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Council confirms new appointments, debates reappointment over attendance concerns
Summary
The council appointed Todd Bruner to the Parks Commission and approved a slate of reappointments after pulling and separately confirming Christopher Peguero following concerns about attendance and resident complaints. Mary Winker was appointed to the EMS Commission by email.
Fitchburg — At its April 28 meeting the Common Council approved several appointments and reappointments after a brief but pointed exchange over one parks commission member’s attendance record.
Todd Bruner introduced himself at the microphone after Mayor Julia Rata Frata nominated him to the Parks Commission; Bruner said he and his family have lived in Fitchburg for 20 years and that his work as a Verona Area School District principal exposed him to many city families. The council approved his appointment for a term ending April 17, 2029.
The council then approved the appointment of Mary Winker to the EMS Commission (term to 05/15/2027). Winker was not present but had submitted an email expressing her interest; the council moved and approved her appointment by voice vote.
A larger slate of reappointments followed. Council member Dave (speaker 15) asked to pull Christopher Peguero’s reappointment from the omnibus motion and spoke at length about what he said was a roughly 50% attendance rate on the parks commission, including multiple missed meetings last summer and resident complaints he had received. "You have to show up," Dave said, urging the council not to reappoint someone with that attendance record.
Council members discussed whether absences were excused and whether resident letters were anonymous; staff noted many absences were recorded as excused. The council voted to remove Peguero from the omnibus slate, then considered his reappointment separately. The roll call for the separate vote recorded two nays and six ayes and the motion carried; Peguero was reappointed.
What happens next: The council approved the remainder of the reappointment slate and the consent agenda in the same meeting. The exchange over Peguero underscores council scrutiny of commission attendance and public complaints; staff said excused absences were recorded in several cases and that the council retains the authority to evaluate appointments on a case‑by‑case basis.
All quotations and attendance counts are taken from council meeting remarks and the roll‑call exchanges recorded in the April 28 meeting transcript.
