3-Year Terms For Mt. Pleasant Board Members: Charter Adopted

MOUNT PLEASANT, WI — The Village of Mount Pleasant Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a charter ordinance at its meeting Monday that would change term lengths for future trustees from two to three years.

The charter ordinance does not go into effect until 60 days from adoption, and during that time, citizens of Mount Pleasant are able to file a petition that would bring the matter up for a referendum vote.

In the meeting, Village President Dave DeGroot said the decision would give Mount Pleasant a more stable, managed board. Others spoke out about how the term extension would provide more time to accomplish longer-term goals.

"It has nothing to do with padding our terms, gosh, it's hard enough to get someone to run for a two-year term let alone a three-year term," DeGroot said in the meeting.

One local organization, A Better Mount Pleasant, has already announced via Facebook that it would advise people seeking to sign a petition.

The charter ordinance adopted reads:

"Beginning in 2023, and every three years thereafter, the Village President and the Trustee representing seat 1 shall be elected for three year terms."

"Beginning in 2024, and every three years thereafter, the Trustees representing seats 2,4 and 6 shall be elected for three year terms."

"Beginning in 2025, and every three years thereafter, the trustees representing seats 3 and 5 shall be elected to three year terms."

Trustee Anna Maria Clausen said, "it is beneficial for us, it is not about power, it is about what is best for efficiency and functioning."

"We're constantly having to plan far outside of what a 2-year term allows us to do." Trustee Nancy Washburn said in the meeting. "I think it allows us to better immerse ourselves in the village itself with the growth in our community."

"Number one and most importantly, I think the three-year term is going to attract people that are invested and interested in public service," Washburn continued. "It's going to prevent disruptions."

Trustee Ram Bhatia said "It's not an ordinance that we have to take lightly."

"I see this as you elected us to make a decision and this would be a decision recommendation to the community and if the community feels otherwise it has the veto power," Bhatia added.

Kelly Gallagher from A Better Mt. Pleasant told WisPolitics.com ahead of the vote Monday the charter ordinance would be a "power grab."

She told the outlet the only convenience from it would only be for "political candidates who wish to avoid the imposition of having to run for election every two years."

"For anyone to think that we're acting fast on this, that's absurd. We have been discussing this for over a year now," Village President DeGroot said in the meeting Monday.

"This is something that's had multiple conversations so I don't buy it that somehow were acting quickly and trying to pull the wool over someone's eyes," Degroot said.