The Vanguard

"Here a Bailout, There a Bailout, Everywhere a Bailout...'ol McVillage Board Had a Farm Ee, i, ee, i, o"

The Vanguard's updates and follow ups, and there are plenty of them, will be at the end of this posting.

Public Employee Benefit Costs, which was suppose to be last week's subject, will have to wait another week or more.

Our country is currently facing a challenge that is unprecedented in terms of size and magnitude that must be addressed now with those who are responsible for getting us into this mess being accurately held accountable for its cause so it is not repeated in the future.

Follow the money. 

It's always about money when it comes to politicians who are legally and ethically challenged when they try to cloak themselves in righteousness and glory because, "It's for the people of our community."

Riiiiiiiiight!!!!!!! 

Taxpayers of America are being asked once again to make good for the strong armed tactics of certain politicians who used their position to deliver political favors to constituents in exchange for votes and campaign contributions over the last 30 years that has now reached an epidemic of the often referred to number of $700 billion.

There is a pattern for these certain types of politicians over the years and the taxpayers have had to foot the bill in one way or another or "else" every time (click here to see a history of bailouts in America http://www.propublica.org/special/government-bailouts) since the early '70's.

Irish Political Philosopher Edmund Burke has been attributed with the following quote, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing."

Similarly, the Menomonee Falls Village Board, currently led by Trustee Jeff Steliga, Mike McDonald, Sharon Ellis, Jim Jeskewitz and former Village President, Joe Greco, who started this mess in the 90's, are now asking the taxpayers of Menomonee Falls to "bail them out" of a $42 million dollar commitment they made that they knew they could not keep and now the bill is coming due unless something is done now to protect the businesses and homeowners of Menomonee Falls.

Unless the citizens of Menomonee Falls collectively rise up to let their elected and appointed officials know they will not stand for this bailout and the deliberately failed promises of Trustees Jeskewitz, Steliga, McDonald, Ellis and former Village President, Joe Greco, the impact of new taxes will potentially cripple our local economy when it would be so easy to correct it with the right leadership and negotiation process.

More on that later.  Much more.

$700 Billion Taxpayer Federal Bailout and the Eerie Similarity of the Menomonee Falls Village Board 

How did our country get to this point?

It's very simple.

It started over 30 years ago when the democrat controlled Congress and Senate along with the support of the Carter Administration paid their supporters back with the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) which was designed to require financial institutions to provide loans to the low income and minority population or else be sued for discrimination or prejudice (http://www.lewrockwell.com/dilorenzo/dilorenzo125.html).

Simply put, loans were made to people who could not afford them and subsequently were not held accountable when they could not make their mortgage payments.

These seriously questionable and egregious lending practices were greatly expanded in the '90's under the Clinton Administration for the same payback reasons of the Carter Administration to constituents in exchange for their votes and campaign contributions (http://209.157.64.201/focus/f-news/2091845/posts).

Questionable Lending Practices Explode 

The warning signs started in 1999 (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE7DB153EF933A0575AC0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1) and perhaps sooner for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

President Bush warned Congress in 2001 that immediate reform was necessary at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or the financial system would face peril because of the mess he inherited from the Clinton Administration, but was blocked by the democrats (http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/194210.php).

President Bush, realizing that a crisis was imminent unless something was done immediately, informed Congress in 2003 of his plans to reform the system to stave off the problem, but was blocked by democrats ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28498-2005Apr5.html) when they tried to eliminate the agency, OFHEO (Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight), whose responsibility it was to oversee Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which were giving out really bad loans and tried to fire the agency director because he was trying to do his job that ultimately lead to the resignation of Fannie Mae Executive Franklin Raines (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17241-2004Dec21.html) because of severe accounting irregularities and compensation questions of his $90 million salary over 5 years.

More severe warnings came in 2004 (http://www.620wtmj.com/shows/charliesykes/29877814.html?blog=y) about serious problems with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac  once again to the howls of the democrats accusing those who dared to raise the issue of being racists, discriminating, prejudicial, alarmists and unfair critics of the people who ran the organizations.

Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain sounded the alarm in 2005 about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (http://blogsforjohnmccain.com/john-mccain-tried-head-fannie-mae-freddie-mac-mortgage-disaster-2006) and was also met with strong criticism about his attempts to reform a very corrupt system.

Fannie Mae Executive, Richard Syron, was in denial as late as May of 2007 (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ay0Kkt47a3s4&refer=home).

Those who raised the red flags about the pending crisis were scoffed at, scorned and ridiculed by the democrats for being alarmists and trying to destroy and discredit good people who were trying to do good things.

It's Time to Name Names and Hold Them Accountable for this Debacle that was Avoidable

Shame on Barney Frank (D-Mass), Christopher Dodd (D-Conn), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Harry Reid (D-NV) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) for being the loudest critics of the republicans and the Bush Administration for the failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac when it was the republicans who clearly sounded the alarm, but were blocked by the democrats every step of the way (http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/194210.php and http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/09/28/franks_fingerprints_are_all_over_the_financial_fiasco/).

The democrats, who created this mess, have known about it for many years (http://209.157.64.201/focus/f-news/2091845/posts) and purposely chose to do nothing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p1Wc2NFa3w&feature=related) as long as the votes and campaign contributions kept coming in (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aSKSoiNbnQY0).

Even the democrat presidential nominee has a history with this issue (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/acorn_obama_and_the_mortgage_m.html) and the organizations that he affiliated himself with.

Thank God the republicans didn't provide these irresponsible and reckless democrat congressmen and senators with cover by approving a bailout and cover-up of the mess they created and are now trying to blame the republicans for when the republicans were the ones who sounded the alarms about a pending financial crisis years ago.

This is a partisan issue and it's the democrat's fault. 

President Bush and the republicans should have been proactive and stopped this train wreck they knew was coming at our country 100 miles an hour, but they didn't and shame on them.

Now it's time to fix it and move on for the sake of our country, but in the words of Spanish Philosopher George Santayana, "Those who can not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Where do we go to fix this?

We're Americans and we can meet, beat and exceed any challenge that is put before us and we will meet this challenge the same way as long as it is the right thing to do for our country and the taxpayers and not the select few who got us into this mess to begin with.

The Vanguard supports the caution and support of the plan as outlined by the Heritage Foundation (http://www.heritage.org/Research/Economy/wm2091.cfm).

Let's Not Repeat History in Menomonee Falls by Bailing Out the Village Board on the $42 Million Municipal Facilities Fund

The Vanguard has written extensively about the failed policies of the Menomonee Falls Village Board from the '90's and the early 2000's and its impact on the taxpayers for the broken promise of the $42 Million Municipal Facilities Fund (http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/2008/07/10/the-great-garbage-debate.aspx).

