DEFERIET — William S. Littlefield was sworn in as a village trustee Wednesday night. He replaces Joseph E. Cook, who resigned during an executive session at last month's meeting.

Mayor Jane W. Dingman appointed Mr. Littlefield with trustees' support.

"I think he's a very fair person, and a man who sticks up for his beliefs," Trustee JoAnn L. Zando said after the meeting. "I think he's going to be an excellent trustee."

Mr. Littlefield, who is president of the Deferiet Volunteer Fire Department and a deacon at Deferiet Union Church, will serve until the November elections, when he must be voted into the position.

His goal is to "maintain fair taxes" in the wake of the paper mill being sold by Newstech NY Inc. in 2006. The mill has become a burden to the taxpayers, he said.

"We're in a transition period, and I want to be part of that," he said.

Previously, Mr. Littlefield served in the Army for 37 years. He is a Korean War and Vietnam War veteran. When he retired, he was stationed at Fort Drum as director of logistics.

He has lived in the village on and off for 12 years total. Currently, he splits his time between the village and his home state of Maine.

Mr. Littlefield earned a bachelor's degree in history and government from the University of Maine, and master's degrees in secondary education from Boston University and strategic thinking from the Army War College.

Mr. Littlefield has a wife, Jane E., and four children, one of whom the couple adopted from Korea.