LEXINGTON — Lexington has two new faces on its village council.
Michael Benson and Rodney Earick were both appointed to vacant seats on Lexington’s legislative body during a meeting Monday night.
Councilmen Keith Bacin, Wynn Kearns, Kim Little and Todd Wise voted 4-0 to appoint the two men. Councilman Jeff O’Brien was absent.
Council president Wynn Kearns said council received seven applications to fill the seats left vacant by Adam Gongwer and Aaron Hoptry, who both resigned last month.
“Each one of the people we interviewed were outstanding,” Kearns said. “The things we were looking for was as much diversity as possible, both in where they live and their background.”
Kearns said Benson and Earick’s skills lined up with the open committee seats on council.
Earick will chair the building and grounds committee and sit on the public utilities and safety service committees.
Benson will chair the streets and sidewalks committee and sit on the buildings and grounds and rules and personnel committee.
Both men said this will be their first time holding public office.
Richland Source submitted a public records request on Monday for the resumes, applications and letters of interest for the vacant council positions. Village officials said the applications and emails were “discarded” following interviews with candidates on Oct. 29.
Kearns declined to name the rest of the applicants for council, but confirmed that Benson and Earick were among them.
“I’ve been on council 20 years. We’ve (had to appoint vacant seats) three or four times,” Kearns said. “There’s a method where (the applications are) handed out in hard copy form, and then they’re all returned in a pile and shredded.”
Earick a Lexington native, insurance professional
Earick is a Lexington native and father of three. He works as the business development director for Wichert Insurance.
Earick said he hopes to support Lexington’s positive trajectory and encourage more business development.
“I wanted see the town brought back to what it was used to be. I want people to talk about us in a good manner,” he said. “I think we’re heading in the right direction, and I wanted to be part of that.”
Earick said he’s previously served as president of the board for the Domestic Violence Shelter and the Mansfield YMCA.
Earick will fill Gongwer’s seat and serve the remainder of his term, which expires Dec. 31, 2025.
He told Richland Source he intends to run to retain the seat next year.
Benson is a former music professor, director of the Richland Academy of the Arts
Benson has served as the executive director of the Richland Academy of the Arts since 2022 and has resided in Lexington since 2010. His wife Denise is a math teacher and cross country coach at Lexington High School. They have one adult son.
Prior to his work with the RSAA, Benson worked as a full-time professor of music at Malone University.
Benson said he’s looking forward to “learning the process” and contributing to the community he loves.
“Being part of the community and seeing all the good things that are happening — I want to encourage that,” he said.
Benson will replace the vacancy left by Hoptry, whose first term on council began in January.
Per village charter, he will serve through Dec. 31, 2025, but have the chance to run for the remaining two years of Hoptry’s unexpired term next November. Benson told Richland Source he intends to run to retain the seat.
