The handwriting was on the wall for the majority of East Grand Forks City Council members who wanted to team up with Grand Forks in sewage treatment. So, at Tuesday's meeting, they didn't attempt a vote to override Mayor Lynn Stauss' earlier veto of the wastewater interconnect project.
City Council member Marc Demers made a motion to reconsider the matter of sharing treatment. However, the three other council members who favor sharing _ Mike Pokrzywinski, Wayne Gregoire and Craig Buckalew _ stayed silent.
Their votes wouldn't have mattered because Stauss had enough council backing to uphold a veto. He needed two backers to sustain a veto and had three in Council members Henry Tweten, Greg Leigh and Ron Vonasek.
"I knew the outcome, so I didn't see the necessity for another vote," Pokrzywinski said.
Added Gregoire: "Why let them gloat?"
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The council meeting also included the resignation of John Wachter, the public works superintendent. It wasn't because of disappointment over the vote, however.
"My wife (Dawn) is on active duty in the Air Force and has been assigned to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs," Wachter said. "Military families move."
His resignation will take effect Jan. 6.
Reach Bakken at (701) 780-1125; (800) 477-6572, ext. 125; or send email to rbakken@gfherald.com .
