Webster Township Board Votes in New Supervisor

More than a month after the resignation of former Supervisor Mike DeAngelo, the Webster Township Board completed its search for a new township leader Tuesday night working through a nomination and voting process that included three candidates, spirited discussion among trustees and one dramatic moment that drew an audible gasp from the audience.

The board met July 14 at Webster Township Hall to fill the supervisor’s seat vacated when DeAngelo resigned during an early June meeting. The appointee will serve until the position is on the ballot in November 2028.

“This isn’t an easy job, and it’s not an easy answer at all,” Trustee Brant Savander told the three candidates. “So the fact that everybody that did stand up to the line to be counted, I say, is a huge deal in my mind. I appreciate all the effort you went through.”

Three candidates sought the appointment: George Goodman, John Scharf and Peter Stevens. All three interviewed before the board during a special June 30 meeting, outlining their qualifications and answering questions from trustees.

Three Candidates, Two Nominees

Before the board could vote, however, trustees first had to decide which candidates would be formally nominated.

When nominations were opened, Goodman and Scharf each received nominations from board members. Stevens was not nominated. Under the board’s process, only nominated candidates could be considered in the final vote, leaving Goodman and Scharf as the two finalists.

Debating the Township’s Direction

The discussion that followed made clear trustees believed all three applicants were qualified, but differed on what the township needed most after a turbulent period in local government.

Trustee Shelly Vrsek said she respected Scharf’s experience and expertise but believed Webster Township would benefit from leadership coming from outside the current board.

“I think right now we need somebody who wasn’t on the board to lead it” Vrsek said. “I think we need somebody outside of us because of the trust of the community. And I also think that losing John in the treasurer’s role would be another disruption in the township office that would be hard for us to fill.”

That concern, appointing Scharf and creating a vacancy in the treasurer’s office, became one of the meeting’s central issues.

Scharf urged trustees not to let that possibility influence their decision. He told the board he had spent months preparing Deputy Treasurer Amanda Weiss to assume the treasurer’s duties if necessary.

“One of the things that I learned in my career was the importance of succession planning,” Scharf said. “I have trained Amanda Weiss as my deputy treasurer. She is fully 100% capable of doing the job of treasurer, and she is willing and able to be the treasurer.”

Trustee Jeff Harms praised each finalist for different strengths, describing Scharf as possessing unmatched professional knowledge while saying Goodman demonstrated compassion and a willingness to work collaboratively.

“John, your professional knowledge, I think it’s hands down the deepest that we have here,” said Harms. “I believe Mr. Goodman brought more of a compassion and a thing of being willing to work with people.”

Savander likewise commended all three candidates before explaining why he believed Goodman was the best fit.

Savander said Stevens had matured into a thoughtful student of public policy and predicted he would someday serve in township leadership. He called Scharf’s knowledge of township government unmatched but said Webster Township’s current circumstances demanded someone whose background emphasized communication and conflict resolution.

“When I look at it from that lens, George is the clear selection in my mind,” he said. “I thought when he presented at the interview, he was humble… From conflict resolution, I can only think that our conflicts are minor compared to the depth of what he’s dealt with his entire professional career.”

A Warning from the Treasurer

Then came the night’s most memorable exchange.

After several trustees suggested keeping Scharf as treasurer would benefit the township, Scharf interrupted that line of reasoning with a blunt warning that elicited an audible gasp from audience members.

“You’ll be making a mistake if you think I’ll stay as treasurer. It shouldn’t be part of the consideration. I am clearly the most qualified person for the role. I’ve been on the board the longest. I know the rules. I have well-established, working, positive relationships with leadership of our neighboring communities,” Scharf said.

Trustee Dan Munzel responded that the board should select the supervisor based solely on who was best suited for the position, regardless of any future vacancy in the treasurer’s office.

The Vote and Swearing-In

With discussion concluded, the board voted first on Scharf’s nomination. That motion failed on a 4-2 vote.

The board then voted on Goodman’s nomination, approving his appointment by a 5-1 vote.

Goodman, a retired federal law enforcement senior special agent who spent 30 years with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, has served on the Webster Township Planning Commission and describes himself as a small-operation farmer on his 18-acre township property.

Immediately after the vote, Goodman took the oath of office and moved to the supervisor’s seat, where he presided over the remainder of the meeting as Webster Township’s new supervisor.

Follow-up to Scharf’s Comment

Responding to an email request from The Sun Times News to elaborate on his comment, Scharf wrote, “In consultation with wise people in our community, I searched for advice on how to convey to my fellow board members that my being Treasurer should not be part of their consideration when selecting the Supervisor.  Our conclusion was that there was no way to relay that information without it sounding like a threat.  In no way was it a threat.  It was simply a statement of fact.  Making threats is not my nature.”

Scharf went on to say that prior to Tuesday’s meeting, he had already made his decisions regarding his next steps and had submitted his resignation the next day.

Featured photo: John Scharf (left) and newly appointed supervisor George Goodman listen as the Webster Township Board continues its business after Goodman’s election at its July 14 meeting. Photo by Doug Marrin