The death of Don Fleming, who served on Ada council for 39 years, leaves much more than a typical vacancy on the council.

While vacancies leave absences, his life-long Ada background and experience creates an unusually large empty space, difficult to fill in small town village government.

Fleming was first elected in the early 1980s. He has served as a council member longer than any other person in the village, at least in recent history. He served at one time or another on each of the council committees. In 2019 he was Ada council president.

Mayor David Retterer told the Icon that council has the authority with the mayor’s consent to appoint someone to fill the vacancy. Fleming’s most recent election to council was in November 2017, making this fall the end of his third year in a four-year term.

Fleming’s replacement will complete the term, which ends Dec. 31, 2021. The seat will be on the November 2021 Ada ballot with the then-elected council member joining Ada’s council on Jan. 1, 2022.

Ada’s current council members are Jeff Oestreich, Sheila Coressel, Linda Mason, Bob Simmons and Terry Keiser.

One scenario to fill Fleming’s vacancy is for council to invite persons to apply for the seat. In that way, council would set up interviews and eventually appoint a replacement.

Council meets tonight (Oct. 6) and a clearer picture should emerge following that meeting.