Curmudgeon's Corner

I beleive it is time for Mr. Kempinski to do the right thing a resign his position and completely remove himself from Village politics. End of story.

If Mr. Kempinski doesn't resign - I would expect to see a very good explanation for all of this. These are serious charges - just ask former state senator Chvala.

People are quick to Judge and ask for Mr.Kempinski to resign.

We don't know what this is all about.

If there was a closed meeting to talk about this,Why did a Trustee

send this memo to the paper. About the Farmers Market. I don't see

anything wrong with the village making a sign for this. The Farmers

Market is good for the Village. I don't think that Mr Kempinski has

any personal investment in the Farmers Market.  

What is going on over there at the Village Hall?  Is there anybody capable of demonstrating any real leadership anymore?

PAPOMO,

Using a Village employee for your personal jod search and sexual harrassment, which I might add, must have been accurate or there would have been no closed door meeting. I like you do not care about a sign. If he can supply proof that this is all a setup or false then I will be the first to apologize. The key is for him to come forward immediately to resolve this. The longer he waits the worse it will get.

This seems funny that after She learns that She might get laid off

She files these allegations. and said that She would sue the Village

if She does get laid off.

All I can say is Mr. Kempinski stand up and prove your innocense to silent this problem then get on with running the Village and coming up with REAL SOLUTIONS needed to support our Police Department. We have a real problem the way this current board operates. They may need prioritizing 101 classes. Will see what tomorrow brings. Good Evening!

We may all have our opinions, but until we know the facts, we truly will never know.  I do agree, the board and Village Hall needs to come clean.  

The Farmers Market issue isn't just a sign!!!  If people have watched, the Farmers Market was our President and 3 other's project for Leadership Germantown and in order to get money from the tourism and betterment committee, since another project was already approved, and you can only receive money every 6 months, they lied and told Tourism and Bettterment that it wasn't a Leadership project.  I see every piece of literature, which was printed at our Village Hall, saying a project of Leadership Germantown.  So, a sign being made on our time and money is small compared to the lies and taking money for your own.

I want the "Employee" as well as our President to be looked into.  I don't appreciate that the "Employee", per Dave Schornack said that there would be no suit if they secured their job!!  Extortion is the name for that - I think these are two different issues, and that one should be handled and the second should be handled.  We should not be held hostage!!!  Please show me a lawsuit that was filed in court or who the lawyer is representing the "Employee".

We need to "trust" our board and Village.  Time will tell, but to ask for a resignation - whose - all or who???

I think that we need to give them some time, but don't take too much, it's been too long already!!

I'm disappointed in the image that Germantown is getting because of the latest thing happening. There seems to be an ever growing list of disappointments. Whatever the story is, I hope it comes out clearly and that if there is nothing, it gets dropped quickly. If there is something to it, I hope it is dealt with quickly. We are at a very important point in the life of the Village. Budgets are important, no matter how aggravating they become.

Al,

I would agree, investigate this, but what the heck are you throwing Leadership Germantown under the bus for? Leadership Germantown has done many good things for the community. Many facets of all branches of our municiple services have participated in the past for the OVER ALL good of the village. Don't trash this valuable asset to the community over an unproven allegation. Shame on you.

Larry

Larry,

I don't think the intent was to trash Leadership Germantown. You're right in saying that it is a group that really does good. I think the intent was to show how Pres. Kempinski has used that group for his own benifit and to try to make himself look good. He said he would take the project on, then turned it over to a Village Employee to do it on Village time, unknown to the others on his team.

So let me get this straight - there is a confidential memo that was given to Trustees.  That memo is now in the hands of a reporter - put two and two together - a Trustee breached confidentiality.  If you really want to know what is going on - just do what I do....sit nonchalantly at the McDonald's on Mequon Rd. sipping a coffee pretending to read the paper.  Here's what you will see and hear:

Trustee Jim Langer meeting with former President Hargan and former Trustee Steitz whispering about a "recall."  Al the Curmudgeon with the same Trustee Langer..no wonder you've heard rumors about Village Hall.  

Folks get ready - you want to know what's next?  Recall Tom Kempinski and WHAT A COINCIDENCE - I'll betcha Charlie Hargan will be ready to run again for "the sake of the Village of Germantown."  

