Despite opposition from at least one resident, the Caledonia Village Board will fill the president’s seat by appointing someone to serve through the April 2019 election.
Bob Bradley announced his resignation earlier this month, saying he’d accomplished what he’d set out to do, mainly extending water and sewer out to I-94 so Caledonia could compete with neighboring communities for needed development.
His last day will be Nov. 6.
Village trustees Monday had a brief debate about how to best fill the vacancy, either through a special election or by appointing an interested trustee, a story in The Journal Times reads.
Resident Fran Martin cautioned the board against appointing a new president from amongst themselves instead of holding a special election because the move smacks of cronyism.
“We didn’t vote for Bob for president for one of you to fill that position for 16 months of his term,” she is quoted as saying. “That to me is an abridgment of democracy and I’m asking you not to do it.”
In the end, trustees voted to appoint an interested party instead of holding a special election, the story in the newspaper continues. Both Kevin Wanggaard and Jim Dobbs expressed interest in serving out the remainder of Bradley’s term, so the board will hear presentations from anyone who wants to be president until April 2019 at a special board meeting Tuesday, Oct. 31.