The Village Board directed the new Village Manager in 2007-08 to re-open negotiations with Waste Management to make up for the $17 million shortfall (http://www.jefferson-davis.info/images/Documents/MEst-Effect-on-Property-Val.pdf) of the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund (http://www.jefferson-davis.info/images/Documents/Municipal-Facilities-Fund.png).

Similar to the Fannie Mae Freddie Mac mess, the Village Board, without a referendum and very little public input, decided in 1999-2000 to saddle our community with a $42 million debt service (http://www.jefferson-davis.info/images/Documents/Municipal-Facilities-Fund.png) for a new police station, village hall and library they knew would not be paid for by tipping fees from the Waste Management Dump that started in 1994 with even more empty promises from the Village Board.

The $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund (http://www.jefferson-davis.info/images/Documents/Municipal-Facilities-Fund.png) is now at least $17 million short (http://www.jefferson-davis.info/images/Documents/MEst-Effect-on-Property-Val.pdf) and will hit the taxpayer extremely hard as early as 2016 with new taxes between $416.00 to $2,218.00 through 2022 which will be above and beyond regular property taxes.

Empty Promises Date Back to 1994

Led by former Village President Joe Greco and Trustees Mike McDonald and Jeff Steliga, the Village Board voted unanimously to approve a contract with Waste Management that promised some $15-$20 million in tipping fees at no cost to the taxpayers for 10 years.

Truth was, the taxpayers only netted $5,261,095 in 10 years from Waste Management because the taxpayers had to pay $8,670,578 for garbage pick up in order to get the $5,261,095 from Waste Management tipping fees.

Unlike any other corporation throughout America (see examples http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/2008/07/10/the-great-garbage-debate.aspx), the Village Board did not require any dividends or royalty checks for the taxpayer, like having our garbage picked up for free, in exchange for Waste Management making millions off of the Village each year.

Contract Comes up for Renewal in 2004 and $17 Million (Actually $29 Million) Shortfall Exposed

The Village, with Waste Management, had to apply for a permit from the DNR to extend the life of the dump for 10 more years through 2014 at which time it would close and be capped.

The Village would also lose $500,000 a year into perpetuity starting in 2014 in property taxes from Waste Management because a closed dump is taxed differently than an operating dump.

Conservative members on the Village Board at the time, Davis, Slinker and Farrell, raised the issue during negotiations with Waste Management about the $17 million shortfall for the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund in 2004.

When the annual $1.2 million garbage tax is included in the formula over 10 years ($1.2 million x 10 = $12 million), the shortfall is actually $29 million because the taxpayer has been paying for the new library, village hall and police station since 1999-2000 when construction started. 

Trustees Steliga, McDonald and Jeskewitz along with the Financial Services Director blamed the economy, interest rates, 911 and even their red freckled cousin for the shortfall when in reality they knew all along there was going to be a huge shortfall and just didn't think they were going to get caught because it wasn't going to show up on the tax bills until 2016 when most of them would be retired or off the Village Board.

Of course there were all kinds of accusations made toward those who raised the $17 million/$29 million shortfall.

The tax and spend members (Steliga, Jeskewitz, Ellis and McDonald) of the Village Board won in a compromise over the conservatives (Davis, Slinker and Farrell) because they had the votes to agree to a 10 year, $33 million contract with Waste Management that had $1.65 million going to Waukesha County over 10 years and $31.35 million going to the Village leaving the taxpayers on the hook for the difference of the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund.  

Thank goodness for the conservative members of the Village Board or this new tax would have been a surprise Christmas present for taxpayers in 2016. 

The tax and spend members of the Village Board (Steliga, McDonald, Jeskewitz and Ellis) wanted the conservatives (Davis, Farrell and Slinker) to "work together" to resolve this issue.

Anotherwords, "...be quiet and protect us so no one ever finds out about this so we can take credit for a "free" library, police station and village hall.  We just won't tell them it's going to show up on their tax bills in 2016 when we're out of here by then."

Working together usually only benefits one political side and that's the side that has screwed up and needs political cover for their mistakes and untruths when and if they are ever found out.

New Village Manager Given Edict from Village Board to "Fix" This

When the new Village Manager was hired in March of 2007, his first assignment from the Village Board was to fix this problem which led to negotiations being re-opened with Waste Management to extend the life of the dump to pay for the $17 million shortfall.

The Village Manager won't release the payments made from the taxpayers to Waste Management for garbage pick up or the payments made to the Village from Waste Management in tipping fees through 2008.  He also refuses to release the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund Update through 2008 which is required by state law.  The Vanguard is hoping not to involve the District Attorney of Waukesha County to get these documents from the Village Manager to inform the public as to what is being done with their money.

We know the taxpayers netted $2,745,605 from Waste Management in 2004-05 because they paid $2,012,075 for garbage pick up in order to get the $2,745,605 when they were promised by the Village Board they would actually net $6.27 million during that time.

The Vanguard will continue trying to get the 2006-08 updates from the Village Manager to inform the public as a follow up to what was promised by the Village Board in 2004 and what actually happened.

New Garbage Tax is Implemented with Village President's Leadership 

The Village President couldn't wait to pass his new garbage tax in 2007 instead of waiting to see if spending could be reduced, perhaps use funds from the Taxpayer's $9 Million Surplus Account (http://www.jefferson-davis.info/images/Documents/Misc-Info-10-pgs03.png) or re-negotiate with Waste Management for a better deal for the taxpayers to have their garbage picked up for free eliminating the need for his new $1.2 million, $85 per household, 3% annually indexed garbage tax.

Rather than exercising these options and which is so often the case with politicians, a new tax was created and now try and get rid of it.

The Vanguard has also asked the Village Manager for the updates on the new $1.2 million garbage tax and he refuses to give them out.  We will keep trying.

Methane Gas From Dump Provides Energy to 15,000 Homes

The Vanguard spoke with a Waste Management representative last week and learned they sell enough methane gas to WE Energies from the dump to provide enough energy for 15,000 homes which would be enough to take care of the entire Village of Menomonee Falls residential homes and apartment units (http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/5551000.html).

Natural gas currently sells at $7.46 per mmbtu (http://money.cnn.com/data/commodities/index.html).  If Waste Management is getting anywhere close to that dollar figure from WE Energies per mmbtu, the Village Board should be negotiating a dividend or royalty from Waste Management for the selling rights of the methane gas which is only going to grow with the expansion of the dump.

The Waste Management representative informed The Vanguard they have been using and selling methane gas for over 20 years in the area to take care of their facility needs as well as those of residential homes at the Franklin/Germantown and now Menomonee Falls dumps.

