Madison County Board rejects three appointments, debates 60‑day vacancy clock

The Madison County Board on Jan. 20 rejected three separate nominations to fill recent county‑board vacancies, prolonging representation gaps in Districts 6, 14 and 15 and setting up a likely scramble to meet a statutory 60‑day deadline.

Chairman Kurt Prenzler read the resignation of County Board member Chrissy Dutton‑Wiley, effective Dec. 18, 2020; two other seats also remained vacant from earlier departures. The board considered three nominees: Valarie Doucleff for District 6, Larry Meisenheimer for District 14 and Dana Brockman for District 15.

Mick Madison questioned whether nominees had been properly vetted or contacted by board members, saying he had not been consulted on candidates from his district. After discussion about whether departing members customarily influence successor picks, members split along lines of process and communication.

The appointment of Valarie Doucleff (District 6) failed on roll call, 7 ayes to 17 nays. The nomination of Larry Meisenheimer (District 14) failed unanimously, 0–24. Dana Brockman (District 15) likewise failed, 2 ayes to 22 nays. The board’s roll calls were recorded in the meeting minutes.

Board member Mike Walters raised a procedural question about the 60‑day deadline for filling vacancies. County legal counsel (identified in the record as Mr. Carruthers) advised that the 60‑day clock runs from the date of each vacancy: “It’s measured by the day of the vacancy,” he said, and noted that two of the vacancies would reach their 60‑day deadline the following week. The board did not adopt any new appointment at the Jan. 20 meeting.

The failure to fill the seats means the board must either reach consensus on alternate nominees at upcoming meetings or risk the county clerk making appointments under the statutory procedure if the board does not act before the statutory deadline. The board recessed the session until Feb. 17, 2021.