(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
SALEM LAKES, Wis. — A sweeping and potentially transformative development may be on the horizon in the Village of Salem Lakes — but many residents are furious they’re being kept in the dark.
According to village insiders, Administrator Cassandra Hiller is allegedly working behind closed doors with a developer planning a multi-hundred-million-dollar project spanning hundreds of acres. Possibilities floated include a water park hotel, amphitheater, and other major commercial attractions. If true, the scale of the proposal could radically alter the rural fabric of the community.
The planning has reportedly taken place in secret, with multiple trustees and Hiller herself allegedly signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to shield the details from the public.
“This isn’t how you treat a village,” said one insider familiar with the talks. “Residents have a right to know if their home is about to turn into the next Wisconsin Dells.”
Kenosha County Eye contacted Trustee Pete Poli, who confirmed he was never informed of the possible development and did not sign any NDA. Poli said he believes the public should absolutely be involved in any decisions of this magnitude. “If it’s as massive as people are saying, I wouldn’t support it,” Poli said.
Sources allege Hiller envisions a dramatic rebranding of Salem Lakes — transforming it from a quiet, rural community into a bustling tourist destination. That vision has not gone over well with some longtime residents, who value the village’s rural character and are vowing to fight back against any secretive expansion plans.
“It’s not just the development,” said one local resident. “It’s the way they’re doing this behind our backs. That’s what has people angry.”
An insider also told Kenosha County Eye that the proposed project would likely require significant government subsidies in the form of a tax incremental financing district (TID). That could mean the village would not see any property tax revenue from the development for up to 30 years — a detail that has only heightened public concern.
In addition to the secrecy and financial implications, residents are also raising red flags about traffic. A development of this scale, they argue, would bring massive increases in vehicle congestion, strain the village’s rural roads, and potentially impact emergency response times. Many fear the area’s infrastructure simply isn’t prepared for a major tourism hub.
Some officials have reportedly justified the secrecy by pointing to potential financial negotiations and land acquisition timing. But for many in the village, the lack of transparency is unacceptable.
Hiller, who resides in Illinois and has long been described by critics as out of touch with the rural lifestyle of Salem Lakes, is rumored to be using the project as a resume builder for a potential jump to a larger government position. The administrator also made headlines recently for her alleged illegal destruction of wetlands behind Village Hall — a controversy that nearly led to her firing.
According to village sources, Hiller retained an employment attorney during the wetlands investigation and offered to resign if the board agreed to give her a favorable reference. Instead, the board backed off — and now, she’s reportedly at the center of one of the most consequential development decisions in village history.
As word of the possible project spreads, so does the public backlash. While some residents on the eastern edge of the county may welcome economic growth and entertainment options, others are digging in for a fight.
“This isn’t just about business,” one longtime resident said. “This is about who we are as a village. And we’re not for sale.”
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32 Responses
This would be terrible for Salem Lakes
Can you imagine the traffic through Wilmot or down 83 through the town. Total madness. This isn’t the change the citizens wanted. This board is clueless.
If you don’t want to go to a water park then don’t. Why try to ruin it for others?
Gary please move to Gurnee, it great there.
All these fuc*Kers wet dream is to turn Kenosha county into lake county il. It’s disgusting
Just like Pleasant Prairie they build a pool and when it does not make money they stick it to the taxpayers to pay for their wish list.
Well, that’s it. Rita, do you have any shame. Is this your and Cassandra’s secret society, how about Hopkins, is he involved? How about you Gandt? I’m almost positive Brooks is in favor, she already said basically whatever Cassandra needs. Poli is a No. How about you Faber? Did you know about this. I can’t believe Barhtye would support this.
Admin Hiller this Village isn’t your blank Canvas, Please go paint somewhere else.
Wow. I would never move to Salem Lakes! Again this Hiller woman is involved with controversy, first the destruction of the wetlands and now this! She is an Illinoisan and is a terrible leader. Why does she live in Illinois and not Wisconsin? She is only looking out for her own ladder climbing to get a higher paying job! I feel bad for the residents that reside in SalemLakes!
This is what happens when you hire an overpaid Illinois resident to run your Village. Let’s hope the comprehensive plan she is trying to push through fails, that’s the only way this stuff can be built.
http://lwm-info.org/DocumentCenter/View/10369/Zoning-Code-RFQ-2025?bidId=
Wait a second….maybe we all have not understood why the wetlands were destroyed in the first place. Could it be that Cassandra is planning on making “Wetland World” behind the village hall? Maybe the eventual plan is for the walking path to turn into a giant go-kart track? Perhaps there could even be bumper boats in the pond?!
Boy oh boy! Wouldn’t it be fun if there was a waterpark in the wetlands? There could be a roller coaster that goes right over the village hall! The people on the rollercoaster would even be able to window shop 50 feet in the air if they looked at the used car lot next to the village hall! Salem Lakes just gets better and better!!!