Do you think Menomonee Falls ever asked for having their garbage picked up for free from Waste Management in 1994 or for dividend checks for selling methane gas?

You know the answer to that question.  It starts with an "n" and ends with an "o". 

This practice is done all over America with many companies and it can and must be done with Waste Management and the Village Board for our best interest and not just the interest of the Village Board and Waste Management's profits (http://wm.com/wm/about/corporate_profile.asp). 

The Waste Management representative also stated the Village is required by law to release their financial documents to the public as has been requested by The Vanguard.

Where do we go from here?

The Vanguard has called for and will continue to call for, because they feel it is easily doable and in the best interest of our community, the following to complete the negotiations with Waste Management and the Village Board as they seek to extend the life of the dump:

1. Have the Village Board negotiate with Waste Management to have the residential garbage picked up for free and eliminate the $1.2 million, $85 per household, 3% annually indexed garbage tax.  Let's keep the annual $1.2 million in our local economy instead of sending it to Houston.
2. Insist the Village Board pay for the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund with tipping fees from Waste Management as originally promised and at no cost to the taxpayers thus eliminating the threat of this debt service going on the tax rolls as early as 2016 (http://www.jefferson-davis.info/images/Documents/Municipal-Facilities-Fund.png).
3. Have the Village Board negotiate a dividend with Waste Management for the methane gas selling rights as is done all over America with many corporations.

This plan will immediately provide tax relief for every homeowner of $85 a year and will eliminate the need of $416.00 to $2,218.00 (http://www.jefferson-davis.info/images/Documents/MEst-Effect-on-Property-Val.pdf) in new taxes to every homeowner as early as 2016.

The concern is the Village Board will do what they have always done, which is to put the burden on the back of the already overburdened taxpayer unless they are contacted by citizens to do the right thing for our community.

Let's keep that money in our local economy instead of sending it to Village Hall or Waste Management.  

The Village Board should be looking for ways to make money off of this transaction now that we're in this mess instead of costing the taxpayer even more money, which they already have, similar to the mess the democrats created with the "bailout" debacle (http://www.wsj.com/article/SB122230704116773989.html).

Now is the time to fix it, but let's do it right this time to protect the taxpayers.

What can you do? 

Contact the Village Board (http://www.menomonee-falls.org/index.asp?nid=292) to let them know what you want done with the negotiations with Waste Management to protect our community and your checkbook.

Time is of the essence. 

Negotiations are ongoing as we speak. 

It will be too late once a "deal" is made between the Village Board and Waste Management as has been done in the past and then taxpayers will be stuck with another bailout of the Village Board.

Updates and Follow ups

School Superintendent

We have submitted an Open Records Request involving the veteran administrator and his wife at the high school regarding their inappropriate behavior toward students during the 2007-08 school year.

Other district personnel have come forward with other areas of concern for us to look into in order to have disciplinary consistency applied to all district staff members who have engaged in inappropriate behavior as high school athletic coaches and a middle school teacher.

Police Chief 

We're making progress on the failed computer programs in the police department that taxpayers spent a boat load of money on that aren't working.

Village Clerk's Office

Still no response on potential voter fraud, voter registration irregularities and non-compliance with HAVA (Help America Vote Act) Act of 2002.  

We will keep pressing to make sure our November Election is safe and sound.

Another questionable voter group employee has been charged with a felony (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=800521) which is one of 49 cases in the area of the same types of groups that infiltrated Menomonee Falls with numerous irregularities in 2004 and perhaps 2008 if the Clerk's Office would just answer a few basic questions.

Big Pig Gig 

The numbers were promised for this week.  We will have more next week.

Knodl Campaign Flier DA Complaint

We're waiting just like you are.

Fire Department Personnel Rumblings

The Vanguard has been made aware of some rumblings with the retiring Fire Chief and his handling of some personnel decisions on his way out the door.

We will look into it and try to have something for next week.

Blood Drive at St. Mary's

Numerous readers and members of The Vanguard participate in the Blood Drive that is held several times a year at St. Mary's School.

The most recent drive was September 30th.

The next drive will be in December at St. Mary's.  We will get you the date.

This is such a great cause and is so necessary for those who require blood in times of need.

The Falls is blessed to have two outstanding facilitators in Lory Patrick (414-353-8695) and Lori Ozminkowski (262-309-7292) who make this program really work well.

Give them a call to volunteer or to donate blood.

You can also visit their website, www.bcw.edu, for more information. 

Hats off to the Kolinski's for Years of Volunteer Service

What a wonderful couple.

Thank you for your service to the Falls (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=800521) all of these years.

Congrats!

Scarecrow Contest October 9th

Here's a cool thing for the kids.

Visit the Art Guild's Website, www.artguildmf.org, for more information.

Let's support the arts and our downtown with a family activity.

That's enough for now

Not sure what we will write about next week...stay tuned.

Let us know what you think by using the comment section below.

Have a great week and thank you for sharing your time with our blog.

Vanguard Updates and Follow ups

This week's posting will focus on Public Employee Benefit Costs.

Depending on how much time this posting takes, we may push that off until next week because of the numerous updates and follow ups that appear below.

Our community is very fortunate to have some 200 very good public servants who have chosen to spend all or a part of their professional career with the Village of Menomonee Falls.  These are the people that serve us at the library, protect our community, work with businesses, plow the snow, maintain the park system and implement public policy that affects all of us.

Of course, as is with any organization, there are some public servants that don't do a good job.  They're cranky, defensive, argumentative, have a sense of entitlement, unappreciative and can be down right rude.  Everyone has experienced this with a public servant at one time or another.

This posting will not focus on public service employees and their job performance.  

This posting will only focus on Public Employee Benefit Costs.

Before we get there however, we have a lot of catching up to do.

School Superintendent Refuses to Confirm Administrator Issue at High School

Mark Belling, WISN AM 1130 Talk Show Host, broke a story several weeks ago about the questionable behavior of a veteran administrator at the high school toward a female student during the 2007-08 school year.

The parents of the student ultimately had to contact Mark Belling and the school superintendent about the issue because the high school principal did not acknowledge the parents or their concern.

For more information about this issue, visit our Double Dipping Public Employee Contracts posting from last week (http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/2008/09/14/double-dipping-public-employee-contracts-is-the-end-near-for-our-sake-let-s-hope-so.aspx) and scroll down to the school superintendent section.

The Vanguard has been asking the school superintendent for several weeks now to confirm the veteran administrator's name out of public concern and has yet to hear from the school superintendent.

We, therefore, will be submitting an Open Records Request to the school superintendent of the veteran administrator and his wife for what has been done with their issues involving students from last year.  We will let you know the results.

