Mayor, council must agree on replacements
By:Vanessa S. Holt
SPRINGFIELD — The township’s Recreation Committee will function with two empty seats until the mayor and council agree on replacements for two members who were dismissed last week.
Committee chairman Paul Rosenwinkel approached the council during the May 10 meeting, asking that two recreation committee members be dismissed for excessive absences.
In response, Mayor John Green nominated Craig Byrd and Linda Lovenduski to replace the dismissed committee members. But the council did not second the motion, leaving the committee with two vacant seats that cannot be filled until an agreement can be reached between mayor and council.
“We will be able to function,” said Mr. Rosenwinkel this week. “We’re still going to work hard; we will not be neglectful.”
The missing members, Todd Haff, the subcommittee chair of parks, and Laurie Engle, secretary, had been appointed in January by Mayor Green.
If a recreation committee member has three unexcused absences within a calendar year, said Mr. Rosenwinkel, the committee may ask the mayor and council to replace those members. Recreation committee members are appointed by the mayor, but must be approved by the council.
Both Mr. Haff and Ms. Engle had missed three of the four recreation committee meetings held so far this year.
“We want to get active people,” said Mr. Rosenwinkel. “We really need people there.”
The recreation committee, including nine members and two alternates, administers youth sports programs for children ages 5 to 13, including baseball, softball, soccer, wrestling, and basketball. It also acts as an advisory committee to the council, providing recommendations on matters concerning parks.
Alternates have been replacing the absentees for the past three meetings. Alternates are not able to vote unless they are sitting in for an absentee.
“I think the absentees objected to how the responsibilities were handed out,” said Mayor John Green.
Mr. Rosenwinkel disagreed, saying that neither Mr. Haff nor Ms. Engle had ever voiced an objection to him.
Mr. Rosenwinkel said that although the committee discussed the mayor’s appointments, they did not try to change them.