started here. went out there. now sharing some thoughts on what’s happening here.
by dcvoterboy on November 13th, 2008 • No Comments »
Quick Quiz. What does the City of Wausau, Village of Turtle Lake, and the Village of Kronenwetter all have in common?
Bill Forrest. Yup. One man. Three municipalities. Three jobs.
Is Bill Forrest the best man for all of these jobs? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Mr. Forrest’s newest job is as Interim Administrator for Kronenwetter. As pointed out here on Citizen Wausau, Wausau is missing some key positions, as is Kronenwetter. And how long is the interim position for? Many municipalities have limits on interim positions - does Kronenwetter?
But in a growing metropolitan area, I’m troubled by the fact that there seems to be no other 
government managers up to the task of leading a village on an interim basis. Now granted, these are all part time gigs - Kronenwetter paying a sweet $95 an hour (that’s an $197,600 annual salary as previously mentioned) - and perhaps Mr. Forrest can balance the demands of three municipalities with very different needs, but if he can’t, who’s going to pay for the mistake? It won’t take long for Mr. Forrest to rack up a pretty decent bill if he spends the amount of time that it appears is needed to start addressing the issues facing Kronenwetter. (By the way, its now 504 days since Kronenwetter’s Public Works Director admitted to lying about her college degree - and still no personnel action taken.)
“I think I can be open, upfront and honest with you,” said Mr. Forrest to the Kronenwetter Village Board, I certainly hope he can do the same with Kronenwetter’s residents. He told the board his goals are tackling personnel issues (see above for suggestion number one re: Public Works Director), develop procedures, and work on the pension.
Perhaps some other areas Mr. Forrest could take a look at are trying to end bad decision making, start some good budgeting, and start bringing village taxes into line.
Local Government, Uncategorized, kronenwetter, wausau
by dcvoterboy on November 4th, 2008 • 2 Comments »
Its a little past noon in Washington, D.C. and certainly everybody will be relieved to know who will call 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW home on January 20, 2009.
To answer a question from the comments which asked, “Which process?”
Yes, the process of voting. The election process. The process of democracy. Call it whatever you like, it may not be perfect, but our system of democracy is quite incredible when you take a step back and look at what it is, and what we’ve accomplished.
While past elections have shown that not enough Americans take advantage of the opportunity to vote - this year may change that, as early reports show many locations across the country to be on pace to produce record turnouts.
So let’s take a moment and take away the robo-calls, the campaign literature in your mailbox, the campaign ads on TV, radio, online, and in the paper, and look what we’ve really done as a country and this grand experiment known as “American Democracy.”
For hundreds of years, our country has seen the peaceful transfer of power from one person to another, at all levels of government, from the chambers of the Wausau City Council to The White House in Washington, D.C.
Based on what? Based upon the individual votes of you and me and nothing else.
While the campaigns may exasperate or disgust us or excite us, one thing remains true throughout, something that gives me hope no matter what — no matter how much money any candidate has, or how many ads they run, or how many speeches they give — at the end of the day, when we all walk into that voting booth, we all only have one vote to cast.
And that’s something no amount of money can buy more of. One Person. One Vote.
Now, go vote dammit.
Local Government, Local Media, Politics
by dcvoterboy on November 4th, 2008 • 6 Comments »
Good Morning Folks. Its Election Day in America.
Go Vote Dammit!
If you live in Marathon County, polling places are easy to find.
So go vote. Be part of the process.
Local Government, Local Media, Politics
by dcvoterboy on November 1st, 2008 • No Comments »
So the many villages and towns outside of Wausau are once again preparing and passing their budgets for 2009. As the costs of pretty much everything continue to rise, how much longer will the policies and politics of the past keep trumping the economics of logic?
Each of these local governments - Rothschild, Kronenwetter, and Schofield and Weston - all maintain their governments, their own public service, and especially their own police and fire departments.
Emergency services aren’t cheap — frankly, I still believe that Kronenwetter made a big blunder a few years back by creating another police department instead of working out a deal with the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department or with a neighboring jurisdiction to extend police services — and the continuing need and costs to maintain equipment and personnel aren’t going to go down anytime soon.(Let’s not even get started about Rib Mountain…)
As budgets become ever tighter and demands on services greater, and the pressure to keep tax rates reasonable, when will pride be pushed aside for a moment and Rothschild, Schofield, Weston, and Kronenwetter (at least these four) sit down at Denny’s and try to work something out?
We must give a big compliment to Schofield and Weston for setting a great example way back in 1993 by creating the first multi-jurisdictional police department in the greater Wausau area.
The argument that this area is too big, simply doesn’t hold water. Each of these areas are being patrolled already, and certainly there are some benefits to be gained and some efficiencies to be found by everyone working together.
