent election results as one reason to appoint Read.
Flintoft said in her recommendation to the board that just eight months ago, they had a contested primary election for Trustee where 5,697 ballots were cast by Scio voters.
“While there were no declared Republicans running for Township Trustee, there were 7 declared Democrats running for Township Trustee. The top four vote getters proceeded unopposed to the General Election and were subsequently elected,” Flintoft said.
She said the top five vote getters in the election were: 2,808 Kathleen Knol, 2,754 Kathleen Brant, 2,513 Judy DeVooght Moenck, 2,212 John W. Reiser and 2,151 David S. Read.
The board moved forward with the appointment citing the close results and the fact that Read already has valuable experience with the township.
Flintoft said she has participated in three appointments of a trustee to a vacancy created by resignation of the elected trustee, and one special contest for the election of a trustee to replace an appointed trustee.
“My reflection on these experiences is that the Township is best served by supporting the selection of a trustee who has the most community support. In our representative democracy, that measure of community support is an election,” she said. “Any amount of outreach, applications, or interviews that this Board could do over the next 45 days would be woefully insufficient to try to identify someone who is electable and capable. David has been elected in the past, has served the Township beautifully, has deep knowledge across multiple areas. He is ready to serve.”
Flintoft said if the Township Board or County Election Commission does not fill the vacancy within 45 days after the beginning of the vacancy, the County Clerk shall call a special election, with each county party committee submitting a nominee to fill the vacancy. She said the special election would almost certainly be held on August 5, 2025, and the individual elected would serve the remainder of the unexpired term (November 20, 2028).
Read has been sworn in to the role.
Photo: The Scio Township Board on March 11, with appointee David Read at right. Photo courtesy of Scio Township
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