GREEN BAY, WI -- Mayor Jim Schmitt escaped removal from office by a slim margin at Monday night's meeting.
The city council voted 8 to 4 which was one vote shy of the amount needed to remove him. State law requires a three-quarters majority by the council.
The Green Bay resident who filed the petition was at the meeting and gave testimony. Scott Vanidestine felt the mayor got off too easy after his conviction of misdemeanors for violating Wisconsin Campaign Finance Laws.
There were two votes during the meeting.
In the first vote, the city council voted 9 to 3, finding there was cause to seek Mayor Schmitt's removal from office.
However in the second vote on the actual removal, Alderman Randy Scannell switched over to vote no.
Some were confused by the way Scannell voted.
"I'm not the mayor's boss, the electorate is," explained Scannel. "I think it's up to them to deal with the mayor if they want him out of office."
"I don't know how he can pretend to want to do business with this council when the majority of us don't have any faith in him," said Alderman Guy Zima.
Mayor Schmitt said he is ready to move on and get back to focusing on important tasks for the city.
"I'm a strong mayor," said Schmitt. "I'm going to keep the city moving as I've committed to doing the last 14 years. I'm going to finish my term."
City alderman said there is the potential for a recall petition will be filed.
If that happens, Mayor Schmitt said he would run for re-election.
Vanidestine was disappointed by the end result.
"I think I'm done. I'm spent. I've spent the last two and a half months working on this and the last two and a half days non-stop working on this," said Vanidestine.
He said if someone else wants to initiate a recall, he'll help out.
