By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
Two positions on the Ortonville Downtown Development Authority board have been resigned.
“I want to preface that by saying on Sept. 12, we received an email from the Kratt brothers, Jason and Jeremy,” said Wayne Wills during the Monday night council meeting. “’Jeremy and I (Jason) have come across a situation, several situations, that will prevent us from being dedicated board members, therefore we will be resigning.’”
The email that Wills read went on to say that the two will be purchasing a propane competitor, and this will take a lot of dedication and attention, as well as that everyone on the board is doing a wonderful job and they are still willing to help with volunteer projects if needed.
“We have currently six members on our board, including them, and now we’re down the two,” said Wills. “So with that being said, I doubled back and talked to Paul Amori, who came before this council, and there were some reservations that he, being an employee of the Kratt brothers, at one of their subsidiary businesses, they (the village council) felt there was a conflict of interest. That conflict of interest is now resolving and not an issue.”
Amori previously had been recommended for the DDA in March, but the council did not vote to appoint him to a position due to the fact that the Kratt brothers were also members of the DDA.
“Therefore, Paul has agreed to go back on the plate as a potential board member,” said Wills. Amori was approved unanimously for the DDA board of directors by the village council.