[ back ]
Zoning inspector now is Burton councilman
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - June 04, 2009)
Zoning inspector now is Burton councilman
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Burton Village lost a zoning inspector last week but gained a new council member.
After receiving no applications for an opening, Village Council reached into its audience to select Craig Ronyak to succeed Councilwoman Sandra Humbert, who resigned at the beginning of May to attend to family matters.
Mr. Ronyak, who was appointed village zoning inspector in February, raised his hand when Mayor Thomas Blair Sr. asked if anyone in the audience would be willing to serve.
Of the half-dozen people in the audience, Mr. Ronyak was the lone person to raise his hand.
Mr. Ronyak then resigned his position as zoning inspector and was approved as a council member by a 4-1 vote of council. Councilman Gerald Rouge was the lone dissenting vote.
The term will expire at the end of the year, and Mr. Ronyak would have to run for the seat in November to continue his service.
Mr. Ronyak, who works as a vice president for Ronyak Paving Co. in Burton, said he's happy to now be part of the village's decision-making team. "I feel good," he said. "I want to work with the citizens and businesses of the community."
He said his main priority is to be fiscally responsible, especially in these difficult economic times.
He said he is familiar with the workings of the village and sees the need for some additions, as well as cuts, although he declined to be specific on those issues.
Mr. Ronyak, a lifetime resident of the village, had sought a seat on council when the village was seeking a replacement for Sharon Gingerich, who had resigned at the beginning of the year after being elected county recorder.
At that time, Mr. Ronyak said he could offer the village his expertise of 30 years in the construction industry.
"Typically, street and utility issues are the single most expensive items which the village has to deal with," he said. "I believe my expertise will allow the citizens to gain maximum value for their tax dollars invested in those critical issues."
Mr. Ronyak also pledged to seek better communication between council and residents, advocate fiscal responsibility, preserve village history, promote tourism and work with surrounding communities.
The paving company Mr. Ronyak works for was started by his grandfather, A.J. Ronyak, in 1939 and moved to the village in the 1950s.
While the appointment solved one issue for the village, it also left the village without an important official.
"Now we have to get a new zoning inspector," Council President Judith Beaumier said.
The village has begun taking applications for the position and those interested are asked to submit a resume or letter of interest to the village offices on the second floor at 14588 W. Park St.
[ back ]