School District Considers Closing an Elementary School and Possibly Central Office With Projected Enrollment Decline 

Yes, you read that correctly.

The School District is considering closing an elementary school and possibly Central Office (http://www.menomoneefallsnow.com/story/index.aspx?id=792412) as early as 2010-11 which is only a little over a year away due to a steep decline in enrollment.

The District has a history with enrollment projections since the 60's and 70's when school after school (15 +/- at its peak) was being built only having to close school after school 10-15 years later in the 80's due to an enrollment drop from a peak of nearly 9,000 students in the mid to late 70's to a low of a little over 3,200 in the mid to late 80's (figures available at Central Office). 

The District had 4,634 students (including the new K-4 Program) for the 2007-08 school year and that number is projected to be down by nearly 300 students in 2012-13 to 4,372.

Take away the K-4 Kindergarten Program (about 200 students+/-) that was recently implemented and the decrease in enrollment would be even more staggering putting the District below the 2001-02 enrollment of 4,224.  K-4 students are counted as 1 per student for enrollment purposes and .6 per student for state aid purposes.

The Vanguard remembers the $19.8 million, which actually turned out to be $32 million when the full details were disclosed, failed referendum (60%-40%) of February of 2004 when the District absolutely insisted that a new elementary school (about $10 million) was essential on the east central side of the Village.

The District Attorney of Waukesha County later found numerous legal and ethical violations within the District involving the failed referendum (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=208026&format=print).

Imagine if the elementary school had actually been built in 2004 and where the community would be today with the imminent possibility of having to close an elementary school and maybe Central Office?

The District blames birth rates and the lack of housing starts for the projected decline in enrollment.

Those things haven't really changed much in the last 48 months which can only lead to one conclusion, the District projections and marketing efforts may have been purposely skewed to promote the failed referendum of 2004.

Thank goodness the voters had the insight to reject that referendum in 2004.

Support the Arts   

Some really neat things are starting to happen in downtown Menomonee Falls within the Arts Community.

Thanks to the efforts of some tireless volunteers and passionate artists, the downtown is starting to come alive with an idea that was launched over 5 years ago when the community came together for a Fine Arts Initiative at Village Hall.

The Falls is blessed to have Patio Players and Accompany of Kids for the performing arts.

Art Guild of Menomonee Falls (www.artguildmf.org, artguild@yahoo.com, 414-719-6613) is bustling with activity, programs and classes for art interests of all ages in the downtown.  They have regular meetings and welcome new members and ideas.  How refreshing to have an organization that truly promotes the fine qualities of Menomonee Falls without minding who gets the credit.

A recent show, Quick Art in the Park, was held at Mill Pond and Lime Kiln Park on August 17th from 12:00-4:00 P.M.  Many artists attended showing their work accompanied by snacks, light drinks and string instruments from Falls Baptist Academy.

What a beautiful celebration of incredibly talented people in a perfect setting on the Menomonee River with the unique dalles rock formations, the lime kilns and the quarry in a wooded setting with many plant species and wildlife.

The Art Guild has many activities planned on their website (www.artguildmf.org) including the Scarecrow Contest on October 9th.

Stanford Glass, N88 W16475 Main St., offers classes for Stained Glass at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels in the historic Adam Ploss building from 1879.  Give them a call for more details at 255-3480.

Stanford Art Gallery and Studios offers metal art, furniture art, oil paintings, photo art, accessories, jewelry, baskets, etc located in the lower level of Stanford Glass on Main Street.

John Harbors on Main Street and Nino's Bakery offer meeting space and a gathering place for many of the artists.

Purloin Art Studio is also located in the immediate area.

The Falls has needed this for many years and it's nice to see it coming to fruition.  There is no limit how far this can go as long as individuals don't mind who gets the credit.

Village Clerk's Office Refuses to Respond to Potential Voter Fraud

The Vanguard has been asking the Village Clerk's Office basic election questions in anticipation of documented voter fraud in Menomonee Falls from 2004 and potential voter fraud in 2008 for the last 3-4 weeks.

The Clerk's Office, through the Village Manager's Office, has publicly stated they are "...too busy" to respond to such questions (click here to see full report http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/2008/09/05/protecting-against-voter-fraud-in-menomonee-falls.aspx).

The Village Clerk's Office is responsible for reporting voter fraud to the District Attorney and for being in compliance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to verify voter registration.

There are numerous findings throughout the area of repeated voter fraud requiring the Attorney General's Office to file a lawsuit against the Government Accountability Board for not requiring local clerk offices to enforce HAVA in time for the 2008 November Election.

The Vanguard is simply asking the Clerk's Office if they have had any type of voter fraud and if they have reported it to the DA's Office along with verifying voter registration as is required by federal law as part of HAVA.

We will continue to ask the Clerk's Office questions in hopes of having a legal election in Menomonee Falls in time for the November 2008 Election.

You may contact the Clerk's Office at 262-532-4210 or kkaralewitz@menomonee-falls.org with questions.

Knodl Campaign Brochure Complaint DA Investigation Continues

The investigation continues with the Waukesha DA Office saying he wants to get this done before the November 2008 Election (scroll down to "Houston We Have a Problem" http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/2008/09/14/double-dipping-public-employee-contracts-is-the-end-near-for-our-sake-let-s-hope-so.aspx).

Taxpayers Asked to "Bailout" Village Board on $42 Million Municipal Facilities Fund

We have written extensively about the boondoggle of the Village Board (http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/tags/garbage+debate/default.aspx) and the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund that we were told was all paid for without any money from taxpayers, but instead was going to be paid for by "tipping fees" from Waste Management for having a dump in our backyard.

Not only have the taxpayers been paying for this fund to the tune of about $1.2 million for many years, they are now being asked to pick up the $17 million Municipal Facilities Fund shortfall that will hit the tax rolls in 2016, if not sooner, costing the average homeowner between $800-$900 in new taxes through 2022.

Like the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mess (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aSKSoiNbnQY0), someone has to take responsibility for the unfulfilled promises of the Village Board when they knew ahead of time they could not keep their word.

Now that the truth is out in the public, The Vanguard, is simply asking the Village Board for the following:

• Have our garbage picked for free instead of being assessed $1.2 million a year for the $85.00, 3% annually indexed per household garbage tax.  Let's keep that $1.2 million in the pockets of the homeowners in Menomonee Falls for our local economy each year over the next 15 years.
• Have the Village Board pay the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund as originally promised without any money from the taxpayers through the tipping fees from Waste Management.  Waste Management (www.wm.com) grossed over $13 billion in 2007 with a net profit of over $1.16 billion and has a market cap of $17.9 billion.  
• Release the records for the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund for 2006-2008.
• Explore the methane gas rights of Waste Management from the dump to include a dividend to the Village Board or use the gas to heat Village Facilities as has been done in Wisconsin Rapids (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_/ai_n13779236), New York (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502E0DA1139F936A25756C0A962958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all), South Carolina ( http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2008/03/08/news/12994757.txt), Montreal (http://www.wm.com/WM/ThinkGreen/RE/saintesophie.asp) and Spartanburg ( http://www.wm.com/WM/ThinkGreen/RE/palmetto.asp). 
• Waste Management is spending $400 million nationwide for methane gas plants for local communities (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19459535/).

