Local
Onalaska city council appoints interim Mayor
The City of Onalaska has appointed Alderperson Kim Smith to be the interim mayor.
Smith said during a special council meeting on Wednesday that she initially never considered the position after Mayor Joe Chilsen resigned suddenly on Monday.
After conversations with friends and employer, she said she’d be honored to serve the city in that role.
Smith’s appointment was passed in a unanimous vote.
The district seat she left will remain unrepresented until the election in April.
The election for a new mayor is also in April.
Chilsen cited health issues as the reason for his resignation, calling it one of the most difficult decisions of his life.