Town Board member says move was honest mistake
By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
Delavan Town Board Supervisor Lynnette Phillips admitted last week that she solicited signatures from town residents for fellow supervisor Larry Malsch earlier than allowed by state law. Phillips said the action was an honest mistake on her part, not an attempt to circumvent the law.
Board Chairman Ryan Simons brought the issue to the attention of the Delavan Enterprise. Malsch and Kim Jedlicka are seeking re-election to two town supervisor seats. Malsch is also seeking election against Simons for board chairman. Town resident Katherine Gaulke has requested a packet to run for a supervisor seat but not has yet returned candidacy forms.
Candidates for the April election were required to submit declaration forms by Dec. 1 and then start collecting at least 20 signatures from town residents. Simons said he heard that Phillips was collecting signatures and asking people to vote for Malsch the week before Dec. 1, which he said is a clear violation of campaign law.
Malsch said it is not a violation. Signatures collected early would not be valid and would be rejected by the town clerk, he said. Malsch said Simons should have contacted the clerk or the people he believed were violating campaign laws.
“But I know what his motive is, and it was quite unprofessional to say the least,” he wrote in an email.
Read the rest of the story in the Dec. 6 Delavan Enterprise.
