MONROE - Six newly elected members of the City of Monroe Common Council took their oaths of office Tuesday and seemed to fall immediately into two factions - those that will support Mayor Bill Ross and those that will challenge him.
Council members split, voting 5 to 5, to confirm Ross' appointments of aldermen to the city's various committees, leaving Ross to break the tie to confirm his own appointments.
New aldermen Brooke Bauman, Sara Conway and Tyler Schultz voted with Michael Boyce and Thurston Hanson, who took the lead against confirming the appointments.
Boyce and Hanson said the appointments were disproportional and, in particular, favored Charles Koch over other experienced aldermen as chairman of some of the most influential committees. Both asked the mayor to reconsider his decisions.
"I thought the election said something... that voters wanted change," said Boyce. "We all come from various backgrounds with various abilities."
The number of committees assigned to each aldermen seemed "top heavy," said Hanson, with veteran aldermen on more committees than the new-comers.
Koch has been appointed chairman of the Finance and Taxation Committee, Salary and Personnel Committee and Judiciary and Ordinance Review Committee; and was appointed a member of six other committees.
Mayor Ross said he assigned the council appointments based on aldermen's experience, and as he felt would be the "biggest benefit for the city."
Ross also said he was not appointing new aldermen to chairmanships, staying in line with his decision last fall to replace as chairman of Finance and Taxation Committee the then-newly elected alderman Michael Boyce.
"I didn't want to put them n a position where they'd be uncomfortable," Ross added.
Ross also stated that no alderman called him to ask to chair a specific committee.
Hanson was appointed as chairman to four committees and made a member of three others. He said his committees rarely, if ever, meet.
"It's like being chairman of an ant hill," he said, "It means nothing."
"The weight of the committees was given to Chuck Koch," he told the mayor. "You slighted my experience, and that of Boyce, and (Jan) Lefevre and (Neal) Hunter."
Boyce and Hanson had tried first to get the appointments confirmed on an individual basis, but Boyce's motion failed without Conway, by a 4 to 6 vote.
City Attorney Rex Ewald said the city codes gives the mayor alone the power to appoint and that council's confirmation of committees appointments is not required, but rather a ceremonial vote.
It may also show Mayor Ross what lies in store for him from his new council.
Council members split, voting 5 to 5, to confirm Ross' appointments of aldermen to the city's various committees, leaving Ross to break the tie to confirm his own appointments.
New aldermen Brooke Bauman, Sara Conway and Tyler Schultz voted with Michael Boyce and Thurston Hanson, who took the lead against confirming the appointments.
Boyce and Hanson said the appointments were disproportional and, in particular, favored Charles Koch over other experienced aldermen as chairman of some of the most influential committees. Both asked the mayor to reconsider his decisions.
"I thought the election said something... that voters wanted change," said Boyce. "We all come from various backgrounds with various abilities."
The number of committees assigned to each aldermen seemed "top heavy," said Hanson, with veteran aldermen on more committees than the new-comers.
Koch has been appointed chairman of the Finance and Taxation Committee, Salary and Personnel Committee and Judiciary and Ordinance Review Committee; and was appointed a member of six other committees.
Mayor Ross said he assigned the council appointments based on aldermen's experience, and as he felt would be the "biggest benefit for the city."
Ross also said he was not appointing new aldermen to chairmanships, staying in line with his decision last fall to replace as chairman of Finance and Taxation Committee the then-newly elected alderman Michael Boyce.
"I didn't want to put them n a position where they'd be uncomfortable," Ross added.
Ross also stated that no alderman called him to ask to chair a specific committee.
Hanson was appointed as chairman to four committees and made a member of three others. He said his committees rarely, if ever, meet.
"It's like being chairman of an ant hill," he said, "It means nothing."
"The weight of the committees was given to Chuck Koch," he told the mayor. "You slighted my experience, and that of Boyce, and (Jan) Lefevre and (Neal) Hunter."
Boyce and Hanson had tried first to get the appointments confirmed on an individual basis, but Boyce's motion failed without Conway, by a 4 to 6 vote.
City Attorney Rex Ewald said the city codes gives the mayor alone the power to appoint and that council's confirmation of committees appointments is not required, but rather a ceremonial vote.
It may also show Mayor Ross what lies in store for him from his new council.