Poshepny's Back on the Council
When elected officials become ill or injured for awhile during their term in office or are deployed to foreign lands to serve their country--- and consequently are absent from meetings-- their constituents tend to be tolerant of it.
But when government bodies deny citizens representation, that is truly intolerable.
The New Berlin Common Council voted unanimously at a January 12 Special Meeting, to waive Council Rule #34 and put Joe Poshepny back in the 5th District aldermanic seat for the remainder of his term. (Rule #34 pertains to the selection process for aldermanic vacancy, including advertising the vacancy)
Well, if that was the right thing to do, it should have been done a long time ago.
The City received Poshepny’s resignation letter back in August. Poshepny’s letter rescinding his resignation was dated August 26. That was four months ago!
Attending the Sept. 22 Committee of the Whole Meeting in a wheelchair, Poshepny explained circumstances and events regarding the resignation and rescission letters. The Council refused to accept Poshepny’s explanation and declared the seat vacant.
Poshepny retained an attorney (James Gatzke) to fight for his seat.
Instead of appointing Poshepny or someone else, the Council left the seat empty until January 12.
How was that in the best interests of District 5? (by the way, I live in District 5)
Remember that Poshepny had been elected by the voters of the Fifth District to a three-year aldermanic term which expires in April 2010.
The Council’s dithering resulted in aldermen from every district except District 5, being able to participate in the Council’s recent budget discussions, cast votes on the budget/tax levy and the mayor’s veto of the budget.
For District 5, it was literally taxation without representation.
In a published letter dated January 11, Ald. Ament contends that waiving Council Rule #34 and Poshepny’s appointment to the Council are “not about the Council changing direction under the threat of a lawsuit. It’s about doing the right thing by filling the vacancy with the person that was elected in the 5th District.”
Uh, huh. Too bad Ament and his aldermanic colleagues failed to do the “right thing” months ago.
Previous Inside New Berlin blogs related to this topic:
- Sept. 17 What Will They Do Next
- Sept.30 The Vacancy
- Oct. 4 ELECTED Representatives and Interim Successors
- Nov. 3 Several Aldermen Opt To Deprive Fifth District of Representation
- Nov. 14 City Council Shuffle & Suit