CALUMET - The Calumet Village Council has a full complement of members now, after making an appointment Tuesday to fill the final empty seat, but it wasn't without dispute.
Council members appointed Paul Coon to fill the seat of former member Ken McKay, who didn't run for re-election in the September council election. Also under consideration by the council was Peggy Germain, who was at the meeting.
Former councilman Jim Flood chose not to run for re-election in September, and at the Sept. 22 council meeting, members appointed Jonathon Pressell to fill that seat.
Although it wasn't public comment time, after the council voted to appoint Coon, Mary Lewis, who was in the audience, said she thought Germain should have been appointed.
Lewis said the current council doesn't do enough in the village, such as keeping alleys clear of weeds and debris, or removing snow properly.
Councilman Doug Harrer, who is on the personnel committee, said all the council members do the best they can with the resources they have.
"I do everything in my power to do whatever I can for the community," he said.
Councilman Abe Voelker said there are many opportunities for village residents to serve the community, either as an elected official or on one of the village's various boards.
Germain said she was disappointed the council chose another man to be on the council. She asked to meet with the personnel committee, which includes Harrer, Pressell and Voelker, about their decision to choose Coon. They agreed to meet with her.
In other business, the council:
appointed Boone Fiala to the Downtown Development Authority for a term to end July 2010, and Shelly Hahn and Aron Butkovich for terms to end July 2011.
appointed John Slayton to the Historic District Commission for a term to end Jan. 1, 2010.
Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie @mininggazette.com.