Somers, Wis. — Somers Village President George Stoner lost his temper during a Feb. 4 board meeting, shouting at colleagues and claiming to be the supervisor of the public works superintendent — a claim that contradicts state law.

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The outburst erupted during a discussion about the village’s snow and salt removal practices. Stoner, who previously managed public works, criticized current staff for what he called excessive salting and said the village is “wasting thousands of dollars.”

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When Superintendent James Kleinfelter pushed back, saying today’s conditions require a more modern and proactive approach, Stoner interrupted and raised his voice.

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“I’m your boss,” Stoner said, prompting Trustee Jack Aupperle to call for order. “No yelling,” Aupperle said. Trustee Jackie Klapproth Nelson added, “You are the president of the village. You cannot be doing this in a public meeting to employees.”

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Stoner insisted he wasn’t yelling, but multiple trustees disagreed. “You are,” Klapproth Nelson said.

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Kleinfelter maintained that the old policy Stoner referenced is outdated and no longer fits the village’s needs. “We are so tired of hearing about how it was done in the ’90s,” he said. “It’s not the ’90s anymore. And we got a hell of a lot more people here.”

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Under Wisconsin law, public works employees in municipalities with an appointed village administrator report to the administrator — not to elected officials like the village president.

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Despite the clash, board members agreed the current snow removal policy needs updating. A new version has been proposed that emphasizes flexibility, improved safety, and cost-efficiency through equipment calibration and smarter salting practices.

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