Two resignations in Colon

A shakeup at Tuesday’s Colon Village Council meeting saw the resignation of its president and a council member, and the contract of its village manager not renewed.

After 14 months as village president, Diane Downs announced her resignation from the seven-member panel. Nancy Percival, a longtime council member, also announced her resignation, also effective immediately.

Later, the board voted to not renew the contract of Mike Mitchell, whose one-year agreement as village manager expired this week. The 48-year-old Mitchell was hired as Colon’s first village manager a year ago at a rate of $50,000 a year.

Downs and Percival cast the two dissenting votes against the motion to not renew Mitchell’s contract.

Downs declined to explain why she resigned; Percival said she had a philosophy that differed from her peers regarding how the village should be run.

Council members agreed to appoint Tom Tenney as village president, a position for which he would also oversee the duties of village manager.

Tenney’s term will expire in November. Upon his swearing in, he will be charged with naming Percival’s replacement, whose term will also expire in November.