Common Council ruled by Gang of 5

My column for the West Bend Daily News is online.  It’s called, ”Common Council ruled by Gang of 5.” That’s West Bend’s Common Council.  Here’s a taste:

The Common Council will appoint our next mayor from one of their own. That mayor will serve for 10 months and walk into the next election with the full power of incumbency, which virtually assures her re-election. I say “her” on purpose because it seems clear that the Gang of Five intends to make District 1 Alderman Kristine Deiss our next mayor.

But it goes further than that. When the council almost surely appoints Kristine Deiss to be West Bend’s mayor, they will also appoint her replacement on the Common Council. That appointed alderman will also have the power of incumbency when he or she stands before the voters in April. In effect, the Gang of Five on the Common Council is stacking the government of the city of West Bend with their cohorts.

Three of West Bend’s aldermen get it. Aldermen Allen Carter, Terry Vrana and Scott Frederick fought for the right of the citizens to live under representative government.

As Frederick said, “We have an obligation to allow the residents of West Bend to decide who their next mayor is going to be.” I suspect that most citizens of West Bend would agree. Unfortunately, the Gang of Five constitutes the majority of the Common Council and they appear to have little regard for the citizens they purportedly serve.

West Bend’s Common Council plans to appoint a new mayor on June 4. Aldermen Deiss, Krochalk, Riffel, Doberstein and Schlotfeldt should stop trying to exclude the citizens of West Bend and open up the process.

1. Just a tad bit overheated today are we?  The Council was duly elected and are carrying out the law, correct?  The Council and Mayor’s office are non-partisan, right?  Therefore, West Bend is getting its well-deserved dose of representative Democracy.

   I realize that with signing statements and political litmus tests the country is getting used to an Imperial style of governance.  The good news is that the Constitution has a way of righting that course eventually.

   If your alders are breaking no ordinances then you have no cause to take up arms against them.  Just work really hard for the next 10 months and maybe, just maybe you can get a candidate elected with your POV.

   Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1447 hrs




2. It’s a matter of choices, grumps. 

   They could have chosen to allow any citizen to apply to be appointed, but they chose to limit the candidates to eight people - themselves.  They could have chosen to call a special election to allow the citizens to vote for their mayor (and Alderperson if the appointed Mayor was one of them), but they chose to make sure that two slots will be filled by appointees for almost a year. 

   Yes, what they are doing is within the law, but they chose the most exclusive anti-citizen course instead of the most open and inclusive course.  It says a lot about how these five Alderfolks view their constituents.

   Posted by Owen on May 30, 2007 at 1455 hrs




3. Another fact to consider is that there will probably be a special election for the school referendum in November (we do this to save money by not missing a building season should it pass). The point is that this essentially cuts in half the cost of a special election. While I do agree that a more open process would be better, I think that Deiss will make a pretty good choice. And, BTW, there is an opportunity at 5pm today for public input on the school building plans. There have been and will be others, but now’s the time. Come on down and make yourself heard.

   Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1520 hrs




4. I wish it was a bit later.  I don’t get off work until 5.

   Posted by Owen on May 30, 2007 at 1542 hrs




5. Mr. Hillman, are any of those meetings ever scheduled after 6:00 so that working folks can attend?

   Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1543 hrs




6. Hello Wendy/Owen - Yes typically they are at night. Our normal meetings are at 7pm and are televised. I know a lot of people see them, but I am always disappointed that more people do not show up and voice their opinions. This is a special meeting and I too have a tough time getting there by 5. But, as I think about it, with you guys having a column, a blog (a great blog), and appearances on TV, I’m pretty sure that your voices will be heard. Ain’t democracy grand.

   Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1550 hrs




7. Thanks, Charlie.  Where is the meeting tonight?

   Posted by Owen on May 30, 2007 at 1622 hrs




8. I have to say that I am getting a bit frustrated with your column in the West Bend News!  Do you ever write anything positve about anything?  We are all entitled to our own opinion, however, it seems that you think that only yours is correct. 

