Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
City Administrator Lisa Kotter remains on administrative leave with pay, but Mayor Judith Magee this week said progress has made on resolving the months-long controversy.
Following a closed meeting of the Common Council on Tuesday to discuss personnel issues, Magee said she expects the issue to be resolved soon.
The council met in closed session with attorney Warren Kraft, who was hired to investigate unspecified allegations against Kotter by council members. The allegations against Kotter have not been discussed publicly, and the council had previously refused to discuss them with Kotter.
Kotter was initially suspended by the council on May 13. Attorney Warren Kraft was hired to investigate the undisclosed allegations following the suspension and later presented his findings to the council in closed session.
The council voted 6-4 on May 27 to extend Kotter’s suspension and refer allegations of misconduct to the city’s labor attorney. Mayor Judith Magee vetoed that vote on June 2, and Kotter returned to work.
On June 10, the council, with a 6-4 vote, failed to override Magee’s veto, falling one vote short of the required supermajority. Many city residents spoke in support of Kotter and Magee at the June meeting, which had to be moved from City Hall to the Community Center because of the overflow crowd.
The council then voted 7-3 in July to indefinitely place Kotter on administrative leave while continuing its investigation.
The controversy prompted resident William VanDaalwyk to launch a recall effort against District 4 Alderman Greg Rose. The campaign collected 87 signatures; 56 were required. Clerk Peggy Johnson had 31 days from the filing date in August to determine whether the signatures are valid. Rose, who was elected to a two-year term in April 2013, has 10 days after that to challenge the decision.
Former Alderperson Lois Bressette has filed papers indicating her intention to oppose Rose in a special election if the recall petition is validated.
VanDaalwyk said Rose’s actions have proved to be hostile to business and industry in Clintonville, and have incited divisiveness within the community. He also said Rose breached his fiduciary duty by voting to replace a competent municipal attorney with an inexperienced relative of two council members.