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Council alters Board of Public Works membership; debate over mayor’s role ends in split votes
Summary
The council approved an ordinance to add a third alder to the Board of Public Works and to address tie votes; an amendment to require those three be councilors not on the new administration/finance committee passed, while an amendment to let the mayor appoint board chairs failed on a tie vote.
The Onalaska Common Council approved Ordinance 18‑13‑2025 Tuesday to add an additional alderperson to the Board of Public Works and to add language about handling unbreakable ties. Councilors also debated — and split on — whether the mayor should appoint the board’s chair and vice chair.
City staff said the additional council seat is intended to better balance representation across city boards after the committee consolidations. The ordinance increases council representation on the board from two to three members and adds a tie‑breaking provision that would send matters to full council without a board recommendation if the board produces an unbreakable tie.
Councilor amendments were offered. The council unanimously approved an amendment requiring that the three council members on the board be the council members not serving on the newly consolidated administration/finance committee, and that no chairperson serve more than two consecutive terms. A separate amendment proposed by an alder that the mayor designate chair and vice chair from among council members on the board resulted in a tie vote and failed; the tie prompted a return to the original approach where the board selects its own chair at its first meeting. The ordinance, as amended, passed on a 5‑1 roll call vote.
After passage, the board of public works recommended awarding the pumper‑tender bid (covered separately in finance), which the council then approved. Councilors said they may revisit related appointment language as they continue to review committee and board structures.
