Oak Creek Mayor's Death Raises 'What If?' Question

The got me thinking:

What if something similar happened in Greenfield?

Morbid, I know. But the tragedy in Oak Creek makes it the perfect time to brush up on Greenfield's succession plan, and according to City Attorney Roger Pyzyk, it’s all a matter of timing.

By state law, the Common Council president takes over immediately as acting mayor. In Greenfield’s case, if something were to happen to Mayor Michael Neitzke, Alderman Karl Kastner would take his place. But what happens next depends where the deceased mayor is in his or her term, Pyzyk said.

In the case of Bolender, , Pyzyk expects Oak Creek Common Council President Steve Scaffidi to remain acting mayor until the spring election. Scaffidi and other candidates will have until Jan. 3 to file nomination papers for the mayor's position, which would be filled on a permanent basis in April's election.

But had Bolender passed away during the middle of the term, the Common Council would have to make other considerations. For example, what if he had passed in September.

“The council could make the determination: do we have a special election and fill out his term (with an elected mayor) until April? Or do we have the Common Council president take over until the election?," Pyzyk said.

“If he died in the beginning of the term, then the city has got to call a special election to fill that office.”

One major difference between Oak Creek and Greenfield, however, is that Oak Creek’s mayor is part-time whereas Neitzke is one of few full-time mayors in the area.

According to Pyzyk, Kastner, who owns an insurance company and already has a full-time job, would be appointed acting mayor but could operate as a part-time mayor because of his prior obligations. In the event he took over, he’d be acting mayor until the spring election.

Kastner could also request that the Common Council take other steps, such as a special election, should he determine he cannot execute the office of mayor because of his insurance company commitments.

“The position of mayor in Greenfield is full-time, but if it’s staffed by the Common Council president on a part-time basis, that’s not a violation (of state law),” Pyzyk said. “It’s all a matter of timing of when that vacancy occurs that dictates what happens next.”