Saturday, September 14, 2024
By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – The Ashwaubenon Village Board seat left vacant by former Trustee Allison Williams has officially been filled.
Kelly Bogart Servais, a lawyer who moved with her husband to the village about a year ago from the Town of Rockland, was appointed Tuesday, Jan. 11, by the Ashwaubenon Village Board as the trustee for Wards 1-2.
Servais, who was one of two individuals who applied for the seat, will serve out the remainder of the term expiring in April 2023.
She said she resided in Rockland for 31 years before moving to Bay Harbor Circle Ashwaubenon.
“We’re one of these people who decided to test the (housing) market when the market got hot, because we had a big home on the water, and it sold in like 10 minutes…,” she said. “We were lucky to have the opening at Bay Harbor right when we needed it.”
Servais said the timing was right for her to seek the trustee appointment, because she has more time to serve on the board now that her youngest of two children just went away to college.
“I feel strongly that everyone needs to serve their community in some capacity,” she said.
The board approved the appointment of Servais on a 5-1 vote.
Trustee Gary Paul, who cast the lone dissenting vote, had requested a closed session to discuss who to appoint.
However, the board’s majority agreed to appoint Servais without the need for a closed session.
After Servais was selected, Paul said the only reason he voted against her was because Ashwaubenon “did not (need) another lawyer on this board.”
“She interviewed very well,” he said.
The other person to apply for the appointment, Robert Daniel Marshel, a lifelong California resident, said he currently lives in Howard Commons in the Village of Howard, but plans to move next month into a home being built on Aldon Circle in Ashwaubenon.
Williams resigned effective Nov. 22, because she moved out of the district, which she represented since 2017.
Williams was first appointed after Mary Kardoskee, who previously represented Wards 1-2, became village president following the death of Mike Aubinger in 2017.
After being elected to a two-year term in 2018, Williams was reelected to a full three-year term in 2020.
Village Manager Joel Gregozeski said for Servais will be sworn-in at the Jan. 25 regular board meeting.
