Occoquan needs to appoint a new council member after a sitting elected official moved out of town.
According to town council meeting minutes taken on March 15, Krystyna Michelle Bienia resigned from the town council because she was moving out of the town limits, which means she could no longer serve as a policymaker for the small town on the Occoquan River.
Bienia was elected in November 2020 to serve on the six-member council. The Town Council is expected to discuss appointing a new member to finish Bienia’s term ending December 31, 2023. At its next meeting Tuesday, April 19, at 7 p.m. at town hall, councilmembers are expected to enter into a closed session meeting to discuss the appointment.
A new appointment could be announced as soon as members end the closed session meeting.
Meanwhile, the council also aims to fill another vacancy on its Board of Zoning Appeals. It aims to appoint Jim Drakes to a five-year term on the BZA.
According to town documents, Drakes successfully completed a term vacated by someone else who sat on the BZA, whose term ended January 31, 2022.
Also on Tuesday, the council is expected to approve the town’s fiscal year 2023 budget. The town’s budget is projected to increase 14% to $1.2 million this year, up from $1.1 million a year ago.
As the coronavirus pandemic fades into the rearview mirror, in-person events have resumed in the town. The town’s next big event, Riverfest and Craft Show, will be held Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5.
