McCUE, "FATHER OF OAK CREEK DOG PARK," RESIGNS COUNTY BOARD SEAT TO TAKE HELM IN CUDAHY

LATEST UPDATE: 3:02 p.m.


By Michael Horne


Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee County Supervisor Ryan P. McCue has announced that he will resign his position to become the Mayor of Cudahy. McCue’s last County Board meeting will be Thursday, May 17, 2007. His resignation will be effective Friday, May 18, 2007 at 5 p.m. ... He is credited with creating the Runway Dog Exercise Area in Oak Creek, a 36-acre* fenced-in parcel of land for dogs and their owners to enjoy. -- Press Release from Milwaukee County Board, April 10th, 2007

McCue will be paid $59,000 per year as he manages the affairs of the industrial community founded in 1906 by meatpacker Patrick Cudahy. It is a raise from his supervisor's mite of $50,874. Since 2000 he has lived in the fashionable Cudahy Townsite subdivision in a brick bungalow built in 1929. He paid $95,000 for the 1,669 square foot manor, which includes two full baths and is heated by a Buderus 103,000 BTU boiler installed by McCue and his wife Sarah in 2004. A detached two-car garage, built in 1950, is the principal outbuilding of the 5,400 square foot McCue estate. It is rated "Grade C" by the City of Cudahy Assessor.

McCue will assume his official duties on April 17th, a month and a day before his resignation from the county board will take effect. The mayor of Cudahy serves a three year term. County Executive Scott Walker has the option of calling a special election to replace McCue, who was elected in a special election in 2002, and re-elected for a full, four-year term in 2004. Or, Walker may choose to allow the seat to remain vacant and the residents of the eighth district unsupervised. Walker's office did not immediately return a blogger's telephone call asking for his decision on the matter. [Editor's Note: See "Update," below.]

[Editor's Note: Although the Office of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors claims in this release that the McCue Canine Sanctuary consists of 36 fenced acres, other information deemed to be reliable places the actual area at 26.2 acres, or 10.6027 hectares. The incorrect size has already been reported in other media accounts of the McCue legacy. A correction has been requested from the county board by milwaukeeworld. (Update: The correction has since been distributed to all media.) Stay tuned throughout the day for further updates on this momentous political event. --M.H.]
[UPDATE: County Executive Scott Walker today outlined the process by which he will determine the representation of the citizens of the Eighth Supervisory district after the resignation of Ryan McCue. At this point, the ball is in McCue's court, and it is his obligation to notify Sheriff David Clarke of his resignation on the date of said resignation (May 18th, 2007).
With the resignation in hand, Clarke is then obliged by law to notify County Board Chairman Lee Holloway .
(Editor's Warning: -- preceding link includes a photograph of Holloway. It may be safer to disable graphics before proceeding).
County Clerk Mark Ryan will also be notified by the sheriff. Upon the completion of these formalities, the county executive "can call for a special election to take place anytime prior to December 1, 2007, or allow the seat to remain vacant." The general election must be held not less than 62 nor more than 77 days after ordered, with a primary election four weeks prior.
Accordingly, the earliest a general election could be held would appear to be July 19th, and the latest would be approximately February 14th, 2008. The regular spring primary for the full four-year supervisory term is scheduled for February 19th, and the general election will be held April 1st, 2008.
"Should I opt to hold a special election, I will work with our Election Commission to ensure the optimum timeframe is used to allow candidates to prepare and at the least cost possible to the taxpayers," Walker said. --Ed.]