I don't believe in coincidences and I think it's high time someone call it like they see it.  Time for everyone to come clean on what's really happening here.  An employee uses extortion to keep their job? A Village President accused of harrassment?  A trustee could have leaked this for political gain?  

Wake up people - it's Germantown now Washington D. C.  

I read the comments and there are a few things that trouble me:

1. "prove his innocence" - self evident oxymoron

2. how can someone call for a resignation when there are nothing but allegations as "serious" as they might be

3. I charge this blogger with a serious grudge against Tom Kempinski which is skewing his view point and as a result providing unethical journalism, but I guess we can just pawn that off as an "allegation"

4. This is extortion, plain and simple.

To COMECLEAN: I have never been in McDonalds with Jim Langer or Bill Steitz or The Curmudgeon! I have not whispered to people about a recall of Kempinski. You should get your facts straight. What you have presented are more allegations just to make people think I'm up to something! Apparently when you are pretending to read the paper, you are also pretending to see people that are not there, saying things that are not being said.  

COMMONSENSE1234

If there were allegations brought against me I would take immediate action to set the record straight. Once something sits for a while it starts to fester and it takes a much longer time to correct. Step up to the plate and get er done!!!!!!! Have a Great Weekend.

COME CLEAN needs to come clean. His allegations about seeing Charlie Hargan and Jim Langer and myself together at Macs is an outright lie.

Anyone who claims to have heard Charlie and myself discussing a recall

of Tom Kempinski must have some other motivation for making those allegations.  Anyone who knows Charlie, or me, knows that we are positive-oriented people who are too busy promoting Germantown to  involve ourselves in negative tactics. That's other other side's practice (and I guess COME CLEAN is one of them). Tom will have to deal with these allegations on his own, and, hopefully, justice will prevail

Back to the farmers market. The Village did make 5 signs for the

Farmers Market,however the Farmers Market PAID THE VILLAGE

$175.00 PER SIGN.  AL MAYBE YOU SHOULD CHECK YOUR INFO BEFORE

YOU PRINT THINGS.

ComeClean & Common Sense - just because you've started on this blog with new names, doesn't mean we can't see through you continuing to pass the blame to Charlie and others, when things start to look bad for our Village Officials.

Maybe you guys feel you have to slam people, maybe you are the Trustees, and don't agree with things, maybe you are family members, but realize, that by trying to tell stories and pass the blame on others who do only good in this community, will not make them go to the dark side!!!  What goes around, comes around and some day things will all be cleaned up!!!

The Farmer's Market owes for more than just signs - they owe for every colored copy that was made, every piece of paper handed out in the parade, the time taken to print them, the ink, and everything done at the Village Hall.  Also, will the $2500 be paid back to the Village and an apology to Leadership Germantown for lying and dragging the good name across for standing up and lying to the Betterment and Tourism Committee?  So, signs aren't the only problem with this Farmers Market - who pushed the button at Village Hall to make all the copies?  Who distributed them?  Who created them on their computer at Village Hall?  Once we know that, then we will know if some work is being done on Village Time!!!

Germantown Leadership should file an Ethics Charge, because their good name has been dragged through this and they are looking just as stupid as it all is!!!  The Village can't brush it under the rug if that happens, because you can't hush an outsider - unless, they need something some day!!!

ComeClean & Common Sense - if you can prove who did all those things, that would be great!!!  The people in the parade, vegetables from the Farmers Market, stated that they picked up the copies from Village Hall that they handed out at the parade.  Each piece was printed on Green paper - more expensive than white - prove who printed all these things at Village Hall????

What is the problem;

I'm not sure what you are saying? The farmer's market is a bad thing? The farmers market is good thing but someone needs to pay the village back for something?

Personally, who cares about the signs, paper or whatever, it's promoting the Farmer's market in Germantown. How is that a bad thing? Who cares who did it and why is it a crime to have village participation and share in the cost? Isn't that what our taxes go for?

Just because Tom decided to use some of the village resources to promote a worth while venue in the village isn't a bad thing either.  Someone should define for me in the village statues what should or shouldn't be done on village time. Have you been there on a Saturday? What a great thing to have here! Bravo Tom, Leadership Germantown, the Livery and Village for their support, you just made this a better place to live.

