Manitowoc council appoints Brett Vanderkin to District 1 after tight vote amid residency dispute

The Manitowoc Common Council voted 5–4 to appoint Brett Vanderkin to the District 1 alder seat following nominations and two rounds of voting at its June meeting.

Mayor Justin Nichols opened nominations and the council put four names forward: Todd Lotz, Andy Janicki, Brett Vanderkin and Andrew Dunbar. A first round of voting produced a tie for the top two finishers — Lotz and Vanderkin — who advanced to a second, final round. The clerk announced that Vanderkin received five votes to Lotz’s four.

The vote followed extended council discussion about two separate issues: whether Vanderkin had properly maintained residency in District 1 and a separate pending legal matter referenced during remarks. Alderman Sidkiewicz told colleagues that a letter provided by Vanderkin’s attorney “specifically says that mister Vanderkin was not to have any contact with address 1209 Summit Street in Manitowoc, which is what he claimed was his address,” and urged scrutiny of the residency question. Alderman Cummings said he had checked court records and noted that a plea listed in CCAP was entered as not guilty, adding that “we’re still in a country where we’re not guilty until proven guilty.”

Supporters cast the appointment as a restoration of the voters’ choice. Alderman Brey, who nominated Lotz in the first round, praised Lotz’s experience but acknowledged a field of qualified candidates; Alderman Rekelberg, who nominated Vanderkin, said a paperwork snafu had been rectified and urged the council to let Vanderkin complete the term for which he was elected. Resident Graham Meyer told the council during public input that Vanderkin’s temporary resignation was an ethical step that avoided a costly investigation and that reinstatement respected the will of the voters.

After the vote, Vanderkin was sworn in by the clerk and immediately regained full voting privileges. Mayor Nichols then recommended that Vanderkin be appointed vice chair of the personnel and public safety committees; that committee appointment carried on a voice vote reported as 8–2.

The council’s action concluded without further procedural appeal on the floor. The appointment, the swearing-in, and the committee assignments were the meeting’s principal formal decisions related to District 1.

Votes and next steps: Brett Vanderkin was sworn in at the meeting and will serve as alderperson for District 1; his committee assignments include vice chair roles on the personnel and public safety committees. Any legal or residency challenges that would alter that status were not resolved at the meeting and were discussed as outstanding items by multiple council members.