(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Outgoing Salem Lakes President Diann Tesar is not leaving her post gracefully, according to some Village taxpayers. “This is sour grapes and I don’t know why I expected anything else,” one resident told KCE. “The new board should be picking these appointments, not four people we just sent packing.” The four incumbents lost hugely in one of the largest grassroots movements this county has seen in decades.
Outgoing Village President Tesar, along with outgoing trustees Ted Kmiec, Mike Culat, and Dan Campion, are set to vote on twelve different appointments.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
The most controversial, is Tom Strachan, the Fire Commission’s president. He vows to keep the embattled Chief, James Lejcar on the job. The lame-duck board also recently voted to allow the commission itself to choose its chairman, no longer the Village President, as was the long-time practice. Most see this as move to keep Strachan in power.
Other to be appointed are:
Park Commission: Shelly Ericksen, Katie Volbrecht,
Plan Commission: Eric Ericksen, Bruce Nopenz, Jeff Albrecht (Alt), Roger Johnson (Alt)
Fire Commission: Tom Strachan, Application of Steve Urban
Board of Appeals: Bruce Nopenz, Vickie Galich
Board of Review: Jeff Albrecht, Shirley Boening
Trustee Bill Hopkins isn’t comfortable with the timing and will take action to table the appointments for the new board.
31 Responses
Why does this surprise anyone? All 12 appointed persons should simply resign the next day and let the new board make the appointments. Let’s see if they have the courage to stand up for what is ethical or not.
New board needs to fire everyone, and start over on day 1.
Why does this not surprise me? I’ve only seen Diann Tesar in action once (about 10 years ago at a town meeting), and just from that one time where I watched her berate people and act like a cocky bitch, I’ve voted against her for Town/Village president ever since. It was about time everyone else finally caught on. She thinks that she can do anything that she wants. She’s rude, smart-mouthed, and narcisstic. She and the others are trying to punish all of us who voted them out of office. I don’t think that anything they voted on or people that they appointed should stand, otherwise it’s them STILL pulling the strings behind the scenes. This is bullshit.
Be nice to the girls in the office now.
Despite the grousing here the “old board” remains the board until the end of their terms and this is legal, like it or not. That said, most of the names are solid people, including some conservatives. It’s the fire commission that’s the problem.
Kevin, you should print all these people’s addresses so that voters can write letters of how peoole feel about this move. It’s what a democrat would do if the shoe was on the other foot.
No need to write letters to them. Show up at the meeting tonight and voice your opinion. You can sign up and have your say in the citizen comments.
Democrat or not, I dont believe its legal to be posting someone else’s address for evil intent. If you’d like to write a letter, most addresses can be found on the internet, but you could also just send it to the town board to voice your dislike for what’s going on( not that THAT would do any good).
Just look them up or ask for open records.
Just because something is legal, does not make it ethical. Is there some pressing or urgent need for these appointments? If not, let the next board vet the applicants and make the appointments.
Most of these appointments expire in April, are staggered and are statutory requirements.
With this said, there is still the whole month of April to make these appointments and plenty of time to do them.
If you check the minutes in the past, they have many times not been made in a timely manner, regardless of statute.
The new Board should appoint. Just my opinion.
The current board remains the board until the expiration of their terms. The “new” board has no magic special powers nor are they do any more (or less). If the appointments are being made in due course they should be made. The village’s business doesn’t stop because of a forthcoming change in the makeup of the board.
Now…if there was some shit going down…like with the Fire Commission…that’s another story.
This is just as bad as the corruption in Pleasant Prairie.
When is the DA going to do something about it.
Yes it is and unfortunately, Pleasant Prairie didn’t have anyone that was willing to run against Steinbrink Sr, so we’re stuck with that pompas jerk!
I have a tie that says, “Didn’t vote? Don’t bitch!” I don’t want to hear any more complaints about Steinbrink, sr. (unless it’s new stuff).
The DA Gravely won’t do anything! He’s “friends” with the Steinbrinks. From what I understand, that’s why he recused himself from the Steinbrink JR. Case.
Well, yeah, if he’s friends with Steinbrink he should recuse. Sheesh.
Doesnt seem right that a commissioner should have a term longer than those making the appointment.
The issue as to the “why” behind the failure to provide open records still stands. Why was there the “hide” of such a roster decline coverup? There has gotta be a reason. Time to ask Roger Johnson and Bruce Nopenz how this same issue torpedoed their own old Silver Lake regimes.
Remember this lame duck action when these four run again next year.
To the person who wants Kevin to post addresses. Are you lazy ?
Addresses for virtually anyone can be found online. If you can’t figure it out, ask your kid.
But why do you want to get personal ?
Anything you want to say to these elected or appointed officials can be said in a open meeting, committee or otherwise, in a letter to their office email or you can talk to them after a meeting at the village hall. Any other contact with them is unwarranted and can be considered threatening. And that’s not ok.
If you have something to say, stand up and say it so the rest of us can see you and either applaud you in support or not.
This is not personal, it’s politics.
Is there not a mechanism by which the new board can remove these people?
Commission and Board of appointees are addressed in Chapter 61 and removal in Chapter 17 of State Statutes. Planning Commission and Fire/Police Commission are also addressed in Chapter 62 and Chapter 66 of State Statutes.
People who are concerned about what goes on in their municipality should take the time to become familiar with statutes governing your municipality.
Tesar is a horrible human being and she is picking people who align with her unethical beliefs. The people of Salem need to stand up and speak out against this. The new board should find a way to dissolve her appointments. She has single-handedly managed to ruin a great community.
The current board remains the board until the expiration of their terms. The “new” board has no magic special powers nor are they do any more (or less). If the appointments are being made in due course they should be made. The village’s business doesn’t stop because of a forthcoming change in the makeup of the board.
Now…if there was some shit going down…like with the Fire Commission…that’s another story.
Not sure how a duplicate post happened. Sorry.
Tesar is more of a ditz who doesn’t fully understand local government. And they aren’t getting the best counsel.
Okay… that’s 3 times you’ve posted the exact same thing. We got it.
Happens with some phones…and a timeout occurs..easy to spot, easier to skip over, not a problem unless someone is wanting to pick a fight like a schoolyard bully.
Change the dates of commission appointments.
Don’t want last minute changes?
Change the dates commission appointments are made to July.
3 months after and 3 months before elections.
Some of the appointment rules are made by the State of WI and are statutory and can’t be changed by anyone but the State Legislature.
I must say that I am very surprised that she didn’t appoint herself to one of the boards! I think it was an oversight and as she reads this, I think she will say, “Oh, darn, I blew that!”
Just watched the meeting online.
They decided to not make any appointments due to a procedural mistake. Or was that a excuse? Though that’s what this board has done for years, make mistakes. Or they just finally looked up the rules and realized they couldn’t do what they thought they could. Then tabled a few things for the new guys.
They bowed out Gracefully and quietly.
I say that for lack of any other words.
You remember, if you can’t say anything nice,……….
Looking forward to a Brighter Future !!!!
You guys are overreacting. Tesar is a fucking has been. Her time is over and on top of it…she basically made anyone with that last name look like a fucking POS schmuck.
Bye bitch!