If Schofield and Weston can seem to understand it (and Weston is often cited as local government doing it right) why can’t others?
If we throw Wausau and Rib Mountain into the mix, you now have six local governments that could potentially come together on public safety services - police and fire - and create a pretty good size organization that would have some real bargaining power when purchasing anything from police cars to health insurance to oxygen tanks and masks.
Certainly maintaining one administration, one chief, one headquarters is cheaper than having and maintaining four or five? Right?
The lines between these jurisdictions have grown less clear over the years, especially as development and new homes have filled the gaps that once separated them, and they’re only going to continue to be less and less important.
When will local leaders (and residents) let these lines go and look to do what’s best for the citizens and taxpayers that live within and across these lines?
Local Government
by dcvoterboy on October 29th, 2008 • 3 Comments »
The Kronenwetter Village Board is on the move again and this time they’ve offered Wausau City Council president Bill Forrest the role of interim administrator as a part-time gig at $95 an hour - that’s the equivalent of an $197,600 annual salary.Unless Kronenwetter is looking to become part of the City of Wausau, I simply cannot see how this is a good idea for anyone. The conflict of interest, the cost, and honestly, the simple question of how one individual can serve two jurisidictions in good faith leaves me scratching my head.
Local Government, kronenwetter, wausau
by dcvoterboy on October 12th, 2008 • 2 Comments »
So the Village Board of Kronenwetter has acted swiftly and fired Village Administrator Bruce Bierma. Clearly, something strange in the state of Kronenwetter is afoot.The board certainly moved quickly and made a decision, and didn’t drag this situation out, as it has many others. Also, in a move that would make any big city government proud, Mr. Bierma’s information is already gone from the Village’s website as the Administrator’s page has this ominous message:
“Any questions contact the Municipal Center 715-693-4200.”
The “Government” link shows the Administrator position under Municipal Offices Contacts as *Vacant Position* - but, the webmaster did miss the link to the “Staff Directory” as Bruce does still show up (at least as of 4pm Sunday he did) — I imagine this will get fixed quickly.This dramatic personnel action also takes place just days after the Wausau Daily Herald reported that Kronenwetter Public Works Director Lisa Myles had lied about holding a full four-year college degree, as detailed in a letter from Dick Schneider, an engineering contractor for Kronenwetter, in response to questions from Village President Rick Smith.Which, by the way, its now been 473 days that Myles has remained on the payroll since that June 26, 2007 letter to Mr. Smith.
If you’re reading this post and its no longer Sunday, just click here for a clock to see the current number of days elapsed since the Village president was informed that their Public Works Director lied about holding a four-year college degree.
Its getting to be harder than ever to know what’s going on in Kronenwetter, and I fear that village taxpayers may once again be footing the bill.According to the WDH, Bierma was let go without cause, and being let go without cause isn’t that unusual when you’re an “at-will” employee, but hopefully Bierma’s contract allowed for such a dismissal. I must ask this, as Kronenwetter has been challenged in the recent past in making proper and legal personnel decisions and action.It does make us all wonder what exactly Bierma did to be dealt a unanimous dismissal from his position. It seems that many of the issues that have plagued Kronenwetter were there before Bierma, and his job has been to sort through them and introduce residents to a professionally managed government.Hopefully the board will move quickly in naming an interim administrator as well as moving ahead on a professional search to fill this now vacant position. There’s nothing worse for an organization than to lack solid leadership at the top.When you’re paying as much in taxes as the voters in Kronenwetter are — essentially, big city tax rates (more on that soon) – they should expect nothing less.
Local Government
by dcvoterboy on October 7th, 2008 • 7 Comments »
The bids are in and the work shall begin and downtown Wausau will soon see 62 new parking spaces along Scott Street.
Now when you go downtown to enjoy a live music show and a good brew at the Scott Street Steak and Pub, browse for some gifts and those random little things you can’t seem to find anywhere else at Psychadelic Wonders, or even a new skateboard or some clothing at Dwellers. Oh wait, those places were all torn down to make room for this parking lot.
As many of us remembered and once enjoyed, this block of Scott Street was once lined with storefronts and people dipping in and out of doors. Now, we’ll see people darting in and out of thier parking spaces. While its only a temporary lot, this new parking lot will bring new spaces and parking relief to a block where the nearest available parking is only available to the north, east, west, and south, and one must walk at least one, if not more blocks to reach this parking.
The low bid of $86,000, is actually not a bad deal at only $1,387 per parking space - obviously a low price because this is only a temporary parking lot until it is redeveloped as, say a permanent parking lot?
The overall cost of parking is not cheap. Maybe construction is, but other costs continue on. Surface parking can be quick, easy, and cheap to build, but multi-level parking spaces can run $20,000 to $40,000 per space, depending if you go above or under ground.
