Council participation in board/committee appointments sought by resident

“On your appointments tonight,” said City of Lockport resident Russell Bruning at last week’s common council meeting.

“I understand tonight that only you (the mayor) make the appointments not the council as a whole,” said Bruning, who regularly attends council meetings and their work sessions.

“I was under the impression all this time that you guys talk about it and put people on these committees as a council. And I’m certain that there’s a lot of other people in the city that thought the same thing.”

“I know last year when everybody (the council) was new, I got up here and spoke about why in my opinion — and a lot of people that talked on the radio and talked to me in person — that if you want to appoint somebody right after there’s an election — or even if there wasn’t an election — and if somebody is not re-elected or taken off the council, how can get right back on here?”

“Those people were voted out of office for a reason,” Bruning said. “I don’t think that they should be put right back in here in a committee. I know there were a lot of people speaking out about that last year: in the paper, on the radio and in person. I talked to dozens and dozens of people around the city that say, ‘how come these people people got voted off the council are on the committees?’ It’s not right. I just wanted to let you know that. I would appreciate it — and I’m sure that others would appreciate it — if that didn’t happen anymore.”