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Mayville council approves change to Utilities Commission membership, sets timing for new appointments
Summary
The Mayville Common Council voted to replace Section 22-9(a) of the municipal code to set a seven-member Utilities Commission (four aldermen, three citizen members) and agreed the terms for the new makeup will expire next month to allow mayoral appointments and council confirmation.
The Mayville Common Council voted Tuesday to repeal and replace Section 22-9(a) of the municipal code, changing the Utilities Commission’s membership to seven members — four aldermen and three citizen members — and establishing staggered five-year terms for the citizen seats.
The ordinance, numbered 1144-2024, specifies that the four aldermanic appointments will be made annually by the mayor at the organizational meeting and that the three citizen members will be mayoral appointments subject to council confirmation with staggered five‑year terms commencing Oct. 1. The council also added a provision on severability.
Council members debated when the change should take effect. Several aldermen said making appointments immediately would be awkward because the mayor must nominate members and the council must confirm them; others favored prompt action to implement the new oversight structure. The council ultimately approved an amendment specifying that the existing terms would expire next month, allowing the mayor to submit appointments for confirmation at a subsequent meeting.
Alderman Kirsten Smith, Alderman Anthony Baker, Alderman Newman and Alderman Wilson voted aye; Alderman Michael Schmidt voted no. The motion carried.
City staff and council members also discussed that changing commission membership would not itself define the commission’s powers. City Administrator Courtney told the council that a separate policy or ordinance would be needed to spell out the commission’s authority, duties and when it should make recommendations to the council versus execute day‑to‑day operations.
The council directed that the ordinance move forward and that staff return with follow-up language on powers and duties for consideration at committee and future meetings.
Council members said they expect the mayor to bring forward recommended citizen appointments for confirmation at the next regular meeting after the mayor submits nominations.
The ordinance was read aloud during the meeting and carried on the second reading.
Ending: The council’s action remakes the commission’s composition and sets a prompt timeline for transitioning membership; the office of the mayor and staff will handle the appointment process and return policy language on the commission’s powers for future council consideration.
