SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - Monday was the last time two members of Sheboygan’s Common Council will attend their bi-monthly meeting as they resign come the end of the month. To honor their time, Mayor Mike Vandersteen presented Jodi Vander Weele and Darryl Carlson with certificates acknowledging their time on the council.
-Jodi Vander Weele served on the council for eight years. Her most noted work with the council has been chairperson of the Law and Licensing Committee. She also served as a member on the Public Works Committee, Salary and Grievance Committee, Commission on Aging, Board of Housing Appeals, Industrial Development Commission, Committee on Fair Housing Practices, Board on Park and Forestry, Senior Activity Center Commission, Mayor’s International Committee, Strategic Fiscal Planning Commission, Group Health and Wellness Committee, and Government Structure Committee.
“Well I was not expecting this at all," says Vander Weele. "It’s been an interesting eight years. I started out taking over for my then husband, so I was dealing with politics before that, though ‘I’ll give it a try’; completely different on that side of the fence. A lot as changes over the last eight years, both in the city (and) my life. It’s been a great chapter, and I’m pretty excited to start my new chapter on January 1 when I get married, and see what life brings me next."
-Darryl Carlson served on the council for four plus years. He was for a time Vice President of the Council. He also served as chairman of the Committee of the Whole, chairman of the Public Protection and Safety Committee, chairman of the Sheboygan Transit Commission, and chairman of the Sustainable Sheboygan Task Force. He also served as a member on the Finance Committee, Strategic Fiscal Planning Committee, Mead Library Board of Trustees, Capital Improvements Commission, City-County Shared Services Committee, Architectural Review Board, and Historic Preservation Committee.
“Just want to thank everybody for the opportunity to be here, especially my constituents," said Carlson. "It’s been a fun four years, four and a half to be more exact. We gone through a lot of things both good and bad, but – Jodi and I are leaving the city on a good foot here. We’ve got a lot of great things happening, especially most notably the Boston Store property being redeveloped. Just in general we’ve got a great staff, the city administrator, a good leader in front of us; actually two of them, mister Mayor (Mike Vandersteen) and President (Don) Hammond. We’ve got great department heads, really good staff. My only advice is please don’t screw it up. Thanks.”
As for how their seats will be filled, Carlson's will be filled by council members when they meet again on January 4. Vander Weele's will be filled when it is up for election this spring.