Elk Mound village board will not have all seats filled until April
By Cara L. Dempski
ELK MOUND — The Elk Mound village board ended 2016 with only five trustees and a president, and things will remain that way until the April 2017 board election.
President Tom Gilbert and village clerk Pat Hahn debated a Wisconsin state statute governing the appointment of new village trustees during the board’s January 4, 2017, general meeting.
Wisconsin statute 17.24, which governs vacancies in village offices, states “a vacancy in any elective village office may be filled by appointment by a majority of the members of the village board for the residue of the unexpired term or until a special election is held.”
Additionally, the statute indicates a vacancy in any elective office in a village may be filled by special election only if the seat is vacated prior to December 1. When a seat is left vacant after December 1, there can be no special election, and the seat is instead filled in an election held the first Tuesday in April in the following year.
The board has been working to appoint a new village trustee after former village President Andy Peterson stepped down from his position and Tom Gilbert was elected his successor during the December 6 meeting. Two village residents, Trevor Amundson and Steve Abraham, attended the December 21 meeting as candidates for Gilbert’s seat.
The vote for the open seat was evenly split between Amundson and Abraham, but the board decided to further consult state statute and the municipal attorney before going forward with any further attempts to appoint a new trustee.
Public works director Mark Levra, who was present for the December 21 meeting, found information from the League of Wisconsin Municipalities that indicates a split vote on one candidate for appointment should be considered a failure, and cannot be voted on again.
Based on the information presented by the statute and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the board agreed a new appointment could not be made, and the seat would not be filled until the April election.
The board also took time to hold a random drawing for the order candidates will be listed on the April ballots. Candidates for village trustee are Montana Rose Boettcher, Terry Stamm and Steve Abraham. Gilbert and Abraham are also seeking election as village president.
Marissa Braden, an employee of Moundsview Store, was also approved for a license to sell alcohol.
