By Kim McDarison

Whitewater city staff members released Tuesday a statement noting that Whitewater Common Council member David Stone has submitted a letter of resignation.

Whitewater City Manager John Weidl, in a statement to the media, wrote that Stone cited “an emergency situation” as reason for his resignation, which, he noted in his letter, was “effective immediately.” 

The resignation brings a second recently vacated seat on the council, following the death of Council President Jim Allen on Dec. 23.

Weidl said the council will follow its policy to fill the two vacancies, a discussion about which will appear on the upcoming council agenda, scheduled for Jan. 16.

In a letter to council released Tuesday by Weidl, he wrote that a review of the city’s procedures for filling vacancies, “guided by (then-council) President (Lynn) Binnie, established a policy for handling vacancies. This policy was utilized in 2021, when a vacancy occurred on the common council, leading to the appointment of Lukas Schreiber.”

Among next steps in following a procedure, council may establish a timeline for appointing a successor for the two vacant seats.

Weidl wrote:  “Following our policy, we will publicly announce the vacancy at this council meeting (Jan. 16)  and have a notice to follow in the Register, the city’s official newspaper, and various posts on social media. Applications will be available on our website and in person at the municipal building. At this council meeting, the staff is requesting that the council set a deadline for applications. Once all of the applications are submitted, city staff will prepare them and send them to the common council for review. Once the council has reviewed the applications, they are to interview the applicants. Once the council has conducted this process, they are to appoint a person to fill the appropriate vacancy.”

Stone, who serves as the representative of Aldermanic District 1, which includes the city’s Wards 1, 2 and 3, was elected last April. His term ends in 2025.

Stone ran as a newcomer last April, winning an open seat which had formerly been held by Carol McCormick, who had announced earlier in the campaign cycle her intention not to seek reelection.

With Stone’s resignation, Allen’s death, and seats due for reelection in April as part of the regular election cycle, four seats on the seven-member body could potentially be filled with a new representative in 2024.

Councilwoman Jill Gerber, whose seat is due in April, is the only incumbent potentially running in the race. Gerber represents Aldermanic District 4, including the city’s Wards 6, 7 and 8.

While the late Jim Allen’s at-large seat, as part of the regular election cycle, is due for reelection, council could appoint a representative to serve for the remainder of his term, Weidl said in a recent telephone interview. 

Also due is a seat held by Lukas Schreiber, Aldermanic District 2, Wards 9 and 10, who, through the filing of non-candidacy papers with the city clerk’s office, has made known his intention to decline a run for reelection, leaving the open seat.

A challenger, Orin Smith, has filed nomination papers with the city to run for the seat.

While a deadline for those interested in making a run for the seats due in April — including those held by Allen, Schreiber and Gerber — was initially set for Tuesday at 5 p.m., with the death of Allen, a deadline extension to allow candidates to come forward to run for the open at-large seat has been set for Friday, Jan. 5, at 5 p.m.

Additionally, several candidates have made their intentions known. Among them is Greg Majkrzak, who is running for the at-large seat vacated by Allen, and Brian Schanen, who is running for Gerber’s seat.

Majkrzak has previously served as the councilman representing the city’s Aldermanic District 5. He opted against making a run for reelection to the seat last April. Then-newcomer Neil Hicks won the open seat.