By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — The City Council declined to approve the reappointment of Corporation Counsel Gary Miotke by a 5-1 vote during its Nov. 24 meeting.
Council Chairwoman Denise Malinowski-Maxwell and Councilmen Dave Abdallah, Bill Bazzi, Ray Muscat and Tom Wencel voted against Miotke with Councilman Robert Constan the only yes vote.
The resolution was to reappoint Miotke for another two years. Instead, the council voted to have Mayor Daniel Paletko seek other corporation counsel, including Miotke.
Muscat said the council should have a study session where Paletko brings forth a few new names for consideration. He also said in the meantime, Miotke should be allowed to carry on his duties as the city attorney.
“I believe that Corporation Counsel Miotke has been with us for a long time,” Muscat said. “It would not hurt to bring forth new names to have new vision. We need to have new names, we need change.”
Abdallah said he would like to see other names and what the city’s options are.
“I think our counsel, Gary Miotke has done a pretty good job,” Abdallah said. “In the judicial system, he’s doing a pretty good job, so, maybe, as a possibility, counsel Gary Miotke continues as a prosecutor working in the court system, and maybe as a possibility we get somebody else for our city council and mayor.”
Constan said Miotke is the most experienced, least expensive, people in the city know him and district court judges like him.
In May, a resolution to reappoint Miotke was introduced but there was no second to the motion and no vote made by the council.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected])