Osage County commissioners appoint Michael Lawler to Ridgeway Township clerk after public hearing

The Osage County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday, Feb. 11, to appoint Michael "Mike" Lawler to the Ridgeway Township clerk position to fill an unexpired two-year term after a public hearing that included multiple speakers both supporting and criticizing his nomination.

Supporters at the hearing told commissioners Lawler improved road maintenance practices, strengthened record-keeping and increased township reserves during his prior service on the township board. Opponents and some public commenters questioned the process by which township governance decisions were made and urged the county to respect voters’ choices. The board approved the appointment by voice vote; commissioners did not record individual roll-call votes.

At the meeting, several Ridgeway Township residents described Lawler’s approach to operating township roads and the township’s recent financial position. "He made sure that the grader operator was and still is accountable for the time and the miles that he or she works," said Sheena Holler, who identified herself as a Ridgeway Township resident. Holler and other supporters said the township ended 2021 with $27,559 and had grown reserves to roughly $195,779 under recent management, citing changes in purchasing and record-keeping.

Paul Di Pasquale and other residents also addressed the board. Di Pasquale said he had sought the clerk position and told the commissioners, "I didn't vote for him at all," reflecting that some neighbors disagreed about the nomination but asked the county to respect local processes.

Several residents urged the county to accept Ridgeway Township trustees’ recommendation that Lawler be appointed. Speakers described township improvements such as a newer tractor and better tracking of gravel deliveries and maintenance activity; supporters said Lawler had helped the township avoid tax increases while building infrastructure reserves.

Other commenters argued the county should be cautious about intervening in township business and that voters’ choices at elections should carry weight. At least one speaker alleged that, before changes in township leadership, two trustees met to sign checks without a quorum and that such actions raised governance concerns; the speaker presented this as an allegation for the commissioners to consider rather than a confirmed legal finding.

After public comment the commission received formal nominations. A commissioner moved to appoint Mike Lawler to the Ridgeway Township clerk position for the unexpired two-year term; another commissioner seconded the motion. The board then voted "Aye" and the chair declared the motion carried. The commissioners offered brief congratulatory remarks to Lawler, who thanked the crowd.

Decision type: formal appointment. Outcome: approved by the Board of Commissioners to fill an unexpired two-year term. The board did not direct any additional investigation at the meeting; several public speakers had asked the county to defer to the township trustees’ recommendation or to allow voters to decide at the next election.