All across south eastern Wisconsin empoyers and employees of private and public entities use their TIME, TALENT and TREASURES to futher the cause of many volunteer and fledgling organizations. Being civic minded is the right thing to do.

How much village resources are spent at the 4th of July, the Christmas parade, Mai Fest, Oktoberfest? Do you have problem their and who should pay that bill?  And you want to be penny wise pound foolish to say hey, give me back 3 reams of green colored paper and what ever else. If that is your intent, all I can say is that you're a knucklehead.

As far as the other allegations, let the investigators investigate and in the meanwhile, he is innocent until proven otherwise.

Larry

Resignation,

I find it troubling and uncomfortable in writing this response to your blog and the very comments as responses.

It is apparent that you Mr. Campbell has now totally aligned himself with the former Village President and a couple of former trustees. How can something so sensitive be released to the media. The very fact that claims of harassment are made does not make them fact. You and every resident of the Village should cry out in wanting to know who on the Village Board released this document. Both parties' privacy and integrity were at stake and by the actions of one and maybe two trustees this issue clearly warrants investigation into ethics violations being brought against the two trustees for releasing this document.

Germantown now has two black eyes on its Village Board and they are Al Vanderheiden and James Langer. Trustee Langer has been overheard stating he plans to run for Village President. Do you think his support of the Village President changed when President Kempinski did not reappoint him as chair or even as a standing member of the Public Safety Commitee? Vindictive to say the least, and with the President not supporting the call for resignation of the Fire Cheif by Trustee Langer adds additional fuel to the fire and bring further merit to consider his motives.

On to Mr. Vanderheiden, simply no other motive that to view that he and the former Village President are very close and probably best friends. They are seen everywhere and I believe he was the former Village Presidents campaign manager.

I am extremely concerned that recent and past blogs makes reference to Hargan, Langer and Stietz being at McDonalds or George Webb strategizing on doing a recall. and the worst part of this is Curmudgeon Al Campbell being a big part of it. Al you can go to the well only so many times before you get poisoned by the water. And if you lay down with dogs you probably will get up with flees. You have done nothing more than further the personal attack agenda for political gain of Hargan, Vanderheiden, Langer and Steitz.

Mr. Campbell I would think all you needed to do was confirm one way or another in calling the Treasurer or Finance Department to confirm if the signs for the Farmers Market were paid for by Tourism and Betterment Grant Funds.

In the best interest of Germantown I am asking Mr. Campbell for his resignation and take his hypocrisy with him. An audit of Mr. Campbell is probably warranted. His motives and allegiances seek to bring controversy to the Village just to make a name for himself. If you are as fed up as I, than I suggest you contact the Germantown Now Editor, and ask for removal of this Blog site. We need to have a Blog that recognizes all the positive things I have seen in Germantown and the people accountable for it.

-James

Here here James!  You are right on!  

Larry -

No one has ever stated that the Farmer's Market is bad or wrong!!!  Pointing out that it is NOT a Village Project, and that it is run through a business in Germantown, not something that every business that we want to succeed in Germantown gets to do, is have Village employees do their work on our dime!!!

I appreciate any new business to Germantown, but if we allow the Farmer's Market (The Livery) to print and advertise on our dime, then all business should be allowed to drop off their printing and our Village should do it for them!!!  We want to see all their good work succeed and continue to make Germantown a Good Place!!!

Don't just applaude Tom (since you named him), applaude the Leadership Germantown team that worked on this project!!!  But mainly, applaude the Village Worker, who did the work!!!

Tom used the Village sign makers, whether paid back or not, to help a business entity.  So, please let all business use our sign makers, and pay them and it is good.

As for Maifest, Oktoberfest, 4th of July and Christmas Parade fundraising, and legitimately going in front of our Tourism and Betterment Committee to get funds is what they do.

So, again I state that please don't start saying that what I wrote was cutting the Farmer's Market Down, because you guys are very good at sending people to a different thought!!!  Taxpayers and business owners - please go to your Village Hall, and get everything that you think will benefit Germantown and your company printed and made at our Village Hall!!! You don't have to pay for printing or time, but you will have to pay $175 a sign!!!  Since we want to be business friendly, I see, that's what it is!!!

We need to have an outside investigation done, like Trustee VanderHeiden stated in the paper - then, we don't need to blog!!!  

