The Racine Common Council’s Committee of the Whole on March 4 debated who should fill the city’s second aldermanic vacancy following the death of Alder Jones, with council members divided over whether the existing council or the incoming council elected April 1 should make the appointment.

City Attorney summarized the legal options for filling an aldermanic vacancy, saying the council may permit the seat to remain vacant and call a special election, allow it to remain vacant until the term ends in April 2026, or appoint someone to serve the remainder of the term. The attorney also said the Common Council is the body charged “by law to determine how to proceed” in such cases.

The issue mattered to council members because the selection determines who will serve with the incoming council members and how quickly the ward will regain representation. City Attorney noted an appointee would serve until the end of the term in April 2026 and that the Common Council could consider the Committee of the Whole’s recommendation at its regular meeting on April 2.

A motion by Alder Mac, seconded by Alder Kapralian, proposed that the current council (the sitting council) make the appointment. "I definitely am in support of the old council body because with that comes wisdom," Alder Mac said, arguing that the existing members understand candidates’ character and how they would function with current council dynamics. Another supporter said the appointment process by the current council would avoid delaying interviews and would not push the process back a month or more.

Opponents urged waiting for the new council. "I feel that the new council should make the decision," Alder Pete said, adding he believed the burden should be on the incoming council. Alder Herrmann also argued for waiting, saying, "Because the decision isn't going to be made until after the election on April 1, I think that it is imperative that the new council be able to make a decision on who they would like to work with." Herrmann said allowing the newly elected members to take part would let them "get their feet wet" in council decision-making.

The motion to have the current council appoint the replacement was put to a voice vote; the transcript records the motion, the second, and the start of the voice vote but does not record the final tally or whether the motion passed. The city attorney’s summary of options remains the governing guidance recorded in the meeting.

The Council will take further action according to its rules: if the Committee of the Whole’s recommendation is forwarded, the Common Council can act at its regular meeting (noted by the city attorney as April 2) or the council could allow the seat to remain vacant or call a special election. The transcript does not record any formal appointment or final vote result during this Committee of the Whole session.