The Niles Board of Trustees voted to change the village municipal code to conform with the results of the referendum that removed the mayor’s power to fill trustee vacancies.
During the November elections, Niles residents voted to approve the referendum that would require that trustee vacancies would be filled during the next municipal election – or, if the vacancy occurs less than 196 days before the election, in the election two years later. The referendum was binding and took effect immediately. But the municipal code didn’t have the language reflecting that.
Prior to the referendum, the procedures for filling trustee vacancies were governed by state law, which gave the mayor the authority to fill vacancies. As a home rule municipality, Niles could pass a legislation – or its voters could approve a referendum – to create its own rules for filling vacancies.
During the Jan. 27 meeting, the Village Board voted to create a new section of the municipal code which set the requirements to fill trustee vacancy. The requirements were taken from the referendum verbatim. The same resolution also indicated that any part of the municipal code that conflicts with the new requirements is automatically struck down.
While the Village Board has seen some conflict on the issue in the run-up to the referendum, the vote was low-key. The board approved the changes unanimously, without any debate.