Police chief special election scrapped

KESHENA — Plans to hold a special election to elect a new police chief were scrapped Thursday by the Menominee Tribal Legislature when it received the news that it would cost more money than its elections department has.

The legislature had voted at its last meeting Jan. 16 to direct the Menominee Election Commission to schedule a special election. The legislature had fired Mark Waukau, the last elected police chief, in September 2018 and was seeking to make the position an appointed post instead of an elected one, but eventually opted to keep the hiring up to the voters.

Yvette Ducane, election commission chairwoman, told the legislature that having a special election would cost well over $25,000 — $10,871 for a primary and $14,968 for the general election — and that the elections department does not have the money in its 2020 budget.

Ducane noted that it’s the legislature’s responsibility to set dates and times for special elections.

“In order to have a special election, you have to have a resolution setting the dates and the times,” Ducane said. “We have to have 60 days to hold a special election, so that would put us into April.”

Legislator Joan Delabreau felt it would be better to hold off on electing a new police chief until the next legislative election, which would begin with a primary in November and a general election in January 2021.

“I think $25,000, $26,000 is a lot of money,” Delabreau said. “I think if we wait until … the legislative election, it won’t cost us any additional money, and it will be cleaner when that person’s term ends.”

The legislature unanimously approved rescinding its call for a special election and a motion that moved the police chief election to the regular election season.

Richard Nacotee is serving as the interim police chief, having served in that position since Waukau’s removal.

The tribal police chief would serve a term of seven years, according to current tribal ordinances, and be sworn in February 2021, the same time the legislature is sworn in.

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com