Citizens of Germantown - contact either the DA (Todd Martens)or contact the Village Administrator (Dave Schornack) (262-250-4755)to ask for an outside investigation to be made!!!  Things can be taken care of then!!!

I want tax dollars to go towards our Police Department, Roadwork, and things for the citizens, not copies and signs!!!

NUMO - "If there were allegations brought against me I would take immediate action to set the record straight. Once something sits for a while it starts to fester and it takes a much longer time to correct." I

It is that precise line of erroneous logic that allows for certain important public figures to be strung up by the knowledge hungry public. I do not codemn the Journal for reporting allegations but I condemn you sir for calling for his resignation when NO formal charges have ever been brought forward. I guess using your logic there is no need for the judicial system, just let NUMO hear about allegations and that's good enough. Get ur done I guess.

James 05:  You have opposed everything I have done since 1988. After talking at the Clark station several years ago, I thought we decided to part agreeing to disagree on almost everything. I never expected that you would decide that any person I associate with is no good. For the record, Al Vanderheiden and his wife started bowling with me and my late wife 21 years ago in a couples league. Al has never been my campaign manager. Out of the ten elections I was in, eight times I was my own manager. You say that his associating with me is reason enough to condem him. You've got nothing else against him because he has been an excellent Trustee so you decide he's no good because of me. Dumb!!

You are so determined to poison the minds of people that you don't bother to stretch the truth, you ignore it. You make up things about people meeting to cause a recall, thinking that there enough small minded people like you that will believe it.

James, do something good for the village or don't do anything at all.  

It's downright funny to see how this has become derailed.  A reporter for the Milwaukee paper runs a story based on a public record document and before long, certain people twist it into a conspiracy.  According to that story, the lady involved in this is obviously, and perhaps rightly, concerned about losing her job after coming forward:  she's willing to move past these six allegations so long as there are no more, and that no one uses the village budget issues as an excuse to terminate her.  It seems to be a reasonable conclusion that if the village attorney "strongly counseled" Mr. Kempinski to stay away from this lady, then there are probably strong gounds for her complaints.  Considering track records and personalities, who can blame the lady for being concerned about her job.

I'm not sure what's meant by a "public audit", and wonder whether allegations of any sort of "official misconduct in office" isn't why the village board has an attorney and insurance against such claims.  I believe an investigation of the type called for wouldn't become public until the Washington County DA filed charges against the board president:  until then, it's a private legal matter, even though it involves a public official.  If any of us were in a similar circumstance, we'd probably want those protections, too.  Imagine the circus and absolute gridlock if this were not so.

Mr. Campbell has raised a lot of concerns regarding Tom Kempinksi, but he's also raised concerns about Jim Langer.  I think he's been balanced, and I appreciate his putting the spotlight on people and issues, whether large or subtle.

Papomo claims that a trustee sent "this memo" to the paper:  there's no mention of that anywhere, care to offer proof of your allegation?  Then he distorts the precarious position of the lady involved and says that her job was in jeopardy first, and then she shared the sexual misconduct issues with the village clerk.  Young Mr. "WhatIsTheProblem" siezes on this lie and charges the lady with extortion?  And then several others echo the charge.  Be realistic:  in most employment-centered sexual harassment cases, the "keep your mouth shut or I'll have you fired" is typical.  Papomo later says that "Farmers Market" paid for the signs, but yet "Farmers Market" is sponsored by the Tourism/Betterment Committee, which is a village government committee and funded with tax money.  So, at the very least, tax dollars were moved from one part of the budget to another to fund what's generally perceived to be a legitimate community benefit, but the underlying issue is, why the subterfuge and the bending of the rules?  I don't know if any other "Leadership Germantown" projects have been paid for with public money, but it sure doesn't take much "leadership" to go get money from the government, and if a "leader" makes a request but gets denied, and then strongarms his way into finding another way to get those public dollars, then the "leadership" aspect is certainly questionable.  I admit to knowing nothing of the Farmers Market and whether or not the retail business on whose grounds it now operates is open to the public at the same time the Market is open, but if using public funds have been used to give one private business a market advantage over their competition, that's wrong.

