KOUTS | Perhaps the Town Council should put the Park Board's picture on a milk carton as missing. The problem is there is no one to photograph.

The council's annual appointments to various town boards and commissions hit a wall Monday when it came to filling three park vacancies: There was no one interested in filling them. Only one Park Board position is filled currently, and the town needs two Republicans and a Democrat to fill the remaining slots.

The job is fairly easy. The board rarely meets and has only one park to oversee. Unfortunately, the few responsibilities come with low pay: nothing.

One position the council was able to fill Monday was one of two Democratic vacancies on the Plan Commission. David Johnsten was appointed to replace his wife, Judith Johnsten. Council President David Brooks joked that he hoped the couple had worked it out already, and the switch would not lead to uncomfortable moments around the dinner table.

Councilman Orville Jefferson was appointed to another three-year term on the town's Stormwater Board and the council named Carolyn Birky as its representative to the Porter County Convention and Visitor Commission. The council also retained Robert Schwerd as town attorney and James Mandon as town engineer for another year at the same pay rate as 2009.

As for the council and staff representatives to the Plan Commission, the council approved Jefferson and Councilman Tim Jones along with Clerk-Treasurer Greg Frame for another term.

Anyone interested in being appointed to the vacant positions on the Park Board and Plan Commission should submit a letter to the clerk-treasurer's office. The letter should include the applicant's address and telephone number. Brooks asked two Democratic precinct committee members at the meeting to help recruit people from their party for those vacancies as Democrats are a rare breed in Kouts.

The council re-elected Brooks as president and Jones as vice president.