McDevco, the land and the future are in your hands. I hope you and the City of Wausau have some better ideas than another parking lot. It does none of us any good to spend all this time, energy, money, and resources on rebuilding downtown on one hand, while we create new parking lots and dead zones with the other.
Photo of mural in the remains of the Scott Street Steak and Pub courtesy of siskokid via Flickr.
Local Government, Transportation
by dcvoterboy on October 7th, 2008 • One Comment »
468 days.
That’s the current number of days since the Village of Kronenwetter was informed in writing by a contractor that Ms. Lisa Myles, Kronenwetter’s Director of Public Works, did not have have a four-year college degree in Engineering.
As reported by the Wausau Daily Herald, previously Ms. Myles had told Kronenwetter that she had a college degree in Engineering, when in fact, Ms. Myles had only earned an associate’s degree from the University of Wisconsin Marathon County and had attended UW-Superior for two years without completing a degree.
Kronenwetter is currently struggling to show that they are an open and professionally run government. Now’s their chance to show that they are one. Or at least want to look like one. In any professionally run government, if you lie on your application or your resume or lie about your education or qualifications, you are let go. Separated from service. Fired.
Ms. Myles remains on the payroll 468 days later. Nobody should be rewarded for lying.
Unfortunately, 3 days ago, the Wausau Daily Herald showed all of us that Kronenwetter still doesn’t get it - and the last 468 days tell that story even better.
If you live in Kronenwetter and have been paying Ms. Myles’ salary for the past 468 days, I suggest you give Village Administrator W. Bruce Bierma a call, and let him know your thoughts.
Administrator: W. Bruce Bierma
Phone: 715.693.4200 x 11
Email: bbierma@kronenwetter.org
Local Government
by dcvoterboy on October 4th, 2008 • One Comment »
Oh, Kronenewetter. Its almost like a Shakespearean drama at this point, with the many twists and turns, secret letters, allegations, mistrust - or - even better, perhaps the leadership of Kronenwetter has been replaced with the leaders of Genoa City, WI from the “Young and the Restless”?
Regardless of who’s supposed to be in charge, once again, it appears on one is. Just days after hosting a open house to show how well they’re running things over there in the village to the south, the Wausau Daily Herald has once again done a good job of keeping tabs on local government and uncovered letters critical of Kronenwetter’s Public Works Director Lisa Myles.
Not only are the letters critical of Ms. Myles’ service, they also uncover the fact that she lied about her degree and qualifications. Residents of Kronenwetter should demand, and expect nothing less than the dismissal of Ms. Myles.
I’m very sorry, but her plea of:
“I don’t know why it’s happening to me,” Public Works Director Lisa Myles said. “I just want to do my job.”
Is nothing less than an insult to every Kronenwetter taxpayer. If you lie about your professional experience or your education, you have engaged in fraud and have lost the public trust.
Heavy stress does not make one lie. You choose to lie. As a Director at any level, of any local government, providing honest, accurate, and timely information is one of the most important aspects of your job.
If the Village Board of Kronenwetter and new administrator, Bruce Bierma, wants to continue its effort to rebuild the reputation of the village - which the recent open house was a good first step - action must be taken immediately, which could include removing Ms. Myles from her current position, and perhaps complete removal from the Village of Kronenwetter government. The longer Ms. Myles remains as Public Works director, the worse Kronenwetter looks and the more taxpayers pay the salary of someone who has lied to them.
Anything less and the Village of Kronenwetter will have once again failed its residents.
Local Government
by dcvoterboy on October 1st, 2008 • No Comments »
So Kronenwetter took a bold step, in, let’s say “a” direction, and hosted a “media day” to show that they have nothing to hide. Local government is a 24 x 7 operation - and frankly, any day could and should be a media day. Many of us know that the still somewhat newly minted Village of Kronenwetter has run afoul of open records laws, personnel troubles, and has even made some general decisions that probably could have been better. Part of public service, is that first part, the “public” part - what you do as a government, is for the public, and the public has a right to be involved in the decision making process, as well as know what it is you’re paying for as a citizen. Now, not everything the government does or considers should be open - there is indeed information and process that needs to be, and should be protected, for the benefit of everyone. There’s also a role for the media, and even citizens, to play as well - as information providers, questioners, activitsts, sometimes even the protaganist. Now some on the Village Board may feel like the Wausau Daily Herald is out to get Kronenwetter, come hell or high water, but that’s simply not true. Asking good questions is not an inquisition.Honestly, the level of scrutiny and questioning really isn’t that bad - and frankly, the harsh light of questioning should be shining a little bit brighter.
Local Government