   I follow the common council quite reqular and am more than a bit disgusted with the way Fredericks, Vrana and Carter treat people.  They are disrespectful to staff, they treat individuals that come to the Council for presentations like second class citizens and they are NOT whom I, nor many citizens, want to represent us.  They hide behind saying that they do not want to tax the citizens, but, basically say no to anything and everything that provides this community with the quality of life that people move here for.  Shame on anyone that states that they “get it right” for as far as I am concerned, they do nothing but, “get it wrong”.  I wish that you would consider all sides when submitting articles to the West Bend Daily News!  Trust me, it would make for a much better column. 

   Plus, the decision that was made regarding Mayor was the best for the entire community at this time, and, anyone that “gets it” knows that.

   Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1848 hrs




9. QoL,

   That’s why it’s called an “opinion” column.  It’s my opinion.  I don’t write about things about which I don’t have an opinion.

   Posted by Owen on May 30, 2007 at 1853 hrs




10. What makes you think Owen didn’t consider all sides before submitting his column?  He did, and then came to a conclusion.

    Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1857 hrs




11. I think that you should just consider all angles when writing the column.  I realize that it is your opinion, but, from my perspective you have become quite harsh.  From everyone that I have spoken to since last week’s Council meeting, the community seems pretty satisfied with the process of the interim Mayor.  The citizens of this great community will definitely have the opportunity to run for Mayor in the next election and it will be open to any and all citizens at that time.  This is what the democratic process is all about. 

    The only people that I see upset with the process are those individuals that seem to be quite self serving.  Politics should be what is best for the vast majority of individuals, not just a few.

    That’s what makes West Bend a great place to live.

    Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1901 hrs




12. And having 5 people decide who is our next mayor is best for the majority of individuals? 

    Uh huh.  Not one for democracy, huh?

    Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1921 hrs




13. Actually, they are not deciding who the next Mayor will be, they are only deciding on the interim Mayor.  The West Bend constituents will elect the new Mayor in April of 2008.  And, that process is open to anyone.  That is the process of which our democracy has been founded on.

    Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1927 hrs




14. They are deciding that Kristine Deiss will be our mayor for 10 months. 

    I understand that you side with the Gang of Five, and because of the job you have, that makes absolute perfect sense. 

    If you truly believe that is democracy, then there is a serious need for better education in our schools.

    Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 1939 hrs




15. #

    And having 5 people decide who is our next mayor is best for the majority of individuals?

    Uh huh.  Not one for democracy, huh?
    Posted by Wendy on May 30, 2007 at 1921 hrs

    Gee Wendy i bet you had no problem when the supreme court Justices decided who was the next President was in 2000!!
    Your Hypocrisy is clear. No Wonder you and Owen found one another!!

    Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 2023 hrs




16. OMG!  I can’t believe you pulled that one out of your ass.  Sheesh.

    Posted by Owen on May 30, 2007 at 2025 hrs




17. BB, I know!  When Owen and I conspired to determine how the electoral college works, we never dreamed it would be so succesful! 

    

    Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 2029 hrs




18. From everyone that I have spoken to since last week’s Council meeting, the community seems pretty satisfied with the process of the interim Mayor.

    Well let me, as part of this community, weigh in on the other side for you. I am represented by Ald. Carter and applaud what he is doing. It’s too bad if they’re not as “nice” as you’d like and don’t agree with every plan people dream up. I, for one, saw no need to spend over 3/4-million dollars of taxpayer money to pave over a recently-completed trail.

    Owen is correct in saying that a special election should have occurred as soon as possible - waiting until November would have been long enough - and they knew that the school referendum was liking to be held anyway. As he astutely points out, it was extended simply to enhance the “incumbency” factor.

    The mayor position is supposed to be independent and a check on the power of the Council. What they have done is create a “Chairman of the Board” position.

    Posted by on May 30, 2007 at 2136 hrs