Lois Bressette, who defeated Alderman Greg Rose in a recall election, took the oath of office, Tuesday, Dec. 2.
She was given the oath of office by attorney Keith Steckbauer.
Bressette said she sought out Steckbauer to give the oath of office because she was told by city representatives that she would not be given the oath of office by the city until its council meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 9. She said she also contacted the Wisconsin Government Accountabilities Board (GAB) to find out when she could be given the oath.
She said she was told by a GAB representative that Rose’s duties as an alderman ended when the Certificate of Election was given to Bressette. She said she received that certificate on Wednesday, Nov. 26. That was the earliest day the city could give her the certificate.
Worried that her constituents would be without representation from Nov. 26 to Dec. 9 Bressette had the oath of office given to her by Steckbauer at his office in Clintonville, Tuesday morning, Dec. 2.
Also that morning, Clintonville City Clerk-Treasurer sent an email to city council members and members of the media with information regarding her communication with the GAB regarding the completion of the recall process.
In the email, Johnson stated she contacted City Attorney April Dunlavy regarding the oath of office for Bressette, as that is what the GAB representative recommended. Johnson was told by Dunlavy that Bressette would be sworn in at the next council meeting.
Johnson also stated in the email that she had spoken to Bressette about being sworn in at the Dec. 9 meeting.
“I believe the city attorney had also spoken with Lois about this and everyone was in agreement at that time,” Johnson stated in the email.
In the next paragraph of the email, though, Johnson addressed the possibility Bressette would take the oath of office outside of a city meeting setting.
“I would think that even if Lois has had the oath administered by someone else that we would still go through the formal one during the meeting, as that is what has always been done in the past. That decision though, would be determined by the mayor when she approves the agenda for the meeting,” Johnson stated in the email.
When Bressette filed the official oath of office in writing with Johnson later that morning, she included a letter that included the following text:
“It is my understanding that once I receive the ‘Certificate of Election,” I can be sworn in as Fourth District Alderman. Since my request to you, and April Dunlavy, City Attorney, to be sworn in as soon as I received the ‘Certificate of Election’ was denied, I am submitting to you my ‘Official Oath’ in writing. I feel this is necessary as it is in the best interest of the citizens and taxpayers of the Fourth District of whom I was elected to represent on November 18, 2014 Recall Election.”
Later that morning, Johnson confirmed to the Clintonville Tribune-Gazette that Bressette did bring a copy of the oath signed by Steckbauer that was done on Dec. 2.
She also stated Mayor Magee would also have the official oath as part of the Dec. 9 council meeting, at which time Bressette would be formally sworn in. The agenda for that meeting did include that item.