Supervisor appointment draws controversy.

By Dan Benson

Approving appointments to the Sheboygan County Board is usually a rubber stamp affair, but Chairman Mike Vandersteen's nomination of Ron Mueller on Tuesday night aroused a bit more controversy than usual when Supervisor Devin LeMahieu objected.

I'm not going to vote for this appointment," LeMahieu told supervisors, shortly before Mueller's appointment was approved, 24-7. "I don't think he represents the views of the people of that district."

Mueller is in his third year and second term as president of the Sheboygan County Labor Council, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO and an organization that endorses labor-friendly political candidates, usually Democrats.

Mueller was nominated by Vandersteen to replace Connie Ziegelbauer on the County Board to represent the 1st District, which is comprised of the City of Sheboygan's 1st Ward.

In last November's election, the 1st Ward went straight Republican, favoring now-Gov. Scott Walker over Democrat Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, 602 to 529; State Sen. Joe Leibham over Democrat Jason Borden, 770 to 356; and state Rep. Mike Endsley over Democrat Terry Van Akkeren, 560 to 538.

"That district is one of the most conservative districts in Sheboygan," LeMahieu said. "I don't think he represents the views of the district."

Mueller, 63, retired in March 2010 after 33 years as an instrument and control technician at the Edgewater Generating Station.

Mueller said he never has been elected to public office but said he has served on the city's Citizens Committee for Community Block Grants and on the Sheboygan Housing Authority. He's also active in his church and other causes, he said.

The Labor Council is not involved in negotiating contracts for any of the county's eight union groups, Mueller said.

"Now that I'm retired, (joining the County Board) seemed like a new way to serve my community," he said.

Mueller called LeMahieu's objection "understandable. He's more on the conservative side and he had some concerns about my labor affiliation," he said.

"But there's a good share of votes on the other side also. I don't think there's political hangers hung on any of the supervisors. Some are moderates, some are conservatives and some are more liberal. The mix hopefully makes the body run Sheboygan County to the benefit of all of its citizens."

Vandersteen said he chose Mueller over three other candidates and his political affiliation did not figure into the decision.

"I just felt from the discussions I had and from the resume that Ron would be the best candidate and be best suited to be the on board," Vandersteen said. "(Political philosophy) has nothing to do with the criteria to pick the person. That criteria has never been used to determine a representative. It's not something I used to guide me in that decision."

LeMahieu said he preferred two other candidates for the seat: Laureen Leo, who LeMahieu said was endorsed by Ziegelbauer and was encouraged to apply by Supervisor Roger Otten, and former Sheboygan alderman Pat Gillette.

"I think both of them are more conservative and more represent the district," LeMahieu said.