(Facebook.com)
SALEM LAKES, Wis. — A private Facebook group packed with Salem Lakes elected officials and other prominent government figures was created by James Beinecke and his wife, Margaret Beinecke, two well-known local internet trolls who routinely ridicule people with whom they disagree online. James Beinecke, whom Kenosha County Eye previously profiled in January as part of its “Internet Troll” series, started the private “Salem Lakes Community Voice” group to encourage “shit-talking.” The page has since grown to approximately 234 members and still includes a majority of the Salem Lakes Village Board. Four of the six current Village Board members are in the group, including Village President Rita Bucur and Trustees Angela Brooks, James Woodke and Dennis Faber. Before Trustee Amanda Procknow resigned, five of the seven Village Board members were members of the private group.
Unlike a public community Facebook page, Salem Lakes Community Voice is closed to public viewing. Residents can find the group, but they cannot see its posts, comments or discussions unless the Beineckes allow them inside. Prospective members must request admission, answer screening questions and wait for approval. Numerous Salem Lakes residents have told Kenosha County Eye they have been denied access, meaning conversations involving a majority of their Village Board are occurring in an online forum they cannot even see.
Kenosha County Eye has obtained conversations from inside the private group, and some of those conversations involve issues that are, or have been, matters before the Salem Lakes Village Board, including agendized matters. Since late February, members of the group have been leaking conversations to KCE and have archived the group’s entire contents for KCE to review. The combination of a majority of the Village Board being inside the private group, discussions about Village business and residents being denied access is now raising questions about whether activity inside Salem Lakes Community Voice could run afoul of Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law.
Who Is Inside The Private Group?
The membership list obtained by KCE includes elected officials, judges, current and former government officials, political candidates and members of Village boards and commissions. Membership alone does not mean that a person participated in any particular discussion. Among the notable members are:
- Rita Bucur, Village President, Village of Salem Lakes
- Dennis Faber, Trustee, Village of Salem Lakes
- Angela Brooks, Trustee, Village of Salem Lakes
- James Woodke, Trustee, Village of Salem Lakes
- Bill Hopkins, former Salem Lakes Trustee and current Fire Commission President
- Amanda Procknow, former Trustee, Village of Salem Lakes
- Patrick Dunn, Municipal Judge, Village of Salem Lakes
- Sara Marie Spencer, Village Clerk
- Samantha Kerkman, Kenosha County Executive
- Jodi Meier, Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge
- Erin Decker, Kenosha County Board member
- Ellen Schutt-Sneate, candidate, Senate District 11
- Mitch Pedersen, Kenosha City Plan Commissioner and former Alderman
- Sharon Pomaville, former Kenosha County Board member and Salem Lakes EDC member
- Kim Bickett Breunig, former Kenosha County Board Chairman and former Salem Lakes Plan Commission member
- Mike Murdock, former Salem Lakes Administrator
- Allen Thennes, former Fire Commission President
- Don Epping, Kenosha County Fair Executive Board member
- Patty Schmidt Hintzman, Library Board member
- Doug Randolph, former Parks Commission President
- Dean Hintzman, Parks Board member
- Theodore B. Kmiec III, former Salem Lakes Trustee and embattled attorney
- Margaret Beinecke, administrator of Salem Lakes Community Voice and internet troll
- James Beinecke, creator and administrator of Salem Lakes Community Voice and internet troll
The larger membership list obtained by KCE contains more than 200 additional names, overwhelmingly private citizens whom KCE is not identifying. The full list confirms the presence of many of the officials and other notable figures listed above.
Residents Say The Beineckes Won’t Let Them In
The Facebook group is visible, but what happens inside is not. The Beineckes ultimately decide who gets through the virtual front door. Prospective members are asked why they want to join the group, whether they believe there is ever a reason to bully a person or group and even to identify the local grocery store.
One of the group’s own rules is particularly noteworthy considering that a majority of the Salem Lakes Village Board is inside: “What happens here, stays here.”
Numerous residents have told KCE they have attempted to join Salem Lakes Community Voice and have been denied admission. Several of those residents have told KCE they are considering filing complaints with the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office alleging violations of Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law.
