(Photos by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
SALEM LAKES, Wis. — Village residents, business owners, and several local officials say they are fully supportive of newly hired Village Administrator Michael Kostiuk and want him to succeed — but they are raising increasingly serious concerns about how Village President Rita Bucur handled the hiring process, and why an Illinois resident with no official role in village government ended up playing such a significant part behind the scenes.
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28 Responses
I’m sure Rita got the board to give permission for this Illinois Resident. They have a stellar Attorney now, this is probably fine.
If she didn’t get board approval that’s a big problem, otherwise nothing burger.
Hiring Rita Bucur was the first mistake.
In certain respects we did. We all voted for her. Well not all but almost all of those who voted.
Last election results this Spring were
Rita Bucur. 4239 (96.76%) Write-In 142 (3.24%)
I never met “write in”. He or she didn’t knock on my door. Didn’t see any of their campaign signs. Don’t know their qualifications. But interesting how nobody seriously ran against her. Nobody wants the headache ? I mean how hard can it be ?
The only way to “un-hire” her is to find a candidate that wants the job. A job where even your love life is up for public scrutiny. Now while that’s not fair, this is the world we all live in now.
Was / is Kevin’s Eye on Rita fair ? Yes.
Is that good for the rest of us ? Yes.
Is that good for all in public office ? 100 Percent !!
Missteps like this process of hiring of an administrator need to be called out.
Will this guy be a good choice ? We all hope so.
Not just for Rita but for all 14,625 of us.
Maybe a full list of procedures need to be enshrined in a village ordinance in how we pick these higher up hired workers. Something that can’t be changed or manipulated.
I’m not sure what that would look like but Mr. Poli should write that ordinance.
Then we all can vote on that !
This village a one car wreck after another, Why?
They blame this author, Why? He has given an outlet where missteps can be challenged and hopefully not repeated.
I hope they all have their bags packed.
Well, at least Hopkins, Gandt and Faber they’re next. The tax bill in December will seal there fate. Hopefully some new blood runs.
Dude ran vehicle out of gas!!! Hopefully his judgment of administrators is better than ignoring the low fuel light. His judgment of pond gate was stellar too. I wish the new administrator the best of luck you have a monumental task ahead of you. We need someone with more integrity than the majority of the current board
If the board approved it should be fine as long as it was posted, otherwise a clear open meeting violation. Also, how would a resident be able to be involved in the ride along? The more I think about this, it’s probably a problem.
Dean is a solid guy, if the board screwed up, that’s not on Dean.
Dean Hintzman is a man of total integrity and has done nothing but good things for this community. He has spent decades of his life here and has only the best interest of us citizens in mind. I can see why they trusted him to screen candidates for positions. There is no one better suited to give advice on what is best for this community than Hintzman. The only things he gains from his involvement are the same things that will benefit EVERYONE in the community.
For the rest of us.
Who is this guy ?
What do you mean he spent decades here ?
What are his qualifications to make this assessment ?
I’ve got no problem with Rita asking anyone for advice. But I think this process using this guy to drive around in semi official authority was a misstep if not a complete mistake.
Sure would like hear an opinion on the hiring process from the guy who got hired.
But then again, he’s never been hired as an administrator. So how would he know ?
Dean needs to keep his affairs in IL. wtf Rita, please quit screwing up!!!! I’m really trying to move past the Hiller shit show and start fresh with you but you can’t seem to make rational decisions on b half of our money.
Dean owns/has a home on Camp Lake.
At least that’s what public records show.
He had another on the lake years ago.
So I guess he has standing. But I still want to know how Rita came to pick him ? And then set into motion this drive around.
You know if Dean had just picked up these three guys in his own car and drove them around individually and then took them each out to lunch, there wouldn’t be ANY ISSUE HERE !
But to do it in a village owned car, where’s the thought process in that ?