Hip-hip hooray for Cassandra! 🥳
Oh, absolutely—what a dream come true! I’ve always wanted to spend half my day idling in traffic so that out-of-towners can splash around and grace our water park with their… contributions of pissing in our water park. A round of applause to whoever green-lit this visionary plan. And of course, the cherry on top? A dazzling $100 tax reduction! Who cares if you can’t make it across town before dinner—think of the savings.
And the traffic? Please, it’s not like we already dread the seasonal backups from the Fair or Country Thunder. Why stop at “temporary misery” when we can upgrade to “perpetual gridlock”? Genius.
Then there’s the brilliant hire from Illinois—because nothing screams “local representation” like importing an administrator whose appointment the community explicitly opposed. It’s a bold move, and it’s very democratic.
And Miss Hiller? She’s Santa Claus, if Santa brought building permits that take a year, enforcement squads on every corner, and taxes stuffed into stockings like coal. But hey—we’ll finally get that utopian infrastructure we’ve all dreamed of, complete with a shiny new police station, fire district, and a bureaucratic army to micromanage our lawns. How exciting. And don’t worry, Hiller won’t let wetlands stop her, that’s just a public works project away from being GONE.
Is there an opportunity to prosecute board members for treason? Waiting to vote them out is not soon enough!!!
Was this information hidden from the Economic Development Committee.? Now is it that those that know nothing about Development are leading the Village. Should we be worried ? I believe they call that blind leading the blind.
Why would the economic development committee not be involved? Oh I forgot, We all know that answer.
One word come to mind “OBEY”
She is awful in so many ways for Salem Lakes! Get rid of her
For the life of me I do not understand why this village board/village president put up with Queen Cassandra. Lies told on recorded video to the DNR, destruction of wetlands, passing the buck, secret meetings for a secret agenda, with hold information from those who might disagree with her, marginalizing current committees, and on and on.
We all need to ask our elected board why they tolerate corruption, poor employee morale, secret meetings and hidden agendas from the Queen.
Show up at meetings and make yourself heard before their heavy handed rules of conduct for citizen comments make you sit down and shut up.
Sorry Queenie, your days are numbered. And to those dazzled and Knighted by the Queen, Sir Hopkins and Sir Gandt, time to find a spine and stand up for the voters.
If you Fire Cassandra today you are writing her a check for just under a $100.K.
It cost $70. to get rid of Mike.
We pay for mistakes.
Look up the last batch of administrator candidates.
Not all were as good as they were advertised.
But that’s the crapshoot you take.
That’s how the game is played. It cost to hire and cost to fire at this level.
Except the loss and move on.
False, there was a great candidate from Waterford (WI) who had great ideas. Most of the committees who had a part in interviewing all of the candidates did NOT pick Hiller. I am still baffled as to why she was selected.
I didn’t say None.
Some were good.
But Rita picked
A massive recreation development for Salem Lakes? And who, exactly, is representing the Village’s interests? God help us if it’s the same administrator and staff—Cassandra and her circle—who botched the fire service negotiations with Paddock Lake and drove them off with laughable demands. Now, Salem is negotiating from a place of weakness with Wheatland, Randall, and Twin Lakes. Yeah, I’m sure we’ll get a stellar deal…
Let’s not forget—they couldn’t even manage a simple Public Works walking trail without tripping into DNR violations, blatantly ignoring Federal and State law, and racking up tens of thousands of unnecessary expenses. And the Rock Lake land swap? That was a bait-and-switch disaster—misleading the zoning board, silencing community concerns, and bulldozing the deal through anyway. It’s a pattern—recklessness, misrepresentation, and total disregard for accountability.
This multimillion-dollar negotiation is way beyond Hiller’s depth. Rita, Board—wake up. It’s time to cut this administrator loose before they drag this entire Village down with them. This is your job. Start acting like it. As far as Hopkins and his buddy land swap and also acting as Village President, screw you. Maybe stop pretending Miss Hiller is your fantasy girlfriend. Gandt, what happened? You used to be a Conservative. Faber, I thought your job was to protect our natural resources, but not the Village Wetlands. I see integrity doesn’t matter anymore. This board is losing. how do they not see this? This is my first comment, it will not be my last. I’ve had it. I feel like I need to scream at the sky, God help us.
14,000 residents. Half over 18.
Maybe 3,000 old enough to have some sense of knowledge to even begin to understand the concept of being on a village board.
And of those that are smart enough, most of those realize this is a thankless job !!
One where you’ll be dragged through the mud.
That’s not a bad comment about Kevin’s reporting but he doesn’t miss much. Keep yourself clean.
Do your job. Do your research and check your friendships at the door.
Answer to the history of the area and remember we ONLY became a village to stop Paddock Lake from stealing our land. No other reason.
