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Craig Sutherland will act as Superior’s City Council President until one is elected from within the council - Photo courtesy of City of Superior website

City Councilor Craig Sutherland will serve as the acting City Council President until the council can vote on one. 
   The Superior City Council was torn on who to elect as their president April 16. Warren Bender nominated Ruth Ludwig. Esther Dalbec nominated Brent Fennessey, who has served as the council vice president over the past year. 
After several failed attempts to reach a majority no president was elected. A motion to carry the vote out with a secret ballot was voted down. Two more motions to carry out the vote with a secret ballot went forth but each time they were voted down after Mayor Jim Paine broke the tie by voting no. 
   The council was able to elect a vice president, Sutherland. Afterwards there was a motion to adjourn the meeting, but this vote failed. Then, Fennessey made a motion to table the selection of a council president to the next meeting, but this failed too.   Once again a motion to select the new council president with a secret ballot was made but failed with Mayor Paine making a tie breaking vote. 

   Almost an hour and a half into the meeting, after eight failed votes for a council president, the city council was able to vote to adjourn the meeting, with only two votes against adjournment. 

State Senator Janet Bewley Speaks at the sixth-annual Douglas County Veterans Expo - Photo by Felicity Bosk

Veterans Expo Makes Connections

   Senator Janet Bewley gave the welcoming speech at the Douglas County Veterans Expo. The annual expo, held at UW-Superior, gathered veterans, active service personnel and resources within the community that may be beneficial to them. 
“I think it’s really important to have an opportunity like this to have active service members and veterans connected with all the different resources and benefits there are in the community, both Wisconsin and Minnesota,” said Monte Stewart, the Veteran Student Services Coordinator. 
   Governor Tony Evers was initially scheduled to speak at the beginning of the Expo but canceled a few hours prior. Senator Bewley gave the welcoming speech in his place. 
   “We need to make sure all veterans have full and satisfying lives in our communities and that’s what this day is about,” said Senator Bewley. 
She highlighted how the Governor is seeking to permanently fund the Veterans Outreach and Recovery Program. The program also known as VORP was funded through a grant beginning in 2015. The program is centered around mental and behavioural health, housing and homelessness. 
   “This is the program that makes sure any veteran who needs assistance of any kind will be touched within a couple of hours and given the assistance they need no matter where they are,” said Senator Bewley. She went on to stress to those in attendance to contact her or the Governor’s office if there is any way veterans can be served better in Wisconsin. 

   The keynote speaker of the expo was Mary Kolar, the Secretary-designee of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.