That creates an unusual situation in Salem Lakes. Some residents are permitted into a privately controlled online forum where a majority of their Village Board is present and Village business is discussed, while other residents are excluded entirely from seeing those same conversations.
Could The Private Group Run Afoul Of Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law?
Kenosha County Eye believes Salem Lakes Community Voice and related private chats involving Village officials raise serious questions under Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law. Four of the six current Village Board members are in the group, and before Amanda Procknow’s resignation, five of seven were members.
The issue isn’t simply membership. KCE has obtained communications involving Village matters, including issues that are or have been agendized for Village Board consideration, as well as discussions criticizing residents based on whom they supported in Village matters. Some statements are also alleged to be false and defamatory.
If Village business, Board positions or support for particular individuals was discussed or coordinated privately, those communications could raise Open Meetings Law concerns, including a possible “walking quorum.” Wisconsin DOJ says electronic communications can qualify as a convening of governmental-body members, and a walking quorum can occur through a series of communications when members agree, explicitly or tacitly, to act uniformly in sufficient numbers.
Village Clerk Sara Spencer’s early participation also raises questions because she serves as the Village’s official clerk and records custodian. KCE believes investigators should determine which officials participated, what Village business was discussed, whether positions or consensus were coordinated and whether residents were excluded based on viewpoint.
All posts, messages, comments and reactions should be preserved. KCE believes the circumstances warrant a serious investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice and Attorney General’s Office for potential Open Meetings Law violations. Wisconsin law requires governmental-body meetings that fall under the law to be publicly noticed and held in open session unless an exception applies.
Separate Legal Action Being Considered Against Beinecke And Others
The potential Open Meetings Law controversy isn’t the only legal issue brewing around Salem Lakes Community Voice.
People who says they were targeted by James Beinecke and others inside the private group have retained an attorney and is considering legal action over statements they contend are false and defamatory. Because those statements were allegedly published inside a private group with approximately 234 members, many, if not all, of those members could potentially become witnesses regarding what was posted, who saw it and how the discussions unfolded.
61 Responses
Not Salem Lakes, NO, not possible.
Under Wisconsin law, listening to or receiving information about Village business can satisfy the “purpose” element; member-to-member discussion or interaction is not required.
If the screen shots prove destruction of public records, there will be big problems for the Village and anyone involved in the destruction of the Public Records.
Statement Regarding Recent Post by James Beinecke that he deleted. As a Member, I’m deeply disturb that this was going on. I’ve seen much of it, and it made me feel uncomfortable. I will admit I did think these people he discussed were bad people. Now, it appears he going to get sued? Another reason to keep your thoughts to yourself.
What I’ve seen over the past several months, Mr. Beinecke has repeatedly used social media to target, criticize, and defame community members, including appointed and elected officials. His pattern of conduct has resulted in removal from public forum, I’m also a member of, due to violations of community standards.
In light of recent concerns raised about potential Open Meetings Law violations involving a private Facebook group containing a quorum of Village Board members, as well as the Village Clerk, Municipal Judge, and the Chair of the Fire Commission. Mr. Beinecke has now published a post portraying himself as a moral authority and victim. The post includes religious imagery of Jesus and a biblical stoning scene, used to imply persecution and righteousness. Bizarre
This attempt to frame legitimate criticism as an attack on faith is inappropriate, manipulative, and deeply concerning. The use of religious iconography to deflect from months of defamatory behavior, and to minimize serious governance issues, does not reflect the standards expected of individuals who engage with Village officials or influence public discourse.
The core issue remains unchanged: A private Facebook group, along with an additional private chat layer containing five of seven Board members, the Clerk, the Judge, and the Fire Commissioner Chair, where Village matters are discussed or viewed. They (Board) only need to View the content, not necessarily discuss.
Attempts to recast this scrutiny as persecution through religious symbolism do not change the facts, nor do they excuse the ongoing pattern of conduct.
Our community deserves transparency, accountability, and professionalism, not theatrics, deflection, or misuse of religious imagery to avoid responsibility. James, you have no shame. I will be adding my name to a potential witness, wrong is wrong.
