POLAND — Village Council had a seat and a stand to deal with at Tuesday’s meeting.

The seat was that of former councilman Michael Zembower, which was officially vacated March 1.

“There are eight or nine interested in the position,” Council President Michael Thompson said. “That would make for a long council meeting March 18.”

He looked at March 24 for a special meeting, but not all council members were available, so Village Solicitor Jay Macejko suggested suspending the agenda for the March 18 meeting and only voting on “items that are necessary.”

He added the meeting is already set and would not require another notification.

The 18th also is well within the 30-day time requirement for filling an empty council seat.

“On March 18 we can still give any candidate five minutes to talk before we vote,” Thompson said.

Council members Abbyie Bosak, Samuel Moffie, Chris Graff and Jim Walkama all agreed to Macejko’s suggestion.

Macejko said the vacant seat will run through the end of December. Should the appointed person want to continue, they would still have time to file as a candidate for the term beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

Also Tuesday, a photograph was presented to council regarding a tree stand being constructed in Poland Forest. Reports came in of a couple of men carrying lumber and power tools into the woods. The construction seems to be a tree stand used in deer hunting, but Graff said it also could be a tree house. Either way, it had council members upset.

“Any activity of this kind should be dealt with harshly and quickly,” Thompson said. “Poland Forest is a wildlife preserve, not a playground. I’m OK with a stern warning, but it must be dealt with. There is a line to be drawn, and this tree stand is over that line.”

In other business, council:

l Held third reading of an ordinance replacing section 220.05 of the revised code. The ordinance would eliminate the legislation / policy committee, which Thompson said has not met or done anything in years.

l Approved spending $1,198 from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund to replace two broken pagers.