Should there be 5 Wausau Supervisors on the Executive Committee?
Chair Gibbs has the right, under the Board Rules, to appoint a Supervisor to be Chair of a Standing Committee in the case of a vacancy.
The Board has the right – and the responsibility – to reject that appointment if they don’t believe that the appointment was made in the best interest of a well functioning and representative Board.
It has been tradition that the Vice Chair of a Standing Committee would be appointed to be Chair in the case of an absence. Why was this practice not followed in this case? When Gibbs was asked at the Educational meeting, he responded at least in part that it was because of the “tenure” of those serving on the Committee. This answer seems to be lacking in veracity as Supervisor Seubert and Supervisor Opall both have much much longer tenure than Supervisor Griner, who as Gibbs noted has only served a “bit” longer than Committee Vice Chair Gau.
As a Kronenwetter resident, I have appreciated Supervisor Gau’s advocacy on behalf of the Village of Kronenwetter at Infrastructure meetings and his thoughtful and well reasoned approach to the issues raised by the proposed Hub City Wind project.
Supervisor Gau represents Weston and the Towns of Weston and Ringle. It is important to note that, as a group, the Villages of Weston, Rib Mountain, and Kronenwetter have no representation on the Executive Committee, despite their combined population level of about 78% of Wausau’s population, and combined 2025 equalized property tax value equal to 95.9% of Wausau’s property tax value.
Please ask yourself if this appointment was made in the best interest of Marathon County and if it is the best choice for a balanced and well functioning County board. Please vote accordingly.
Marathon County Rule 13(b) Vacancies. Should a vacancy on a committee, board, or commission occur, or a vacancy in the position of chair or vice-chair of a committee, commission and/or board occur for which Marathon County has the responsibility for appointment, the appropriate appointing authority (County Board Chair or County Administrator) shall appoint a successor no later than the second meeting of the committee, board or commission after the vacancy occurs or by exception, as soon as the vacancy can be filled. Such appointment shall be for the remainder of the term for the vacant position. All committee, board and/or commission member appointments shall be approved or rejected by the County Board at the next County Board meeting following recommendation by the appointing authority. (Emphasis Added)
This post is the opinion of David Baker