Both Dean and Rita, not to mention the 3 Candidates, all had to stand in the village hall parking lot and realize that every step and action they were taking was in a “official capacity”. Even though it wasn’t. And Dean had to know that he wasn’t authorized to drive a village vehicle. Heck the village even has a policy on who, what for and when a village employee can drive the “company car”. A policy that just crossed the agenda a few months ago !
Doesn’t anyone think things through anymore ?
These are all professional people !
Yet they put the whole village at risk to save Dean some gas ? And gas he ended up buying anyway !
Nothing is beyond scrutiny here.
We need analytical people in charge.
We need New People on the Board !
Is that You ? Run for office.
Nomination papers start next week
Your comment is spot on, thank you. What’s truly fascinating is how the Village screams about “transparency,” yet somehow this was posted everywhere but where it mattered. Clearly, that’s an open meeting violation. Time to pony up, President Bucur, And let’s not forget your endless criticism of others on these exact issues, oh wait, classic case of “Do as I say, not as I do.” Honestly, the water in this Village must be contaminated.
Dean served on the original group that declined to vote for Cassandra Hiller. No one should question Deans input, He is as one of the community. IMO, Dean did nothing wrong.
The bigger question is? Who green lighted this process with no information given to the Public? If the Village President did this unilaterally without board approval and no notification to the Public, she needs to be held accountable. I’m so tired of this Village and the Stupid Stuff they do. I’m sure we will get the run around and they will hire someone to tell us it’s ok, nothing here. This is soooooo tiring.
One man’s opinion: I don’t think he’s reached the level of Messiah just yet. Let’s be honest, crowning someone as the Second Coming of Competence in Salem Lakes is a dangerous sport.
I’d recommend never going all‑in on a single savior figure. History shows that quite often it bites you right in the bum‑bum.
Dean has a lake front house about 4 houses away from me. I’m not on the lake, I’m a couple houses off. Dean is just around the corner and on the lake. I’ve lived here for over 24 years and Dean has been here ever since. He may also have a house in Illinois but who gives a shit? Dean knows his shit and has only the best for our community in mind! The end!
CAMP LAKE!
This story is far less about Dean, he’s clearly is a good guy.
The question is this: did the Salem Lakes Village Board know and approve Dean’s involvement in the process, or was this solely a Rita decision and what are his qualifications to be the central figure in this critical hiring process? She’s certainly not the Rita that was first elected,and not in a good way, so the question is important.
Yes, that is the question.
I would have liked to have a direct say in who was selected. What makes Dean so special?
Rita’s henchman, Dean Hintzman, first strutted in as the self‑proclaimed savior of the Wetlands. Now, apparently, he’s moonlighting as the talent scout for our next Village Administrator.
God help us. If this report is even halfway accurate, we’re officially in the realm where mental evaluations should be a prerequisite for serving on the Board. Forget résumés, maybe start with a sanity check.
Because if the Wetlands Whisperer is now the HR department, Salem Lakes is less a village and more a sitcom. And the punchline? Taxpayers are footing the bill for the reruns.
For one guy to insert himself or maybe be asked to jump in is fine.
AS LONG AS EVERYTHING IS OUT IN THE OPEN !!
This round of administrator hiring is again questionable.
Though at least we don’t have a board like Bristol who won’t fire their racist administrator.
Hell, he’s cost them almost as much as his salary
Mr. Hinzman is a Faber “lackey”. They have no trouble running the village behind the scenes. Also
they collect plenty of taxes from the locals to run CCLRD and ruin wetlands and lakes. They are wanting the whole village to be a lake district …more
taxing!! Hopefully, the new admin is not fooled.
The whole salem board is corrupt as hell eff them… cant even ask them questions about anything without being majorly threatened time for change people get rid of these liars and crooks
Stop, I don’t agree with some of what they do, but they are far from corrupt. Maybe incompetent at times but not corrupt, irresponsible statement. Go crawl back in your troll hole.