Politics & Government

Eileen Madden Will Succeed Noah Fiedler in 7th District

Council voted in a 3-3 tie, but Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti broke it, stating the decision between Madden and attorney Deborah Tomczak was a tough call. Resident Larry Jansen was shut out in voting.

With only half of his term completed, will officially be an average citizen as of Friday.

And his replacement was determined at Tuesday's Common Council meeting, where Eileen Madden, who served as alderman for the 7th District for six years before Fiedler, will again step into the seat for the remainder of the term.

Madden told the council during an open interview process of the that the break from the council was a "nice respite," but she was ready to come back and serve the district again.

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She cited her involvement on the Veolia landfill siting committee, as well as her current position on its standing committee, as valuable experience in working with people to make tough decisions.

The landfill was also cited by Madden as one of the key issues in the 7th District, as it's the largest business there, and a successful one.

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In answering how she would balance constituents who wanted her to vote a certain way on an issue against the needs of the community, she said she was someone who "doesn't think things to death, but I approach issues analytically before I make a decision."

She said also she felt she had proved that she could balance the responsibility of representing the district, but not at the expense of the city's best interests.

Deborah Tomczak also said she would vote her conscience in contentious issues, and pointed to the idea that residents being vocal on an issue wouldn't determine the outcome in some cases.

"I know we hear from people who are passionate, and that often there is a particular interest that is served when people are vocal in taking a side. I would listen not just to those who are vocal, but also to the rest of the residents," Tomczak said.

Larry Jansen, the third candidate was not at the meeting, but had submitted written answers to the questions each candidate was presented. He told the council he had experience professionally and personally in overcoming challenges (his wife has multiple sclerosis). He also cited his years of experience on the water utility with the city of West Allis and as an accountant with the city of Wauwatosa as valuable to the position.

Voting by the council resulted in a 3-3 tie, with Fiedler abstaining, and Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti broke the tie by voting for Madden. Chiaverotti said Madden's previous experience as an alderman and her knowledge of the district's issues were deciding factors in her tie-breaking vote, but acknowledged the other candidates' experience in making the vote a tough one. She also encouraged the other two candidates to consider future service to the city as aldermen when the 2013 election comes around.

Madden's first council meeting will be in April, and she will serve until Fielder's term expires in April 2013.


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