We’re trying to get projects that are in the works to be more environmentally friendly and affordable.
That, and creating a more open government. We’re working to get a live feed from the Village Hall so Board meetings can be broadcast on public access tv. We’ve created half a dozen new committees trying to get volunteers so people are more involved with government.
We’re also redesigning the Web site to increase access; that has been delayed but is in the works.
C: Do you find that you’re still able to do your day-to-day job as mayor?
jw: As mayor, yes. As house painter, no. I haven’t been able to get to work in two weeks.
C: How are you supporting yourself?
jw: Borrowing money from friends until I can go back to work and catch up.
C: How have these events impacted your relationship with the Board?
jw: It’s not changed, except for with [Village Trustee Robert] Hebel. My relationship with the Board is great. Rebecca [Rotzler], Julia [Walsh], they’re very supportive.
C: Mr. Hebel has said he wants to remove you from office, though recently there was a quote saying he believed that gay marriage should probably be legal. What do you make of that?
jw: You have to talk to him about that.
C: How seriously do you take the risk of being removed from office?
jw: I don’t take it seriously at all.
That clause of the law is designed for people who accept bribes, who embezzle from the village. For people who commit very serious crimes. Somehow I don’t think that marrying people is on a par with those crimes.
Remember, what I got was a Class A misdemeanor; it’s the equivalent of traveling twenty miles per hour over the speed limit. If they’re going to remove me from office for marrying people…then they’re going to have to remove people from office for getting a speeding ticket. I somehow don’t think that’s going to happen.
C: What are your plans for the future?
jw: I plan to run for a second term, as of now.
C: Would you like to perform more marriages, perhaps marry heterosexual couples?
JW: I would. People do ask me to perform their marriages; I just haven’t done any yet—for a variety of reasons. It has been more like, “If we get married, will you perform the ceremony?”
jw: I have to next week. I have people waiting. I’m stopping all talking to the press so I can get back to making a