How much will the Village have to spend to resolve this issue? The members involved should cover the costs themselves, as they should have known better. The Clerk was foolish to be part of this group, especially since she doesn’t even live here. The board members and others who participated should pay all the legal costs, period. Not a single dime should come out of the Village coffers to cover these fools.
Wis. Stat. § 946.72 Oh Boy!!! James might need an attorney.
As liberal tds a group as one can get without telling us they are a liberal tds group.
Wisconsin law provides that “[n]o person may knowingly make or publish … a false representation pertaining to a candidate or referendum which is intended or tends to affect voting at an election.” Wis. Stat. § 12.05. If Village Board members received, reviewed, or helped circulate allegedly false statements about candidates, particularly while also discussing Village business, those circumstances may warrant scrutiny under both Wisconsin election law and the Open Meetings Law. The matter should be investigated without prejudging liability.
I’m on this site. I have no doubt Village Business was digested by members of the Board- TID district is one that comes to mind and several others, I will share with this author. I felt this was wrong, but I didn’t understand the laws. I googled above.
Didn’t see this on the my bingo card. NOT !
Facebook is like Alcohol.
Fine to use in moderation but easily abused.
Like alcohol, when among “friends” the lips loosen and all the things you think are semi private will come out. And then the shit hits the fan.
Pete ! Time to draft an ordinance about board members and social media.
True all these people have private lives but when they decide to run for office they must monitor the groups they are a part of to see if “associates” are there too. Then act accordingly. Withdraw while in office.
Anyone that wants to talk to these elected officials can if they feel enthusiastic enough can send them emails at their village addresses. Call them on the phone. Ask for a private one on one meeting. Any number of ways to say your piece and push your own agendas. Or speak at the monthly meetings.
Facebook makes all of this communicating too damn easy and down right lazy. If you have something to say to the elected people, do the work !
Facebook is everything it should be and allows everything it shouldn’t. Self policing and self control are virtues. What we are seeing here is lack of respect and professionalism of their offices.
Shame on all of you.
If these allegations are true and proven then first, open meeting violations need to be brought for investigation by our District Attorney.
Second, if found true, regardless of charges, these board members need to make amends in an open meeting.
Admittedly your are an addict is step one
Trust and Transparency, that’s a joke, right.
Beinecke was removed from the Salem Community group, and now he’s caused massive legal trouble for the Village. He really needs to move on; we can’t afford his so-called brilliance. I hope he gets sued.
Sam Kerkman is on that Site? Too funny, now she’s a witness, OMG. Judges are also on that site, Clerk, Board Members. Popcorn time baby.
I know Sara Spencer the Clerk, I’m shocked she was affiliated with that group.
Then I’m sure you heard her bashing three of the candidates in the last election. How unprofessional! The clerk is supposed to be neutral. After all, she is the top dog of our elections. Maybe she has overstayed her welcome in Salem Lakes. She usually only lasts about 2 years in a position. Sara, I lost a lot of respect for you when I heard you were running your mouth. Pete, Bill, and hopefully Steve, you guys need to make an ordinance for social media, and also some kind of NDA for the village employees. I don’t think the current board or staff are going to learn anything unless something hits them hard in the checkbook. Unfortunately, it will ultimately hurt the taxpayers the most.
Not even remotely surprised Erin Decker is on that site, right up her alley. Defaming
How does she keep getting re-elected?! Yikes!
Kim Bickett Breunig usual suspect.
Kim has always been a two-face POS. If she is involved- RUN
James’s guy must have been involved in modeling.
time for more than A.P. resignation. these people are stupid; they are all with the stupids
Imagine being so bad at governing that you need a secret clubhouse to talk trash and coordinate your thoughts. If your leadership style requires a password and a bouncer, you’re not running a village, you’re running a middle‑school gossip circle.”
234 members in a secret group, including judges, clerks, commissioners, and half the board? That’s not a community voice, that’s a shadow government with a Facebook login.