Contact your Village Board (http://www.menomonee-falls.org/index.asp?nid=292) to let them know what you want done with the $1.2 million, $85 per household annual garbage tax, the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund and the methane gas rights of the dump.

$17 Million Paid to the City of Milwaukee/MMSD in User Charges and Taxes/Capital Charges Since 2006 from Falls Taxpayers 

The Village Manager wants to charge for updates to existing Village documents The Vanguard has been talking to the Village Manager about and requesting copies of for over a year now involving MMSD.

The Vanguard will be doing an extensive posting in the near future on the MMSD/Menomonee Falls relationship that hasn't been covered by the local newspapers that will put this matter into a totally different perspective costing some of the taxpayers in Menomonee Falls millions of dollars over the last 11 years.

Not wanting to be charged for existing documents, The Vanguard was able to get what was requested of the Village Manager in seconds through another source for free.

Here's a sampling of what to expect in our posting on the MMSD/Menomonee Falls relationship:

• Taxpayers have paid $12.8 million to MMSD for User Charges (treatment of waste) since 1997, $3.9 million 2006-08.
• Taxpayers have paid $36.05 million to MMSD for Capital Charges (taxes based on a portion of home values) since 1997, $13.05 million 2006-08. 
• Taxpayers will have paid $36 million for total settlement costs to MMSD by 2012 as a result of ending the Sewer Wars lead by Joe Greco, Jeff Steliga and Mike McDonald.
• So far, that's almost $85 million over 11 years from the taxpayers of Menomonee Falls to the City of Milwaukee and MMSD that we will never see again.
• Menomonee Falls is serviced by Sussex, Brookfield and Milwaukee along with private septic systems.
• Village Attorney's wife gets a nearly $1 million contract with MMSD shortly after Joe Greco leaves office in 2003.
• Joe Greco, Jeff Steliga and Mike McDonald cut a private deal with Mayor Norquist ending the FLOW (Fair Liquidation of Waste) Coalition in 1996-97.

The Vanguard believes that $85 million would go a long way to build our own facility, expand the service areas to Sussex and Brookfield as well eliminating the constant threat of lawsuits from the DNR and environmental groups because of the failures of the deep tunnel project.

Stay tuned, what you will learn may be hazardous to what your elected officials have wanted you to believe all of these years.

Police Chief and Apparent Failed Computer Programs   

We're still waiting for the police chief to answer our questions about the apparent failure of two costly computer programs (The Phoenix and The Enforcer) purchased by the taxpayers at the request of the former police chief in 2003-04.

These programs have apparently caused a number of headaches for personnel in the department.

We will keep you posted. 

Big Pig Gig Review

Gorgeous weather was the mainstay of the Big Pig Gig over the weekend.

Folks came to eat, hear music, walk the grounds and hang out.

Anything that would get Falls residents and those from out of town to come and spend money should be supported.

Receiving a $40,000 taxpayer grant from the State of Wisconsin, the Menomonee Falls Chamber of Commerce set out to establish an annual event in Menomonee Falls in 2007.

The Vanguard has sent an email to the Chamber as a follow up to the event and will report on the results in a future posting.

The Chamber, in promoting the event to many local organizations for help and volunteers, used numbers like 100,000 anticipated visitors, 15-20,000 barbecue followers from all over the United States and $20-$30 an hour paid to groups who had volunteers work the event.

It is extremely unlikely that 100,000 people came either year. 

Although estimating crowds is difficult, a much more realistic number might be 5,000-10,000?  Maybe 15,000?

Anyone who has been to the State Fair or Summerfest knows what 75,000-100,000 people looks like on any given day.

The logistics of accommodating 75,000-100,000 people in a very small area like Village Park would have been nearly impossible.

Let's not have the Circus Parade or July 3rd Lakefront Fireworks exaggeration syndrome kick in where they claimed for years that 1,000,000 people showed up for those events.

Impossible.  

Word of long lines at food vendors existed again this year with 25% going to the Chamber for sales tax and fees along with an additional upward of $1,000 for electricity, tents, signage, chairs and tables.  Some vendors did well and others didn't do well at all.  The shuttle parking lots were not that busy at all throughout the day.  Some people informed vendors they ate before they came to the event this year because they did not want to wait in long lines like they did the year before.

The event lost money in its first year and one volunteer group ending up receiving a little over $300 for their time when they canceled one of their fundraisers hoping to make a lot more money from the Big Pig Gig.  What surprised the group even more was the check came from the Greater Menomonee Falls Foundation and not the Chamber due to the loss of money.  The Vanguard is looking into this too.  

Falls Cable Access Finally Files Federal 990 Tax Returns and Shows an Operating Loss of ($52,886) in 2007

The Vanguard recently did an in depth review of Falls Cable Access (http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/tags/Falls+Cable+Access/default.aspx) and found some very interesting information to share with the taxpayers who pay cable access fees (taxes) to Falls Cable Access for the last 15 years through Time Warner. 

The review is worth the read because so often the Village Board creates something and then doesn't follow up with what they created asking the taxpayers to once again fund something without oversight or accountability.

Money was being paid to individuals apparently without W-2's or 1099's being issued for income tax reporting purposes with no contractual agreements for employees.

Corporate Tax Returns weren't being filed by the Corporation on over $1,000,000 in receipts.

Government studios were apparently being used for personal and business use by certain members of the organization.

The Cable Access Board hadn't met in some 8 years according to one Board Member.

The Village Board and Village Manager weren't overseeing any of the operations of the organization required by Village Ordinance.

Citizen Programs were being blocked for full broadcast purposes on the cable access channel which is in violation of the channel's policy and the Village Ordinance.

The director was acting in an inappropriate way toward citizens at many public events for retribution and personal purposes.

After years of being required by the IRS to file 990 Tax Returns since their inception in 1992 and having not done so, Falls Cable Access finally files their 2005 and 2006 990 Tax Returns in November of 2007 with the Falls Cable Access Director signing the returns. 

Falls Cable Access is a 501(c) 3 private non-profit corporation and is required by federal law to file their returns by May 15th of each year.

