It's Mellone vs. Schellinger for Alderman

An applicant for an open aldermanic seat has withdrawn his candidacy, saying his graduate school classes conflict with city meeting times.

Shawn Conaway sent the city a letter withdrawing as a candidate for the Common Council seat that became available when Lisa Mellone stepped down in July to apply for the Brookfield city clerk position.

He is pursuing his masters in business administration degree and has class Tuesday nights, which is when the council and some committees meet.

Mellone was not chosen as city clerk and is , but she will have to persuade aldermen she is a better choice than Tom Schellinger.

Schellinger has applied for the seat which he formerly held, until Mellone defeated him to take it.

The council's Legislative and Licensing Committee will interview Mellone and Schellinger at 8 p.m. Sept. 13 at City Hall, 2000 N. Calhoun Road.

The committee plans to make a recommendation on the aldermanic appointment at the council's Sept. 20 meeting.

Whoever is appointed will serve until the April election and would have to run for re-election to finish the final two years on that seat's existing term, through 2014.