So, some of the citizenry is up in arms about the impending ouster of a member of the Watonga City Council, namely Tina Willis.
Special meetings were scheduled for the last few days of November. That is significant because a Watonga council member who misses more than half of the meetings — regular or special — in a four month period is subject to forceful eviction from his/her seat. Those guidelines are from state statute.
Yes, Willis did tell the mayor via text she would be out of town for two months and miss the regularly scheduled meetings. The meeting dates were set when the meeting schedule was approved in December 2024. The dates were no surprise. Special meetings, by their definition, are not previously scheduled a year in advance.
Granted, even a city council member is entitled to a vacation under normal circumstances. Normal circumstances flew out the window when then-mayor Bill Seitter and vice mayor Travis Bradt resigned, leaving only three sitting members of the council.
Everyone had to attend every meeting for there to be a quorum – essentially enough members to vote – so that business could be conducted.
It seems that Willis was offended that she was not selected as mayor or vice mayor and in retaliation skipped at least one meeting. But looks can be deceiving; Willis later claimed a death in the family. On another occasion, Ryan Bruner was out sick.
But here is the thing. When you have a demanding office or job, you forgo the luxury of a two-month vacay, especially when you know that absence is going to leave the political body or your workplace dead in the water.
The city must legally meet its obligations. That means the bills have to be paid and certain deadlines – like the schedule for next year’s meetings – must be met.
With three council members and one being absent, little of that can be accomplished. The city is faced with deciding which is worse – bouncing a duly elected council member or breaking the law.
I am not so naïve as to think there aren’t other reasons – Willis has often been the wild card in the otherwise homogenized pack, not willing to go along to get along. Her dismissal from office would, no doubt cure some heartburn on the part of the city. Her seat is up for election in April.
That doesn't make it any more palatable. The whole situation could have been avoided by Willis staying in town and remaining a vocal advocate for her constituents. Instead, it looks like she is butt hurt and running away to punish the city. And politics are about the visuals.
In the end, the citizens are the ones who lose. Willis is a passionate, powerful representative and cities, including ours, need more like her. But in order to wield that power, those voices have to remain in office and stay inside the guidelines. At least until they can change the machine from the inside out.