Their 2007 return was filed on time in May of 2008 and can be viewed along with the 2005 and 2006 returns for free by logging in to www.guidestar.com.

Thank goodness Time Warner worked out an agreement with the Village Board this past year to bypass Falls Cable Access for the future requiring Falls Cable Access to submit a budget to the Village Board in order to get funding instead of just being given a blank check without any oversight or accountability of the taxpayer's money by the Village Board. 

Once the Guidestar website is visited, readers will find some of the following information as very interesting about Falls Cable Access: 

• Part time cable access director and member of the Cable Access Board of Directors had a salary of $41,800 in '05, $48,000 in '06 and $52,000 in '07 for a 20% increase in 3 years or nearly 7% a year when the position was done by volunteers in the past.
• Bank service fees of $340 for 2005 and 2007 for purposes that aren't disclosed.
• Penalties of $750 in '07 for undisclosed purposes.
• $18,000 of the taxpayers money for the press box at the high school in '07.
• Approximately $200,000 has been spent on various equipment pieces since January of '03 with the vast majority of those expenses occurring since 2005.
• Consultant fees of $1,750 in '07.
• Website fee of $3,000 in '07.
• Interest payments on bank accounts of $11,924 in '05, $21,000 in '06 and $25,814 in '07.
• Cash balance on hand of $587,691 in '05, $628,256 in '06 and $551,857 in '07.
• Municipal Judge Mike Hurt, who had to resign from office in 2007 due to Wisconsin Supreme Court disciplinary actions for legal, ethical, financial and probationary violations, is listed as a Board of Director on the 2005 and 2006 Tax Returns.
• Legal fees of $6,368 in '05 and $1,012 in '06.
• Accounting fees of $3,164 in '05, $6,100 in '06 and $8,583 in '07.
• Taxpayer receipts of $115,534 in '05, $120,120 in '06 and $65,384 in '07*.
• Operating expenses of $93,313 in '05, $95,270 in '06 and $144,000 in '07 an increase of 34%.
• Payroll taxes are finally being paid with W-2's and or 1099's being issued for income tax reporting purposes.
• Travel costs of $1,012 in '07, $338 in '06 and $2,306 in '05.  
• No apparent audits of the corporation's financials have been done. 

*Time Warner, through Menomonee Falls Village Board, no longer sends an open check to Falls Cable Access in '07.  Falls Cable Access has to submit a budget to Village Manager.

The Village has still not adopted a policy for what to do with the taxpayer surplus account of $551,000 at the end of '07 for Falls Cable Access. 

Most governmental entities require the money to be returned at the end of each year or it is used for the next year without additional appropriations. 

Let your Village Board know if you want your money ($551,000) back instead of letting Falls Cable Access have an open check book (http://www.menomonee-falls.org/index.asp?nid=292).

The part time Cable Access Director also has a part time contract with the Menomonee Falls School District of somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,500 - $3,000 a month for a total part time job salary of nearly $90,000 from the taxpayers of Menomonee Falls.

The $150,000 improvement to the studio at the high school paid for by the taxpayers with cable access fees in 2006-07 is not clearly disclosed on these returns if at all.

It is also unclear if these improvements were put out for bids as is required or just handed out to those contractors and vendors of choice. 

We will keep you posted.

Falls Fest Files Federal 990 Tax Returns

Falls Fest filed their 2007 Federal 990 Tax Return by the May 15th deadline which is required by federal law for 501(c) 3 private non-profit corporations.  Normally Falls Fest is late with their returns as has been the case in 4 out of the last 6 years.

To review an in depth look at Falls Fest, which is contrary to what has been reported and what the community has been lead to believe for years about this organization, visit our blog for more information (http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/tags/falls+fest/default.aspx).

The tax returns from Falls Fest are also available at www.guidestar.com for your personal review.

The 2007 return reveals some interesting details that we believe will be of interest:

• $175,851 in receipts of which $18,000 came from the taxpayers through the Chamber for renting the Kohler Zahn House that was given to Falls Fest Board Members in 1997 by themselves as Village Board Members for approximately $400,000 requiring a repayment plan to the taxpayers that has never been paid back in 10 years.
• Falls Fest event costs of $126,269 which many have questioned for years.
• $25,109 in community donations.
• Cash on hand of about $23,000 down from about $33,000 from the year before.
• $7,029 in "doubtful accounts".
• A mortgage for the Marcus Theater on Main Street of nearly $230,000. 
• Return is signed by Village Trustee and Falls Fest Treasurer Jeff Steliga and former Village President and Falls Fest President Bob Steliga as the accounting firm that completed the return.
• Value of Marcus Theater on Main Street at $505,000 when it was assessed at nearly $1,000,000 just five years ago before Falls Fest used their positions on the Village Board to get the theater for $250,000 in exchange for getting Village Board votes to approve 4 new screens for Marcus at their new complex near Applebee's in 2003.
• There is no disclosure of event or mortgage expenses which is normally done by all non-profit organizations on their returns each year as required by law.
• The Marcus Theater on Main Street has cost Falls Fest $21,142 in '04, $32,011 in '05 and Falls Fest has not disclosed the '03, '06 and '07 theater costs on their returns which is normally required by federal law to do so.

Enough for Now

We will wait until next week for Public Employee Benefit Costs.

You are welcome to share your comments below.

Thanks for reading The Vanguard. 

With the competition being what it is for your time, we appreciate you giving us a look.

Have a great week. 

Vanguard Updates and Follow ups

This has been a full week and there's a lot to get caught up on.  Let's get started.

As one long time resident of the Falls observed this past week in a communication through a friend to The Vanguard, "If you really want to know what's going on in the Village, read The Vanguard." 

Thank you.  That's very kind.  We've lost track of how many hits we've had in the first 7-8 weeks.  Suffice to say, it's in the tens of thousands.

We promised last week to bring you information about double dipping public employee contracts and the impact that it has on Menomonee Falls taxpayers.  The full story will follow, but we wanted to give you a sampling of how this mess got started in the first place with some tidbits.

In the late 80's early 90's, for some unknown reason, other than to perhaps get votes from public union employees at the taxpayers expense of course, the State Legislature and other County and local governments started allowing public employees to retire early (in their 50's), draw their full Wisconsin Retirement System Pension (WRS http://etf.wi.gov/) and then be hired back at the same or similar position that they just retired from drawing a full time pension and a full or part time salary at the taxpayer's expense of course because public employees don't contribute to or fund their retirement program.

Menomonee Falls taxpayers fund public employee pensions at 100%. 

That means, public employees contribute 0% to their retirement. 

For Menomonee Falls taxpayers that means about $1.2 million in new taxes each year to meet the State mandated obligation to WRS for public employees.

