Politics & Government

Village Trustees Honored, Berated Monday Night

It was an exercise in contrast Monday in Menomonee Falls as trustees were both scolded and honored in the same night.

The walls of Village Hall housed a living paradox Monday night. About an hour before both trustees Michael McDonald and Jeff Steliga were honored for their service in a post-meeting reception, a few residents lined up to scold their elected leaders in the boardroom.

A few people sounded a fair warning for the trustees in future elections within their three minutes at the podium. Later, Steliga and McDonald looked proudly back on  their service to the community – using a bit more than three minutes.

The finger waving from residents began with former Village President Jefferson Davis, who had rallied members of the community to speak out against the Village Board’s handling of the Radisson Hotel predicament. He came armed with a pamphlet of 18 questions he demanded the board answer.

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However, the board didn’t respond citing the Village Board’s meeting rules. Davis disagreed stating an opinion from Attorney General J.B. VanHollen. Davis did hand out his question sheets to the board.

The Steve Walcenbach, president of the Menomonee Falls Taxpayers Association, also berated the board for its dealings with the hotel. He also reaffirmed his support of newly elected trustees Jeremy Walz and Bonnie Lemmer.

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“We hope that the rest of the board and the other members take into consideration the viewpoints (Lemmer and Walz) are bringing here, and take seriously the idea of what the proper function of the board is here,” Walcenbach. “It’s not to superimpose your idea of what the business of this village is about. It’s about what the residents decide.”

But another former president was in the crowd Monday, and he didn’t agree with all the heat directed at the trustees. Former Village President Joe Greco primarily commended McDonald’s work on both Kohl’s headquarters developments, and credited Steliga for starting the recycling program in Menomonee Falls and playing a key role in the landfill negotiations.

“I know guys, it hurts when you lose an election, and it will hurt for about 30 days,” Greco said. “But let me tell you this: As it is said, ‘Free at last, free at last. God almighty we’re free at last.’ No more meetings, no more telephone calls, and you’re home every night. Enjoy new adventures guys.”

Another resident would like to see more heat on the board.

"I'm glad to see the change and hopefully some of you people will pay attention and feel the footsteps behind you, because there will be more change coming downstream," said Falls resident Everett Kelly.  

Steliga and McDonald Recognized

After the meeting, both Steliga and McDonald were honored during a brief reception including cake and some refreshments. About 40 residents, trustees, and village staff remained in the boardroom to reflect on a combined 42 years of experience.

“The village has changed in the last 20 years and your fingerprints are all over it and they’re good fingerprints,” said Village President Randy Newman. “It’s really tough to explain all we do and how we do it, and not find people that think we’re doing it wrong. It takes a lot of fortitude to sit up on that desk and do what you think what’s best for the village.”

Newman presented both Steliga and McDonald a framed portrait of Lepper Dam and the old railroad station at Old Falls Village drawn by a local artist.

Both Steliga and McDonald reflected on their time with the board, and the projects that made them most proud as trustees. McDonald firmly defended the village’s use of taxing districts.

“As much as the people here earlier tried to villainies TIF districts, there is not a single thing that a community like Menomonee Falls could have done to grow from a $1.2 billion that it was the day I became a trustte to a $5 billion it’s valued at now,” said McDonald. “Menomonee Falls is a special place. It’s truly been a privilege.”

Steliga pointed to jobs and the caliber of companies in Falls. He also said that funds from the landfill, which he helped bring to Falls, would someday be placed into a sinking fund to allow the village to essentially borrow from itself in the future.

“We’re home to a Fortune 500 (Kohl’s) and a Fortune 700 company in Actuant Corporation. We have more family sustainable jobs than people in town, and I’m proud of that,” Steliga said. “We were able to have this little gathering here in (Village Hall) the place that garbage paid for.” 


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