Trick or Treat from 5:30PM to 7:30PM...

Please remember that the little witches, ghosts and goblins will be out and about throughout the village tonight and that they cannot always see well through their masks or costumes.

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MATC Secession Public Hearings Set...

The Wisconsin Technical College Board has two meetings set for the near future at which citizens can testify for or against the petition filed earlier by the Germantown School District to be permitted to move from the MATC district into the Moraine Park district.

Those meetings are to be held on Tuesday, November 11th at two different times in two different Menomonee Falls locations.  The first is from 2PM to 5PM and is to be convened at the Menomonee Falls Public Library; the second is from 6PM to 8PM and will be held at the Menomonee Falls Community Center.

The chances for a favorable ruling are likely slim already given the history that prevails.  Public testimony on issues regarding access and class selection, for example, might help tip the balance.  Remember that tax rates are not something the Board will take into account in reaching its conclusion.

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Special Board Meeting Results Unknown...

The village trustees met behind closed doors last evening for the following stated purpose:

Adjourn into closed session under Wis. Stats. 19.85 (1)(c) considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility; (f) considering financial, medical, social or personal histories or disciplinary data of specific persons, preliminary consideration of specific personnel problems or the investigation of charges against specific persons except where para. (b) applies, which, if discussed in public, would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any person referred to in such histories or data, or involved in such problems or investigations; or (g) conferring with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved

A deductive process would reasonably suggest that this closed door meeting pertained to the issue of the alleged sexual harassment recently brought to light.  I know of nothing else that would seem to fit the descriptions provided in the Wis. Stats. section above.  There were allegations that could be damaging.  There is an employee involved.  The employee apparently had threatened legal action if she felt wronged by actions of the Board so far as her position was concerned.

Some three weeks have passed since the story broke, the citizens have no more information than at that time, and don't yet know what is going on.  It seems that there must be something happening, since the Village Board passed its unanimous statement of support for President Kempinski.  It looks as though the Village Attorney was likely in attendance, as one would expect. 

Village Administrator Schornack stated, according to a small piece by Tom Kertscher on the GermantownNOW site, that he would be informing trustees about a personnel issue and that the trustees would not be taking any action.

I certainly hope that we'll all be privy to what has been going on and what may be expected in the future before too much more time has passed.

Special Board Meeting Follow-Up...

The special meeting of the village board was convened at 5:35PM with Trustee Zabel absent but expected soon thereafter.

In the audience were news reporters, two members of the MATC staff and two school board members.  It appeared that there were also individuals from both Waste Management and, possibly, from Veolia.

The discussion on MATC secession centered on the desire by some that a 'co-signature' be provided for the village board to assert its approval of the filing.  There was discussion that since the village is one of several taxing entities, if the village were included, the others would need to be, too.  This was settled when Trustee Langer offered a motion to have a supporting letter attached to the filing by the school district.  After the second, that motion passed unanimously (with Zabel absent). 

The discussion on the possibility of a referendum regarding road repairs dealt with debt levies, budget trade-offs, and state gas tax proceeds.  It became apparent that there was no support for a referendum and that trustees felt it was their responsibility to determine how best to handle the issue without incurring more debt.  Trustee Vanderheiden offered a motion that was seconded by Trustee Langer to that effect.  That motion passed nearly unanimously with Trustee Zabel abstaining since he had arrived midway through this discussion.

The discussion concerning Waste Management and the current labor issues as those were impacting the village followed.  While President Kempinski and Administrator Schornack indicated that each had received calls about delayed pick-ups, the other members of the board were either moot or expressed that they had received no calls.  Discussion as to what would constitute sufficient grounds for action against Waste Management went back and forth.  It seemed to be agreed that there was not sufficient cause to proceed at this point.  Trustee Werderman offered a motion, seconded by Trustee Langer, that this topic of discussion be added to the agenda for the regularly scheduled Board meeting to be held on September 15th.  That motion passed unanimously.

President Kempinski gaveled the meeting to adjournment.

Harley 105th Anniversary Impact From The Police' Perspective...

I was curious as to how the police department viewed the 105th anniversary given the thousands of bikes in our area nearly all hours of the day and night.  Chief Pete Hoell indicated that there was one minor injury accident involving a motorcycle.  He mentioned that he had now experienced the 95th, 100th and 105th reunion celebrations and said, "Overall, as far as I'm concerned, this was a great event and we'll be looking forward to the 110th."

He also provided an anecdote that I think provides a great overview of the typical attendees:

"I was off duty with my kids driving east on Holy Hill Rd. in Richfield on Friday.  I was following a couple of Harley bikes eastbound when a high performance bike (crotch rocket) came from the other direction (westbound) and did a short wheelie from the stop sign.  The biker in front of me was wearing colors, long grey curly hair; typical stereotype of a biker one may think of from earlier years.  When he saw the wheelie and as the high performance bike drove by, the Harley biker made his displeasure of this act very clear and scolded him by shaking his arm and pointer finger at him.  It was a really good example how ethical most Harley bikers are, how willing they are to step up regarding the issue of safety and good behavior."

Nuff said!