Elkader Council appoints Hauber to open seat
By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register
In a decision that stirred immediate public opposition, the Elkader City Council last week appointed Tony Hauber to the council seat vacated by the recent resignation of Ed Josten.
“The moment felt a little surreal,” said Hauber of the appointment. “There were a lot of qualified candidates vying for the position, and I was honestly just thankful to be given this opportunity.”
The road to the appointment began with five candidates, Hauber, Caleb Shea, Willis Patenaude, Bryton Rentschler and Gerry Leahy, who all filled out questionnaires for council members to read prior to the Feb. 22 meeting. A member of the public in attendance also suggested the candidates deliver mini speeches.
Hauber led off, focusing on what the town has offered him throughout his life. He also noted, the town “doesn’t just magically continue to run. It takes hard working and intelligent people to run it. I want to be one of those people.”
Hauber emphasized not just looking to the near future, such as five to 10 years from now, but beyond that, to 100 years from now.
“My interest in city council is finding what we do, that’s like the Keystone Bridge. What is the thing we put into this town that 200 years in the future is still going to be serving people and bringing them to this area? That’s why I’d like to run,” Hauber said.
Following Hauber, candidate Patenaude, in an effort to overcome the obstacle of not being a native, spoke about his rural upbringing in upstate New York before transitioning to the issue of council attendance and the belief that, if you want to serve on the council, you should attend the meetings.
“Unlike the other candidates, I actually attend the meetings and have an intimate knowledge of the issues and debates surrounding them. I know people will say I’m only here because of my job, but I am still here,” Patenaude said.
After that, it was Rentschler’s turn to advocate for the position. The owner of the Elkader Pizzeria had a brief, business-centric speech.
“I would like to bring a business side and perspective to council and move this city in the right direction to keep it growing,” he said.
The final speech, as candidate Leahy was unable to attend, was given by Shea, who focused on his ongoing involvement and investment in the community, as well as his background in civil engineering, construction and asset procurement.
“I think my extensive track record of dedication to this community is there. I think one of the most important things for council is to make smart choices and follow through with them,” Shea remarked.
At this point, council member Daryl Koehn motioned to appoint Shea, based on his “commitment to the community.” Council member Randy Henning seconded the motion. The vote ended in a 2-2 tie, with Koehn and Henning voting “yay,” while council members Peggy Lane and Bob Hendrickson voted “nay.” The motion failed.
Lane then motioned to appoint Hauber, which was seconded by Hendrickson. After a brief moment of hesitation from Koehn, Hauber was approved by a 3-1 vote, with only Henning voting “nay.” Hauber was then dutifully sworn in.
In explaining Hauber’s selection and why he was the most qualified candidate, Hendrickson pointed to a personal relationship. “My vote for Tony was because I have known for quite a long time that this is an opportunity that Tony wanted to fulfill as a resident of Elkader,” he said.
Lane discussed her experiences with Hauber.
“The experiences I’ve had with Tony have given me the impression of someone who is very knowledgeable about a broad range of topics and, if he doesn’t know the answer, he does his research to get the information he needs to make an informed decision,” she said.
Koehn added, “I know him, I know his family, I know he’s moved back to the community and he wants to be a part of the community. This is a way he could serve, so I just thought he was the best—I don’t want to say of what was left. I just want to say that I supported him. He would’ve been my second choice.”
Mayor Josh Pope said, “Tony is an Elkader native who moved back a few years ago. A younger person that is interested in getting involved to give back to the community. I expect he will provide some new perspective to things.”
However, not everyone feels Hauber is the right choice. After the meeting, a petition to initiate a special election was circulated and, as of this writing, had received more than the 23 required signatures to begin that process.
The community members behind the petition provided the following statement: “We want Elkader to vote. Given the five choices the council was presented, we feel they voted with their own personal beliefs, not the community’s best interest in mind. We need representation for our small businesses and citizens who are financially and personally involved in our community.”
According to Elkader City Administrator Jennifer Cowsert, it’s been over 15 years since a special election was held in Elkader, despite the council appointing several members in that time frame.
Once the council takes up the issue, Cowsert stated, “We have to give the auditor’s office at least 32 days notice, and nomination petitions are due no less than 25 days before the election, but we have to take into account the publication deadlines too.”
Holding the special election comes with a minimum cost of $850.
In response to the possibility of a special election, Hauber said, “I’m not bothered at all by having a special election to fill this seat while I serve it during the process. I’ve only ever signed up to serve for as long as Elkader would democratically support me.”
