By Kim McDarison

A deadline to apply for consideration for an appointment to one of two vacant seats on the Whitewater Common Council expired this afternoon, leaving the total pool of applicants at five for the at-large seat, last held by the late Jim Allen, and two for the vacant Aldermanic District 1 seat, last held by David Stone. Allen died in December; Stone tendered his resignation the same month.

Information supplied by city officials Tuesday evening lists the following residents as among those interested in an appointment to the at-large seat: Keith Staebler, Carol McCormick, Greg Majkrzak, Joseph Kromholz and Michael Smith.

Residents Patrick Singer and Curtis Knull are among applicants seeking an appointment to the District 1 aldermanic seat.

A third applicant, Thomas Marrriai, also submitted an application to be considered for the district seat, but, according to information supplied by city officials, does not live within the city limits, making the applicant ineligible for consideration.

Among those seeking an appointment to the at-large seat, two applicants, Staebler and Majkrzak, are candidates for the seat’s next full two-year term. Their names will appear on the ballot in April.

McCormick and Singer, who is seeking consideration for the District 1 seat, both are former city council members.

In addition, McCormick serves on the city’s Plan Commission. Smith serves on that same board as an alternate. 

Singer and Kromholz both hold seats on the city’s Community Development Authority (CDA).

An appointee selected by members of the city council to fill the at-large seat will serve until the April 2 election, at which time the voters will have an opportunity to fill the seat.

An appointee selected by members of the city council to fill the District 1 seat will serve for the remaining 15 months of the seat’s two-year term, after which the seat will become available once again to be filled by the voters. 

Interviews of the applicants are anticipated to be held during the council’s Tuesday, Feb. 6 meeting, during which time it is anticipated that council members will make appointments and the newly selected council members will be installed.

During a meeting held earlier this month, council members noted that the new members, once appointed, likely would be asked to make selections for the committees upon which each would like to serve. The request likely will be made during the council’s meeting planned for Feb. 20.

Applicants appointed in February will fill the two seats until such time when, within the planned election cycle, the seats come due for reelection.

An earlier story about the council’s decision to fill the remainder of each seat’s term through an appointment process is here: https://whitewaterwise.com/council-seeks-applicants-for-vacancies/.