The headline and article that appeared on the front page in the Jan. 4 issue of the Garden City Life indicated that many people were "shocked" by the mayor's appointment of a new Village Trustee. This is inaccurate and misleading. First of all, I'd like to know who was shocked, the very few people (15) who sent Robert Rothschild's name to the mayor for consideration as trustee, or the many people (244) who sent the name of John Mauk!

To recap:

* When former Village Trustee Larry Kettner resigned, the mayor was responsible for appointing someone to fill the unexpired term.

* Under our Community Agreement form of government, the mayor asked the Estates POA to give him two or three names for his consideration.

* The Vacancies Committee (four or five members of the POA Board) interviewed Robert Rothschild and John Mauk for this position; however, the board (10 more members) sent only ONE name to the mayor.

* Twice more, the mayor repeated his request for more than one name and each time the Estates POA Board refused.

* Eventually a petition was circulated by people who objected to the behavior of some of the Estates Board members and, shortly thereafter, they presented a petition to the mayor signed by more than 240 residents of the Estates section asking the mayor to consider John Mauk to fill the vacancy.

* The petition gave the mayor two names as he wanted and also confirmed that the mayor, not a few members of the POA Board, had the right to make the appointment.

The article says that "This appointment (John Mauk) surprised and angered many," and goes on to indicate that "several members of the Estates POA who were scheduled to serve as officers and board members for the coming year chose to remove their names from consideration for these positions ..." because of their anger with the mayor. Again, the use of the word, "many," is wrong and misleading. A handful of people threatened that the Estates Board would resign if the Mayor didn't go along with their choice and, very probably, were surprised and angered. In fact, however, only two people resigned and they resigned totally from the Estates POA Board, and not just from a position. The designated Estates POA president, Jim Costello, went even further. After angrily denouncing the mayor to everyone's embarrassment, he publicly resigned from the Estates POA Board at the annual Chamber of Commerce dinner-dance.

If they attended Village Board meetings, more of the Estates POA Board members would know that, in the short time he has been there, John Mauk has been an outstanding Village Trustee. He approaches issues fairly and objectively and, since his appointment last May, has demonstrated his ability to work with others to reach constructive solutions to Village problems. The Estates Property Owners and our Village as a whole are fortunate that the mayor appointed a man with John Mauk's ability to the Village Board of Trustees.

This letter is in reference to something that happened last year and would not have been written except for the year in review article in the Jan. 4 edition of G.C. Life. I am very impressed with the Estates POA under the new leadership of Richard Schrafel and John Schwieger and hope that more residents in the Estates will go to the POA meetings. The residents will find the meetings more public and informational and will be able to see firsthand how the POA is there to help them.

Jerie Newman

Former President Estate POA