That means, public employees contribute $0 each year to their retirement.

WRS has about 540,000 public employee participants across the state that are still working in public service, retired, disabled or not retired but no longer work in the public service sector.

WRS manages, depending on daily fluctuations in the stock market, about $75-$80 billion in assets under management at any given time.

WRS is the 9th largest public pension fund in America and the 22nd largest in the world. 

The Vanguard will take an in depth look at how double dipping contracts for public employee retirees has affected the taxpayers of Menomonee Falls.

But first...this commercial.

Houston We've got a Problem...A biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig Problem

A primary election was held this past week on September 9th for the 24th Assembly Open Seat to replace retiring State Representative Sue Jeskewitz who held the seat since 1996 when she was elected as the hand picked successor to Lolita Schneiders.

Jeskewitz narrowly defeated a 19 year college student from Germantown who had little or no money or organization in her last race in 2006.

The Vanguard has asked and will continue to ask the retiring representative if she is going to require the taxpayers to pay for her health care premiums in retirement or will she waive that perk as Senators Darling and Kanavas have along with Representative Pridemore who also represent parts of Menomonee Falls in the Senate and Assembly and pay for her own health care out of her pocket like the rest of the citizens in the community do. 

Four candidates ran for the 24th Assembly Open Seat on the Republican Ticket Primary with Dan Knodl, Germantown, winning in a nail biter over Jason LaSage, Menomonee Falls homeowner.

Residents were flooded with yard signs, campaign fliers, ads in the paper and robo calls before the election.

A couple of the Knodl campaign fliers have raised a lot of questions with many of the fliers coming out the day before the election on September 8th.

The Knodl campaign fliers boldly stated, "Dan is proud to be supported by your friends and neighbors" with a list of names that followed and various pictures that were included.

Voters are persuaded as to who they vote for sometimes by who is supporting a particular candidate especially if they believe the information they are reading is true.

The only problem is, none of the people listed on the campaign flier(s) were asked if it was ok to put their names on the campaign flier(s) listing their support of Dan Knodl.

Clearly Dan Knodl was the hand picked successor to Sue Jeskewitz of the political establishment.

Complaint Filed With Waukesha and Washington County DA's  

An angry and livid Menomonee Falls resident filed a complaint (http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=1&date=9/11/2008&id=46023) with the Waukesha and Washington County DA Offices because she did not give the Knodl Campaign permission to use her name on his flier(s).

As a matter of fact, she was a supporter of Jason LaSage.

She also appeared on the Mark Belling Show describing in great detail the unfortunate and unnecessary situation with the Knodl Campaign.

The Vanguard has been made aware of or has personally talked to around 40 people whose names appear on the campaign flier who either did not support Dan Knodl, did not vote for Dan Knodl, signed nomination papers for one of the other three (3) candidates, did not give Dan Knodl permission to use their name as a supporter and or voted for one of the other three (3) candidates.

The Vanguard has also learned that at least one, if not two, and perhaps more in light of what has transpired, of the listed supporters are deceased.  It would be a little difficult to contact them to see if they gave permission to the Knodl Campaign for the use of their name(s).

Looking at the Knodl Campaign flier(s), many names were listed twice to apparently fill up space. 

Investigations Launched into Potential Knodl Campaign Violations

The DA Offices of Waukesha and Washington Counties have initiated investigations into the alleged Knodl Campaign violations.

The Vanguard has learned that interviews with individuals whose names appear on the Knodl Campaign Flier(s) have apparently begun.

The Washington County DA has removed himself from the investigation because his name, Todd Martens, was on two (2) of the Knodl Campaign Fliers without his permission and he also lives in the County Supervisor District that Knodl represents for the Washington County Board (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793882).  Martens has been publicly quoted as saying, "I did not formally endorse him.  I did not realize my name was on the list."  Martens has referred to the matter to the DA's Office of Ozaukee County.

The Waukesha County DA has publicly stated, "I consider this a priority, as the voters will need to be made aware of the circumstances with as much lead time before the November election as possible."  He also stated, "...this is potentially chargeable in either county."  Waukesha County DA investigators are in the process of being  assigned to the case.

In published reports, the Knodl Campaign first explained that it was the printer's fault for the names appearing on the flier and then the Campaign corrected itself by stating that the fliers weren't proof read properly by the Campaign before being printed.

Anyone who has been involved in a campaign knows that printers can only print what is given to them.  Printers don't usually make it a practice to throw extra names on campaign fliers.  Printers always require a sign off before they print anything unless something is brought to the printer already set up and ready to print.  Even then, the printer has a final check before thousands of copies are made.

Alleged Knodl Campaign Violations Examined 

Wisconsin State Statute 12.05, False representations affecting elections, (http://nxt.legis.state.wi.us/nxt/gateway.dll/Statutes%20Related/Wisconsin%20Statutes/300/306?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=%5Bfield%20folio-destination-name%3A%2712.05%27%5D$uq=$x=Advanced$up=1$nc=2601#LPHit1) make it very clear that this type of campaigning is strictly prohibited and can carry with it a misdemeanor charge, up to a $1,000 fine and up to six (6) months in jail or both.

The statute specifically states, "...No person may make or knowingly publish, or caused to be made or published, a false representation pertaining to a candidate or referendum which is intended or intends to affect voting at an election."

If convicted, a person can not hold office for five (5) years.

Knodl Campaign Communication Admits to Listing Names on Flier(s) as Supporters Without Permission

The Vanguard has been made aware of a Knodl Campaign Communication that started circulating on Friday, September 12th where Dan Knodl states in part, "None of them (people's names on his campaign flier emphasis added) were notified that they would be on the literature.  I'm sure it was a surprise to all.  I wish I could have squeezed more names on the lit."

The Knodl communication was sent to Representative Jeskewitz and the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

It is pretty clear from this communication that the Knodl Campaign is admitting that they did not get anyone's permission to be put on the Knodl Campaign Flier(s).

This appears to clearly violate State Statute 12.05 (http://nxt.legis.state.wi.us/nxt/gateway.dll/Statutes%20Related/Wisconsin%20Statutes/300/306?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=%5Bfield%20folio-destination-name%3A%2712.05%27%5D$uq=$x=Advanced$up=1$nc=2601#LPHit1).

Surely the DA Offices will want to have this very revealing information.

Some Interesting Names Appear on Knodl Campaign Flier

The Vanguard has been given a copy of the Knodl Fliers and have made some interesting observations about the names that appear on the Knodl Flier.

In fairness to these people whose names appear on the flier(s), we have now learned, according to Dan Knodl himself, none of them gave permission for the use of their name(s) on the flier(s).

Nonetheless, they do appear on the flier(s).