We have a long way to go to just go back to being a small town. We all want the rural-ness but we also expect the trains to run on time. And as much as we all remember the volunteer aspect of the old fire and ambulance guys, we need to embrace the reality that even a minimum fire/ambulance service COST A LOT OF MONEY THESE DAYS !!!!
Are our taxes where they should be ?
Ask around to friends 10 or 20 miles away. Ask what their taxes are. You can look on Zillow and figure it out. Our taxes are low. Do I want them to go up ??
No, but I do want reliable competent EMS and fire response. And these days you get what you pay for.
We don’t live in a bubble.
Look around. We still have time to save our small town lifestyle. But we need leaders.
Is that you ??
I’m seriously contemplating it. But I’d run on less government, less spending.
Your are the individual that needs to step forward. The economic crisis that will soon rear its head will need strong leaders to battle that issue. Government shouldn’t have to always spend money to solve problems. Good leaders find the right path and solutions, something that does exist in most of the board today.
Ah yes, the Village Board—where the plot twists are less “strategic governance” and more “satire no one asked for.” If the old board was stuck in neutral, the new one floored the gas pedal while blindfolded, headed straight into a ditch marked “What Could Possibly Go Wrong?”
Hiring an administrator who treats public input like background noise at a bad dinner party? Inspired. Governing by instinct instead of policy? Revolutionary. And who needs planning commissions, impact studies, or basic ADA compliance when you can carve scenic paths through wetlands with all the foresight of a raccoon on Red Bull?
And the wetland project— Public money spent like it was on clearance, no approvals, no oversight, and certainly no thought for anyone with a mobility device. But hey, it’s not about “accessibility,” it’s about personal gain, right?
Refusing the resignation of someone tied to the debacle? That’s next-level irony. It’s like a company promoting the guy who burned down the break room because “he’s got potential.” And the board members lining up behind it with expressions of righteous apathy? We salute your commitment to the art of unaccountable governance.
But don’t worry, Village Board—no one expects miracles, just maybe a gesture or two toward competence. Until then, the resistance is growing, the spotlight’s getting hotter, and the taxpayer popcorn is running low. You’ve made local politics riveting—just not in the way anyone hoped. Maybe Pop Guns Hopkins can run for President and show us we were all wrong. Snicker
Anyone who’s familiar with the Great Lakes Water Compact understands that we here in Salem do not and cannot get any water from Lake Michigan.
You may remember Waukesha a few years ago (2023) received a exemption because of Radium in their water that allowed them to receive water beyond their location on the west side of the
Subcontinental Divide in Southeastern Wisconsin – Great Lakes Compact
Link below of that map.
https://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPCFiles/Environment/watersupply/subcontinental_divide.pdf
But that would never happen here.
Does anyone actually think this idea is viable ??
Which farmers are listening to these sale pitches on their land being purchased for this ?
It would have to be on 50 ! Wouldn’t it ??
To get all that exposure and traffic !?!
Will my well run dry because of the super wells that will have to be driven ?
Remember the ethanol plants that didn’t happen a few miles north of us because of the water usage issues ??
We here in Salem couldn’t get a hockey rink off the ground. Or a pool or rec-plex because they don’t make enough money to even pay for themselves. Remember those discussions from a few years back ?
True, this sounds like a business venture with private money though as stated the special taxing districts will be required. And wouldn’t you think the Dells will fight this anyway they can ? Not that they would have much say but, aren’t those are the same companies that would likely be building here ? Cutting their own throats ?
Look at all the back and forth on the saturation of casinos. So many taking customers from there and putting them here.
This is a non starter. Though it looks like it’s started.
Luckily we have spring elections every year and we can change this board. Change this administrator.
And change the direction, again and again until we get it right.
But even at that we NEED PEOPLE TO STEP UP !!!!!
Where are you people ?? I’m not seeing you at the meetings ! Same people speaking.
Pete ? Are you ready to run for president ?
Pete, you must save the Republic. Poli for President
Near Water Tower?
Who’s representing Salem lakes? Look at the kenosha county board start there. Nothing but unscrupulous assholes
SMDH And where does the board plan on sticking a waterpark?
They’ll decide where the overlay goes after it’s approved- yikes. Said overlay would mean no meets and bounds for businesses (they don’t have to follow size and height requirements) and plenty of apartments and section 8 that must be sprinkled in within other neighborhoods, etc. I’ll see if I can find a link to it. Hiller wants the overlay but isn’t saying where. Kind of like “we have to pass the bill to see what’s in it” BS.
I agree with “not quiet anymore”. Look out Lake Montgomery and Shangri La maybe some friend of the
trustees or administrator wants land on your lake to “secretly” force a lake district and tax you!! Wetlands of
Wisconsin look out…they are coming for you!
This is why politicians get such a bad rap, when they allow their feeling to overtake basic common sense. Good Luck Salem Lakes, you changed all right!!!