James05 is absolutely certain that public information shouldn't be public, that public officials should be immune from public scrutiny, and when the press sheds light on public concerns, the press should be silenced.  James, the confidentiality you're looking for doesn't exist in public government:  that's why it's called PUBLIC.  And a free press is absolutely essential to the protection of liberty.

Charlie,

Your last statement says it all.  Do something good for the village or don't do anything at all.

When  "WHAT IS THE PROBLEM SAID", "I want tax dollars to go towards our Police Department, Roadwork, and things for the citizens, not copies and signs!!!"  This proves that you simply just don't "get it".

James05 - you're scaring me, man!  Have you ever heard of the first amendment?  To call for a blogger's resignation is absolutely ridiculous.  I think Al has always been fair and balanced, and his blog is one of very few on these community websites that gets any comments which is great to see.

The freedom of speech has nothing to do with what James was requesting. Apparently like most of the modern media, it is apparent that Germantown NOW has aligned themselves with one part of the agenda. This is simply a request to have another voice besides an obviously skewed one.

The freedom of speech has nothing to do with what James was requesting. Apparently like most of the modern media, it is apparent that Germantown NOW has aligned themselves with one part of the agenda. This is simply a request to have another voice besides an obviously skewed one.

Too late to try to skew the truth, there, Common.  Or are you James, I get confused.

"In the best interest of Germantown I am asking Mr. Campbell for his resignation and take his hypocrisy with him. An audit of Mr. Campbell is probably warranted. His motives and allegiances seek to bring controversy to the Village just to make a name for himself. If you are as fed up as I, than I suggest you contact the Germantown Now Editor, and ask for removal of this Blog site. We need to have a Blog that recognizes all the positive things I have seen in Germantown and the people accountable for it."

That's not a call for "another voice", it's a DEMAND that Al's voice be silenced.  Not here, not now.  Get beyond your personal partisanship.  Or, like Charlie Hargan said, quit sitting on the sidelines and barking, get in the game yourself.  That's what's wrong with Germantown, it's infested with barking dogs and very few working dogs.

Can't believe all of this over a newspaper article !!! I agree with JAFO IN GTOWN- look how this has been derailed into (now 31 ) opinions. I learned a long time ago NOT to believe everything that is printed in a news article.

To What Is The Problem-if you "saw every piece of literature, which was being printed at our Village Hall, saying a project of Leadership Germantown", why didn't you stop it and say-"this is Village $$$, we better not do this " You are just as guilty !!!

I'll donate the reams of  the "Green -more expensive than white paper" for them next year !!!

So, enough already about the copies- it promoted the Farmers Market, brought people to G-town, which is what we want. Let's move on to more important issues in this village !!!

POMO17 ,

Right on!

I am typing this as a concerned citizen of the Village of Germantown. I normally choose not to get involved in issues but as a tax paying citizen I find it warranted.  I think every tax paying citizen in the village of Germantown has a right to voice their opinion about how our tax paying dollars are spent.  There are issues in every community with how the village money is spend and I would venture to say that the majority of the people who are complaining have a habit of knit picking eventhing verses looking at the greater issues.  I think we all need to take a step back and stop the mud slinging and address what the real issues are in the village of Germantown.  Reams of paper and signs are minute issues when you take a look at the condiitons of some of the roads in the village, etc.  I believe overall that everyone on the village board, including the President has the villages best interests at heart but get caught up in the politics of it all and get misguided as any normal human being would.  

The real concers here are the budgets shortfalls and the fact that there is a great possibility that our taxes will be raised becasue of it.  I watch the telivised village board meetings and frankly am appauled at the conduct of some of the people on the village board.  There are always going to be conflics of interest and members not agreeing with other members.  No one says they all have to get along, but they do need to be adults and be making decisions that are in the best interest of the community without an alterier motive.  

They say there is no room in the budget to make any cuts.  That I have a hard time believing.  There are always ways to cut a budget, always!  For instance, the elaborate concrete parking lot at the public works department on the corder of Hwy 145 and Division Road. Was that a necessary village expenditure? I think not, especially when there are roads in the village of dire need of attention along with many other issues that need dire attention.  

I am not passing the buck or taking the accusations against our village president lightly. I believe these are things that need to be investigated and justice will prevail but lets focus on the real issues in our community and stop the mudslinging and knit picking and find ways to make Germantown a better place than it already is!  

Could not have said it any better !