Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
Photo by Grace Kirchner Lois Bressette presides over her first meeting as mayor Tuesday in Clintonville. In the foreground is Mike Hankins, who was elected council president.
City Clerk Peggy Johnson administered the oath of office to newly elected Mayor Lois Bressette at the Clintonville Common Council’s reorganizational meeting Tuesday at City Hall.
Bressette had been acting mayor in the absence of Judith Magee, who resigned, effective Jan. 1, to settle a complaint filed against her by local resident Tricia Rose, publisher of the Clintonville Chronicle newspaper. Magee denied Rose’s allegations but agreed not to seek re-election.
Magee’s decision followed months of rancor within the council, which led to the resignation of the city administrator and the city’s first recall election, removing Greg Rose, Tricia’s husband, from the aldermanic seat that Bressette then filled.
Also sworn into office Tuesday were council members Lance Bagstad, District 1; Charles Manske, District 2; Amy Steenbock, District 2 Alderperson3; Mike Hankins, District 4; and Mark Doornink, District 5.
The council approved the appointment of Jim Supanich as the District 4 alderman to fill out the remaining year of Bressette’s term due to her election as mayor. Supanich, who has served on the Clintonville Utility Board and the Badger Power Marketing Authority, will be up for election next April if he decides to seek a full two-year term.
Others who applied for the District 4 seat were former three-term Alderman Gary Hagberg and Timothy Zilch, a 25-year resident of Clintonville.
Hankins was elected by unanimous vote to serve as council president, a position he held during a previous term as alderman.
The council also selected the Clintonville Tribune-Gazette as the city’s official newspaper, replacing the Chronicle.
Without discussion and by unanimous vote, the council voted to approve the appointment of Keith Steckbauer as the new city attorney. He replaces April Dunlavy, who was hired in April 2014. She is the daughter and niece of former Alderpersons Gloria Dunlavy and Jeanne Schley, respectively.
Gloria Dunlavy and Schley lost re-election bids on April 5, along with Mary-Beth Kuester and Jim Krause.