Leaving Shorewood a 'Difficult Decision' for Trustee

After five years on the Village Board, Trustee Margaret Hickey had to step down this month after she decided to purchase a home outside of Shorewood.

“It was one of the more difficult decisions me and my husband have had to make,” she said. “We have so many great friends and memories in Shorewood.”

Hickey's ties to Shorewood go back decades. She has lived in the village for around 20 years and her husband, Robert Wrenn, for around 30 years. But the couple decided it was time to look for a smaller home and they couldn’t find one in Shorewood that fit their needs, she said.

Margaret, an attorney at the law firm Becker, Hickey and Poster in downtown Milwaukee, has served on numerous village committees, including the Fire and Police, and Budget and Finance committees.

She said she is proud of her years on the board, including her work on Shorewood’s gardens and parkways, the sewer issue and her time spent on the Community Development Authority. She said she enjoyed learning about financial issues the most in her time serving Shorewood.

The couple's ties are deep in the community as Wrenn is co-founder of the SEED Foundation, a organization dedicated to fundraising for local schools, and has been very involved with the school district for years.

“I was glad to work with the people of Shorewood who give of themselves so generously,” she said.

She added Shorewood is special because of the level of resident involvement in the community.

“I want to thank Shorewood for letting me serve them,” she said. “It was a privilege and I am very thankful.”

But, she said she hopes to stay connected to the village through friends and other activities.

Trustee Michael Maher said she was an asset to the board.

"We miss her a lot and she really did add to the board," he said.

Hickey said Village Manager Chris Swartz is working on a special ceremony to award her a plaque for her time on the board. She had one year left on her term when she stepped down.

How does the village plan to fill the seat?

Village Attorney Ray Pollen said there are three options the Village Board can choose to fill Hickey’s seat.

The board can either leave the seat vacant until next spring’s election, appoint someone to fill the seat through whatever process the board wants or hold a special election.

Village President Guy Johnson said the board also could choose to fill the position now and hold a special election in November.

The board took no action Monday.

At least one resident has raised concerns about the timing of Hickey's resignation, especially with the announcement coming so close to the local elections.

Village officials announced Hickey would be stepping down April 4, a day before the election. However, Hickey said she didn't sell her home until April 1, and while it had been on the market for eight months, she wasn't sure when it would sell with the condition of the housing market.

Village Clerk Sherry Grant said Hickey would have had to step down in early January, near the deadline for candidates to file, in order to get her seat on the April 5 ballot.

In addition, this resident, who didn't want to be named, questioned the board's authority to select a new trustee without a democratic process.

The board has filled an open trustee seat through appointment three times in the past, most recently in 2008 after Johnson vacated his trustee seat after he became president. The board appointed Trustee Dawn Anderson to replace him.