MONROE — A new version of the Monroe Common Council was sworn-in last week, and officials welcomed a new face to the council while also electing Ald. Andrew Kranig to serve as president.

The council members each took their oath of office, including newest at-large member Matt Sheaffer, who was elected earlier this month. The group also said goodbye to Ald. Chris Schindler, a previous council member who resigned recently, citing conflicts with city staff over major issues facing the city.

“We want to thank him (Schindler) for his service to the community,” said Mayor Donna Douglas.

Also at a special March 15 organizational meeting, two alders were nominated to be president of the body, including Ald. Tom Miller and Ald. Andrew Kranig — with Kranig winning a close, anonymous vote to get the title.

When he is not serving on the council, Shaeffer, meanwhile,  is a farm operations manager at Resource Environmental Solutions in Brodhead.

Committee assignments also were finalized for the council. They include:

●  Ald. Lynne Kleven — Salary and Personnel, Judiciary and Ordinance Review, and Public Safety

●  Ald. Kyle Knoll — Board of Public Works, Finance and Taxation Committee and License Committee

●  Ald. Richard Thoman — Finance and Taxation, Judiciary and Ordinance Review, and Public Safety

●  Ald. Mary Jane Grenzow — Finance and Taxation, Salary and Personnel, and Judiciary and Ordinance Review

●  Ald. Tom Miller — Board of Public Works, Judiciary and Ordinance Review, and License

●  Ald. Heidi Treuthardt — Board of Public Works, Finance and Taxation, and Salary and Personnel

●  Ald. Corrine Wartenweiler — Salary and Personnel and Public Safety

●  Ald. Andrew Kranig — Board of Public Works, License

●  Ald. Matt Sheaffer — Public Safety, License

In other business last week, the council also approved a naming scheme that will have streets in a new subdivision northwest of town carry numbered street names with the northwest (NW) prefix to differentiate them from other numbered streets in town.

The subdivision is being built in the shadow of the Walmart and Alice Place areas to provide additional, badly needed housing stock in Monroe.

Grenzow voted against the measure, however, saying that Monroe’s numbered street system is confusing to outsiders. She preferred using proper names for the new streets on the city’s northwest edge.