District III seat to appear on 2019 and 2020 ballots
By Kellen Olshefski
Correspondent
The City of Elkhorn Common Council voted Monday in favor of temporarily appointing Ron Dunwidde to the now vacant Aldermanic District III seat on the Council, with the stipulation that interested parties within that district will have an opportunity to apply for the position.
Monday night served as Alderman Bruce Lechner’s final meeting with the Council, as he his moving from District III and tendered his resignation. Lechner was re-elected in April this year and his term carries through to April 2020.
Mayor Howie Reynolds recommended the Council appoint Dunwidde – who previously served two terms as an alderman – for the remainder of Lechner’s term or appoint him in the interim until the Council can properly advertise for applicants to the position, formally review those applicants and make a final appointment.
Both aldermen Tom Myrin and Scott McClory said they felt the position needed to be opened up to the general public for applications to allow others to apply for the position.
However, McClory also said he feels with it being the middle of the summer, it’s important to at least fill the vacancy in the short term.
“We need a short-term bridge piece no matter what,” he said. “We can’t go without an alderman for a month. We don’t have that kind of luxury.”
Myrin disagreed, saying that he doesn’t see the sense of urgency and feels the right way to approach the topic would be to proceed with advertising through the newspaper to attract potential candidates for the position, even if Dunwidde ended up being the only applicant.
Myrin also said that with the majority of Lechner’s term still left to be served, he would prefer to see the seat be listed as a “special election” on the April 2019 ballot, as was the case when he first joined the council and he was elected for a one-year term after James Boardman fulfilled a portion of Kim DeHaan’s term following her departure from the Council.
A motion by McClory to appoint Dunwidde to the vacant seat immediately and advertise for applicants to the position was approved by the Council 5-1, with Myrin voting in opposition.
Dunwidde will serve until any other applicants are received and reviewed, and if at that time Dunwidde is the only applicant, the Council could then opt to appoint him to fill the seat through 2019.
Myrin made a motion for the seat to be added as a “special election” to the April 2019 ballot, with the seat then returning to its normal term beginning with the April 2020 ballot, seconded by Alderman Tim Shiroda.
Reynolds noted that with the City already having spring elections, it wouldn’t cost the City any extra money to include the seat on the ballot in April.
“My point, is I just want the citizens of that district to have a voice, and maybe they find somebody and maybe they don’t,” Myrin said. “Right now, as of right now, this very moment, we have not given them that opportunity, and I don’t agree with that.”
Councilmembers voted unanimously in favor of Myrin’s motion.
It is expected the City will be advertising for the aldermanic seat in the upcoming two editions of the newspaper, with applications due back shortly after.
