Vacant seat on La Crosse city council will be new president’s dilemma

Cornett recently resigned and is only name on ballot.

In a couple months, it will officially be someone else’s problem.

City council president Dick Swantz is serving out his last term, so it will be up to the next guy to figure out what to do with what likely will be an empty council seat on the north side.

There’s no set policy on whether to have a special election or just appoint someone. 

“Every situation could be a little different,” Swantz said. “I don’t know. Having alternative to do this is not, on its face, a bad thing.”

Last week, Ryan Cornett resigned his council seat and is the only candidate on the ballot for the second district in April’s elections.

Only a successful write-in campaign would keep Cornett from winning election to a seat he will likely refuse to fill.  

“I would be reluctant to leave the seat vacant,” Swantz said. “That’s like saying to all these people who are paying taxes, they don’t have a voice.”

Ideally, local government reps would get elected and serve out their entire term.  

“That’s one of the reasons I made my decision (to retire),” Swantz said. “I’m not moving tomorrow, but I am going ot move some time in the next four years. Probably in the next year.”