Waukesha Alderman Vacancy On Common Council Agenda

WAUKESHA, WI— The City of Waukesha Common Council will meet on Tuesday to determine the process for replacing former alderman Kathleen Cummings in District 9.

Cummings, who abruptly resigned as a Waukesha County Supervisor and alderman after serving for over 20 years, was charged with seven felonies after investigators found she was using two different addresses, according to online court documents and a criminal complaint

Cummings is accused of not living in her home district for nine years of her time in public service, the complaint said. She was elected as alderman of District 9 for 20 years and as County Supervisor for District 19 for 22 years.

Her next court appearance is on Nov. 18.

There are three ways the vacancy can be handled, according to a memo from Brian Running, the city attorney:

• The Common Council can appoint a successor to fill the remainder of the term.
• A special election can be held to fill the seat, with the Common Council appointing a temporary successor until the special election.
• The seat can be left vacant until the next regular election.

"The choice will generally be determined by the length of the remaining unexpired term. A district should not go unrepresented for a substantial period of time," the memo said.

If the Council makes an interim appointment, then that person will fill the remaining
unexpired term will mean representing the alderman's old district. This means the alderman's district location prior to the recent redistricting.

In October, the Council approved ordinances to redistrict wards and aldermanic districts and reassign polling places. Redistricting is mandatory every 10 years and is triggered by the federal Census.

The appointee can reside in the new district but not the old, on the same principle that allows Council members who were districted out of their old district to continue to represent the old district until the next election, the memo said.