But it appeared that Board President Carolyn Milkie didn't get the message. She attempted at Monday night's board meeting to appoint the three losers -- incumbents John Hewitt and Ken Flones and last-place finisher Todd Stillman -- onto voting positions on village committees.
Not gonna happen.
Milkie's attempt to appoint the three to village committees was rejected by a 4-1 vote of the newly constituted Village Board, with one abstention and one trustee absent. Instead, the new board majority asked Milkie to come up with different nominees for later approval by the board, appointments that don't "contradict the will of the voters."
Trustee Karen Albeck introduced the motion, and was joined by trustees Harry Manning, Gary Feest and Jerry Garski. Trustee Ingrid Tiegel abstained without comment. Manning was the lone incumbent of three on the ballot to win re-election on April 6; Feest led the six-man field.
Whether this new board majority will up-end any more village decisions -- for example, something to do with the new $17 million village hall "campus" the two newly-elected trustees oppose -- remains to be seen.
Albeck provided a copy of her motion and explanation to the clerk for inclusion in the minutes. Here's what it said:
Any time individuals put themselves forth as candidates for public office, they are giving the voters an opportunity to do one of two things…. to elect the person, or to not elect the person to be a member of a governing body.
Last year at this time I had the same concerns which I have this evening.
When the voters have chosen not to elect specific candidates, then I feel it is highly inappropriate for those same candidates to be nominated to Village committees. Such appointments contradict the will of the voters. This year, the voters made very clear choices with regard to those individuals that they did, and did not, wish to be represented by. Placing the unsuccessful candidates on committees where they will be voting on and making recommendations for Village action is insulting to the voters and is just plain wrong.
I do recognize that individuals who failed to be elected may have worthwhile knowledge to share at the Committee and Village level. Certainly, they should be welcomed at meetings, and encouraged to share their expertise. However, they should not be appointed to voting member positions.
I am grateful to all of the Citizens who have in the past or will in the future provide their service to the Village on various Committees. However, we all know that there are not a lot of those Committee appointments to go around. We have often talked about the need to involve more people in the Village’s duties and operations. Surely in keeping with that we should be providing opportunities for different people to serve.
Therefore, I encourage other Trustees to join me in approving all committee appointments except the four I listed, and urge the Chair to come forward with different recommendations for those four Committee positions.
Would loved to see the look on Milkie's face. Great job new board!
ReplyDeleteBravo
ReplyDeleteIt's about time. Milkie is next to get ousted. She has caused enough damage already. A leader she isn't.
ReplyDeleteDear Ms. Milkie,
ReplyDeleteThe voters in Mt. Pleasant want new faces and new ideas and we said so in the Spring Election. Get it?!
Yep, it would be normal to question your leadership attributes when you are the only one supporting your committee appointments.
ReplyDeleteThis is groundbreaking news for the Mt. Pleasant residents. Thank you new trustees. It is such a breathe of fresh air to have Milkie and Andreasen getting closer to the exit door of the village hall. These are two people who have caused a lot of people misery, so let's hope payback is on the way for both of them.
ReplyDeleteI wish that I would have been there!
ReplyDeleteAre Milkie and Dickert related?
ReplyDeleteI believe Milkie and the old bunch heard the voters. They didn't like the message because it means the voters are fed up with their power plays and mistreatment of the taxpayer. Her move to place the same old tired political people on the committees is an act of desperation.
ReplyDeleteMilkie and the old guard know that most of what the board must vote on comes from the committees. Milkie is a politician hungry to keep her last bits of power so she tried to appoint her loyalists on committees too try to keep the people's voice way from Mt Pleasant Village Hall. It sounds like she figured that the new members wouldn't be smart enough to know how to stop her last gasps of power.
I appreciate the 4 board members that heard the voters and stopped yet another power grab by Milkie to keep failed policies in place. It is sad to watch these political hacks ignore the people in favor of holding on to power. It is clear that to Milkie and her gang power is all that matters. Hopefully, next April some more new people will step up and finish what was started a little over two years ago when we elected Harry Manning.
A quick note to Tiegel, if you can't make a decision step down. For the past year it has become obvious you can't decide if you are with the old guard or the people of Mt Pleasant. Your rambling comments in meetings show you don't know what is right. Abstaining from a vote should only be used when you have some personal conflict that means you shouldn't vote. To abstain on this votes says you don't know which way to vote to keep your seat next April. Abstaining Monday night told us that you already sealed your fate Don't waste the money to run again, you are already done you are just going through the motions of being a Board member.
It is a new day in Mt. Pleasant. I hope to see a lot more of these types of votes in favor of the people of Mt. Pleasant rather than a small group of power hungry political hacks.
Anonymous 7:01AM:
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting into words so well what so many of us have thought about the Milkie/Andreasen regime. If you have never had to deal with these people at the village about a property issues than you do not know how controlling these people can be. They maintain this power by putting their own like minded people into positions of power/authority. SO BRAVO to the new trustees (Albeck, Manning, Feest and Garski) for being visionaries to see through the muck of The Milkie. Please keep up the good work and continue to clean house from the top to the bottom and that includes unnecessary staff and elected officials.
excellent comments...as a Mt.Pleasant resident, I agree wholeheartedly and did indeed vote for a change.
ReplyDeleteBravo to the folks in Mt. Pleasant. Let's hope we can continue the change into Racine as we replace Alderman with candidates that will be inviting and open to new businesses rather than over-lording and micro managing new prospects.
ReplyDeleteDamn right! Let's kick out Helding and the other Aldermen. We need more convenience stores and bars to fuel our growth and they are just standing in the way.
ReplyDelete