New council member takes oath of office

Perry Village Council has welcomed its newest member.

Devin DiSantis took the oath of office at a special meeting on Sept. 27 to become the sixth member of village council.

Mayor James Gessic performed the swearing-in ceremony as council and DiSantis’ family: wife; Katie; son, Jaxton; and daughter, Gia, looked on.

Although DiSantis recited the oath on Sept. 27, his official start date on council is Oct. 1.

DiSantis was appointed to council on Aug. 23 as part of a series of changes in Perry Village government set into motion by the resignation of Mayor Vicky Stevens.

Gessic, as council president, had been serving as acting mayor since Stevens

began her leave of absence. He was appointed as mayor on Aug. 9 during the same meeting when council approved Stevens’ resignation. Council also chose chose Councilwoman Jean Schonauer to succeed Gessic as council president.

Two weeks later, council held a meeting during which it appointed DiSantis to fill Gessic’s council position.

DiSantis was one of three village residents who applied for the vacancy.

“I want to do whatever I can to help the community be the best it can be,” DiSantis said in a telephone interview on Aug. 27.

The meeting room at Perry Village Hall is a familiar place for DiSantis, who served about eight months on the community’s Planning Commission

prior to his council appointment. DiSantis resigned from the planning panel shortly after being named to council.

DiSantis also possesses a business background. He is the owner and CEO of Proficient Assembly, a furniture and product assembly and installation company based in Perry Village. The business marked its one-year anniversary on Sept. 14, DiSantis said.

BILL DEBUS — THE NEWS-HERALD Devin DiSantis, left, takes the oath of office from Perry Village Mayor James Gessic to become the newest Village Council member. Standing with DiSantis is his son, Jaxton, while his daughter, Gia, looks on in the background.