Longtime Waukesha councilwoman and county board supervisor Kathleen Cummings has abruptly resigned

UPDATE: Kathleen Cummings is facing seven felony charges

WAUKESHA - Kathleen Cummings, who has simultaneously served as an elected representative for two governing bodies for two decades, has abruptly resigned her seats.

In separate letters to public officials, the 20-year Waukesha alderwoman and 22-year Waukesha County board supervisor did not list a clear reason for her decision, though an earlier letter sent to city and county officials indicated she had recently taken a medical leave.

Cummings, an Ohio native who moved to Waukesha in 1978, was not immediately available to comment. But in her resignation letters, both similarly worded, she indicated she was retiring.

"I am looking forward to retirement and to spending more time with family, friends and my grandchildren," she wrote.

She also thanked her 9th aldermanic district constituents in Waukesha and her 19th supervisory district constituents in Waukesha County "for all their support and for giving me the opportunity to represent them. Together we did make a difference."

City and county saw major changes during Cummings' tenure

Renowned as a vocal member of both governing bodies, Cummings served during a time that has included major overhauls of government buildings in both jurisdictions as well as Waukesha's decision to seek a new water source to reduce its radium-tainted groundwater supply.

Waukesha County remodeled and updated its courthouse, a project that's still ongoing, and built a new health department office building in 2013. The City of Waukesha, after years of debate, finally followed through on plans to build a new City Hall, which was completed early in 2021.

Cummings, while not strictly opposing the city hall project, nonetheless questioned the city's decision to build a new facility on its existing campus. She initially favored a shared campus arrangement with Waukesha County, at its Moreland Boulevard location.

Both jurisdictions also implemented major road projects during her tenure, including the rebuilding and redesign of Waukesha's downtown streets and widened routes along Greenfield Avenue and Les Paul Parkway, with state and federal assistance.

In her re-election bid to the county board in 2016, Cummings also criticized supervisors and county staff for not accepting a senior housing proposal to repurpose the historic Moor Mud Baths, owned by the county and used as its health department offices until 2013.

2022 spring elections will determine Cummings' successor

Her resignation was somewhat well timed, coming shortly before the filing period begins in December for local elections in April. Candidates will be able to file for an open seat with no elected incumbent in the mix.

Both the county and the city will have to decide how to fill her seat between now and the April elections, however.

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City Administrator Kevin Lahner said the options will be discussed at the council's Nov. 16 meeting.

"The options are to leave it unfilled, appoint someone, or hold a special election," Lahner said. "It will be up to the council on how to proceed."

However, Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly hinted that further information that is expected to be made public in the days ahead will influence how the city proceeds. Admittedly, Reilly said he realizes that all sounds very "cryptic."

"Alderman have asked me what's going on, and Kevin and I have a good idea about what's happening, but we have not told anyone," Reilly said Tuesday. "When the news comes out, I'm hoping everyone understands why we haven't talked about it."

Reilly added that he wasn't surprised by Cummings' announcement, based on earlier information, but he declined to elaborate.

"This is very strange for me, not being able to provide any information to the media," Reilly said, noting that the announcement will not come directly from the city or the county.

The county's path to filling the seat was clearer. Waukesha County Board Chairman Paul Decker said he will leave it all up to voters in April.

"Considering the short time span, and respecting voters, I have decided that the County Board seat vacated by Kathleen Cummings will remain open until the April election and encourage anyone interested in running for it to contact the Waukesha County Clerk's office," Decker said.

Reilly noted that Mike Payne, who opposed Cummings during her run for re-election to the county board in 2016, has filed nomination papers marking his intent to run to Cummings' aldermanic seat.

Contact Jim Riccioli at (262) 446-6635 or james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jariccioli.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Longtime Waukesha County supervisor, city alderwoman Cummings resigns