Selected, Not Elected

“I know the public likes to elect their representatives and people may question why we’re doing this, but…” begins Trustee Amanda Peterson’s defense of the Village Board appointing half of its members. But voting is not something the public just “likes” to do. It’s our right to choose our representatives. People have fought hard and at times died to win and preserve that right. It’s not for the Oregon Village Board to take it away.

Six people ran for Village of Oregon Trustee in last year’s election. Three candidates, Carlene Bechen, Derek Below and Jason Mahnke, won with over 1900 votes each. Had all five open Trustee positions been on the ballot, the fourth and fifth place finishers in this election would be Trustees today. Melissa Kingsley came in fifth place with 1415 votes. I, Mike Wunsch, came in fourth with 1616 votes.

Two weeks later, the five-member Oregon Village Board decided that they would fill the Board’s two open seats by interviewing and appointing applicants. They ignored Oregon citizens’ 3031 votes in the spring election held only two weeks earlier. They voted to silence Oregon’s voters in an off-night, untelevised Village Board meeting with no point on the agenda for public comment.

No transparency. No citizen input. Out of sight. Out of mind.

Later in the year, Trustee Derek Below resigned and the Village Board appointed yet another replacement instead of letting voters choose their representative. Half of the Village Board has now been appointed by the other half. The application process allows the Village Board to hand pick applicants who will agree with them and will not question current practices.

I am appalled by the Village Board’s disregard for democracy. In an age of gerrymandering and voter suppression, our government should be doing everything it can to strengthen our democracy. Our Village Board has done the complete opposite.

I believe in our right to vote. I will work to ensure that the Village Board can no longer appoint Trustees. It is your right, as a voter, to choose your representatives.