‘Shit‑talking encouraged’ is a hell of a mission statement for a group full of public officials.
Calling it ‘Community Voice’ is hilarious. It’s more like ‘James’ Personal Safe Space Where No One Can Disagree with him.’ If your idea of leadership is banning half the town, you’re not a moderator, you’re a mall cop with a Wi‑Fi connection.”
Salem Lakes loses transparency every time public officials conduct business in a closed group. It’s not about politics, it’s about compliance. And right now, compliance looks compromised. To think Spencer the Clerk is a member is very concerning. Is it the water in our Village?
Get back to us on what constitutes a legal meeting. Anyone?
I will start.
1. Needs a properly noticed and clear agenda.
2.
2. A quorum or walking quorum. 3. Public access. 4. No selective exclusion.
Nope, u r guessing.
James Beinecke keeps acting like he built some groundbreaking ‘community’ site, but all it’s done is drag Salem Lakes backward. When your platform silences residents, blocks opposing viewpoints, and hosts Village officials behind closed doors, you’re not helping the community, you’re harming it. You are the biggest douche Bag ever. You earned it. When you are sued, I’m going to laugh my ass off. Dumb ASS
These people are going to appoint someone to the board, Who? James Beinecke
It’s like a High School gossip Club.
I’m a private member on this site, and I was really shocked by what was said about a few people I know. I don’t know all the details, but if it were me, I’d consider suing. The author on that site seems a bit crazy and really obsessed with a few people, very weird. I’m going to cancel my membership; I don’t want to be a witness.
Need to recall every Village official!! Get the scum out! Keep the county the county, No one I know wants this Kenosha style garbage thats going on.
… for the next meeting.
Shouldn’t take a whole three minutes each for anyone to say how disgusted they are of all of this.
Disappointing at the least.
Questionable if there’s a crime in here somewhere.
If these exchanges on this Facebook account reveal ANY decision that was talked about before it was on a meeting agenda, look out for charges to follow.
The timeline of anything is easy enough to look at.
Doesn’t anyone understand that once something is on the internet it is there forever ?!?
To not understand what you’re doing when you’re doing it is bewildering
How will you know, sounds like it was a secret site within a secret chat room. I’m sure Salem Voices is scrubbing as we read. Incredible. The screen shots will show if comments have been deleted or only certain members can see comments or post. What is wrong with these people?
it’s amazing how a Couple Hundred Grand of litigation cost can wipe a smile off your face. Then if you lose, the damage is soul crushing.
Try a half a million. There’s 234 witnesses that means 234 depositions! Each witness hiring an attorney! lol iam gunna say minimum $750k! And to think these are the same brains that are working on our current budget!!!
I’m aware of one of the people James defamed. He better send a I’m sorry card right away.
If James losses a defamation suit, it could cost him a million dollars, F-Facebook. Wow How much would it cost the Village?
People love talkin’ big till they see how much a lawyer costs. Then they quite real fast. Lawsuits break wallets quicker than anything else.
I’m being told there was a sub chat group within this group with people like Bucur, Brooks, Kmiec, Hopkin, Hintzman, Grubb, Woode, Gandt, Tesar and Murdock These losers are bringing back the band. Please Pray for the Village, I’m not kidding we need divine intervention.
Grubb doesn’t learn she still owes 2 letters of apology for some defamatory statements she made about 2 local businesses during the fire department scandal! Keep in mind if you listen to your friends and there information isn’t accurate and you repeat it your on the hook for defamation!
Grubb is a local low life, don’t worry about her. She has angry women syndrome AWS, stay away.
Grubb must have been off her meds and she bit me a few months ago! I had to get my rabies shot just to play it safe!
I’m actually in that group, and I want to make it clear that I do not support what is being said about you. I originally came across a few legitimate articles that I found interesting, which is what led me to join. Over time, though, I’ve seen the bashing of you and some of the things being said, and I absolutely do not support or agree with it.
I’ve actually been thankful for the exposure you’ve brought to everything happening in this area. I’m not looking to be put on blast—which you haven’t done, so thank you for that. I just wanted to point out that being a member of a group doesn’t necessarily mean someone shares the views or opinions expressed there.
