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Caro City Council to hold Dec. 9 special election after two failed appointment votes
Summary
After two council votes to appoint different candidates failed, the Caro City Council unanimously approved drafting a resolution for a special election on Dec. 9, 2025, to fill the vacant seat; public commenters expressed split views on appointments versus an election.
The Caro City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 2 to draft a resolution calling a special election for Dec. 9, 2025, to fill a vacant council seat after two separate motions to appoint candidates failed at the meeting.
City Manager Scott Czasak advised council members on election options during a discussion of eligible applicants for the vacancy. Council member Jill White moved to appoint Robert Eschenbacher; the motion (25-M-190) failed on a roll call in which White and Doreen Oedy voted yes while Emily Campbell, Charlotte Kish and Mayor Karen Snider voted no or opposed. A subsequent motion (25-M-191) by Charlotte Kish to appoint Robert Sturza (seconded by Campbell) also failed: Campbell and Kish voted yes; Oedy, Parker and White voted no; Mayor Snider voted yes; the motion did not carry.
With appointments unsuccessful, Council member Kish moved and Doreen Oedy seconded Motion 25-M-192 to draft a resolution for a special election to fill the vacancy on Dec. 9, 2025. The motion passed unanimously by roll call.
Public comment prior to the council action included multiple residents who urged appointment of specific candidates and others who opposed spending on a special election. During the public-comment period, Tina Wallace, Jim Tussey and Stephanie Spencer spoke in support of Robert Sturza; Tanya Batschke spoke in support of Robert Eschenbacher. Deputy City Clerk Jana Brown read a letter from State Representative Matthew Bierlein supporting Robert Sturza. At the meeting’s close, Pam Iseler urged the council not to spend money on a special election, while Brenda Peters said she supported holding one.
The council did not adopt final election language or formally set the resolution wording at the meeting; the motion authorized drafting a resolution. The clerk and manager indicated follow-up on procedural and administrative details will be required before a formal resolution is placed on a future agenda for adoption and implementation.
The council adjourned at 7:39 p.m.