Initially, I joined because of the legitimate information being posted. At this point, I’ll admit some of it is simply curiosity about the comments and what people are saying.
100% I’m on the site, and I can clearly say that there are two people that should sue that Ass that runs the site. If you disagree with him, he barks at you, he’s a crazy prick. I will be sharing screen shot with this author just in case he missed some. Not shock by this at all.
President Bucur should resign if the facts here are accurate.
Be a good start!
Beinecke seems like a the man in Arthur Miller’s “A Death of A Salesman.” Someone who thinks he’s hot shit, but he’s really just shit!
It’s funny how birds of a feather flock together. Kim Bruenig is a backstabbing two-faced swamp creature. Several years ago I was at a public meeting in Salem Lakes, and luckily I haven’t felt it necessary to go back since, and I noticed how that witch of a woman treated people and it was digusting. She’s the type of person who would lovingly hug you from behind and then proceed to stab you in the heart. You could see how she tried to cozy up to some people, but the darkness in her heart was just waiting to pounce when the time was right.
Rita is also quite the political swamp creature based on what I’ve seen around on Facebook. She seems like a nasty swamp creature as well. She just seems slimy and two faced. I’m glad when I voted a few years ago I didn’t pay attention to those yellow signs and voted for Tesar, because even early on something just rubbed me wrong about that woman. Initially she seemed ok, but as of late, it just seems like she’s a professional at failing. It’s no shocker she’s dumb enough to get herself tied up in the group of geniuses in this town like the drug lawyer Ted Kmiec, Big Bitch James Beinecke, and Kim Backstabbing Bruenig.
I talked to the wife the other day, and I was planning on working until I was 68, but I might just retire early, sell our place, and move up North so I can escape Salem Lakes. There’s a few people that seem to be trying to help this village, and the new administrator seems better than the last Illinois liberal train wreck that was hired, but overall it’s the blind leading the blind based on what I see. Holy fuck is this village fucked up
I was in the group only to be kicked out the next day for no apparent reason. Maybe they figured out I’m not a libtard.
James is a snake handler for sure.
Salem Lakes = Silver Lake 2.0
Everyone wants to be the boss.
All the strolling and trolling comments, nobody will care enough to actually do anything about a dysfunctional government in a community they live.
Somebody sue this James asshole already. Maybe, he can take up a go fund me page for Jackoffs.
Where is Ray Rossi when you need him? he could get this fixed up!
James, are you hearing voices again? Don’t be ashamed- treatment is sometime needed. You posted this on your site, and it’s pretty weird. Is this guy your childhood superhero? Get a life.
What a surprise that a Wisconsin village government, made up of Illinois residents, want to bring their Socialist Democrat bullshit here to small-town Wisconsin.
Maybe the idiot voters shouldn’t have elected them? Just sayin’
Concern: Where to file
Open Meetings Law involving the Village Board A verified, notarized complaint with the county District Attorney where the Village is located. The Attorney General also has enforcement authority. Wis. Stat. §§ 19.96–19.97 1
False statements intended to affect an election A sworn complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) under Wis. Stat. § 5.05(2m) and, where applicable, Wis. Stat. § 12.05. WEC’s complaint process requires identifying the alleged violation and supporting facts. 23
Conduct by the Village Clerk as an election official File a sworn compliance-review complaint with WEC under Wis. Stat. § 5.06. The complaint should state facts showing probable cause and be filed promptly; certain ballot-related complaints have a ten-day deadline. 4
Local ethics or misconduct concerns Contact the county District Attorney for violations of the local-official ethics statute, Wis. Stat. § 19.59
Question: Who’s there?
Answer: Beinecke
Question: Beinecke who?
Answer: Beinecke who has “bein” wishing he never opened his lyin’ hypocritical mouth 😂😂😂😂
Salem Lakes is a shit hole if I get the wife to move Sheboygan county here we come
It seems like Mr. Beinecke is becoming more cautious with his words, and I can’t help but wonder why.
This village really delivers when it comes to the articles.