Menomonee Falls Village Board...

Trustee and Waukesha County Supervisor Jim Jeskewitz pictured with Dan Knodl.

Trustees Jeff Steliga (Falls Fest), Mike McDonald, Randy Newman and Sharon Ellis

Trustee Dennis Farrell is the only trustee who has publicly stated that he did not give permission to Dan Knodl to use his name on his flier.

Village President Rechlicz who proudly displays a Knodl 4 x 8 sign on his Main Street Law Firm property and has his picture on the flier with Dan Knodl.

Waukesha County Chairman and leading democrat Jim Dwyer pictured with Dan Knodl.

Senator Alberta Darling, whom The Vanguard has learned, is not happy with her picture being on the flier.

M & I Bank President Dick Becker and his wife.

Harry Stoetzel from Falls Cable Access.

A Menomonee Falls School Board Member who did not want her name on the flier.

An Assistant Waukesha County DA from Menomonee Falls

Former Menomonee Falls Municipal Judge Mike Hurt who resigned in disgrace in 2007 because of numerous ethical and legal violations with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and now lives in the State of Washington. 

T & K Novelties that is going out of business in Menomonee Falls.

M & I Bank Vice President Rick Binzak

Diane Johnson Johnson Bus

Menomonee Falls Athletic Director Dave Petroff

Menomonee Falls School Board Members Anne Weiland and Ron Bertieri

Mary Metzger Cornerstone Community Bank Menomonee Falls

Former Menomonee Falls School Board President Karen Nelson and Linda Kons and Board Member Ted Klumb

Auctioneer Ron Bast and Riteway Transportation

Dr. Brian Stark

Falls Cable Access Board Chairman Mike Mytych

Paul Schramka Schramka Funeral Homes 

Knodl Should Step Aside Until Investigations are Completed

The noble and honorable thing for Dan Knodl to do is to step aside while the DA investigations in Waukesha and Washington Counties are ongoing and to ask that his name not be placed on the ballot for the November Election pending the outcome of the investigations and any potential charges.

The Government Accountability Board and the Republican Party of Wisconsin may need to ultimately get involved to decide what happens if Dan Knodl can not be on the ballot for the November Election to see whose name will be put on the ballot or is a Special Election required.

In any case, this whole matter is going to cost a lot money for the taxpayers of Waukesha and Washington Counties when it would have been so simple to just ask people if it was ok to use their name on a campaign flier.

Menomonee Falls School Superintendent

Mark Belling, WISN Talk Show Host, broke a story a couple of weeks ago about a student and her family who asked for help from the Menomonee Falls High School Principal in November of 2007 because a veteran administrator at the high school was doing things involving their daughter that the student and parents felt were  totally inappropriate and needed to stop.

The principal, according to the Belling Show, never responded to the student or the parents in any way throughout the school year.

The parents, according to the Belling Show, finally had to contact the superintendent near the end of the school year and Mark Belling to bring this matter to some kind of resolution before graduation to keep this veteran administrator away from having any contact with their daughter.

The school district did nothing as the veteran administrator was at graduation in spite of the student and parental concerns.

The Belling Show went on to say that it was their opinion the student and family were good people and they were not out to "get" anything or anyone in trouble, but simply wanted this matter to be dealt with publicly and felt frustrated because the high school principal never responded to them in any way.

The Vanguard has learned the identity of the veteran administrator and has asked the superintendent to confirm the identity of the veteran administrator.

The superintendent has not responded to The Vanguard's request but we can report the administrator in question is not a retired administrator from the high school because they were not at the graduation because of physical concerns and it's not the new administrator that was brought on late in the school year when an administrator retired because of physical reasons.

The Vanguard is aware the veteran administrator in question has a spouse that also works at the high school with a complaint on file because the veteran administrator's wife confronted a student this past school year that she did not have in class and did not know with the comment, "I just want you to know that I don't hate you in spite of how I feel about your father."

The superintendent apparently didn't do anything with this complaint either.

The Vanguard will continue to ask the superintendent to confirm or deny this matter along with several others that have been brought to our attention in the district.

Garbage Financials

The Vanguard will continue to monitor Village Board negotiations for expansion of the dump which can only go one direction and that is up.

The Village Manager continues to refuse to release the $42 million Municipal Facilities Debt Service Fund schedule until 2022 for the new library, police station and village hall that is some $17 million short and will go on the property tax roll in 2016, if not sooner, for an average of $800-$900 in new taxes above and beyond the normal property tax bill for the average homeowner.

We know, according to documents released by the Village, the annual Debt Service payments are approximately $2.3 million and the tipping fees from Waste Management are supposed to be approximately $3 million through 2014 at which time the dump is scheduled to close and the $42 million Debt Service will go on the property tax rolls for homeowners when they were told by current and former Village Board Members that the new library, village hall and police station was not going to cost taxpayers one penny. 

The Village Manager also refuses to release how much Menomonee Falls residents have paid Waste Management in taxes to have their garbage picked up over the last couple of years.  We know it is about $1.2 million a year, but it would be nice to have it confirmed.

The Village Manager has been publicly quoted as saying something to the effect, "Let me be clear tonight that the landfill is scheduled to stay open for at least 15 more years (the year 2023) and we actually think that's a very conservative estimate.  The total Debt Service that we have can be paid off completely by 2017 with estimated tipping fees for the landfill.  We are more secure stating that the tipping fees will pay off all Debt Service for the capital projects that have been completed."

Pardon our skepticism Mr. Village Manager, but we were told this before and found out it wasn't true at all.  As the old saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me."

We want to believe you.  Believe us, we want to believe you.  We don't want our taxes going up another $800-$900 on top of what we already pay in 2016.  

The Vanguard is simply asking for three things from the Village Board with Waste Management negotiations:

• Have the new library, police station and village hall paid for without any taxpayer's money as we were originally promised but this time do it.
• Give the taxpayers an annual $1.2 million dividend or $85 per household from Waste Management to pick our garbage up for free.  Let us spend, save or invest that money.  Imagine what an additional $1.2 million in our local economy would do for Menomonee Falls instead of giving it to a multi-billion dollar corporation.
• Please release the records for Debt Service payments (expenditures and tipping fees) and what we have paid to Waste Management for garbage pick up over the last couple of years.

Governor Palin (R-Alaska), John McCain's vice presidential nominee, has done it in Alaska with the natural gas pipeline and we can do it here too (http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/aug2008/db20080829_271957.htm).

The Vanguard will continue to ask the Village Manager for the records the public is entitled to making sure it's not too late with the negotiations.  

Village Manager Wants to Charge Upward of $400 for Public Records  

Getting public records from Village Hall, as approved by Village Board Resolution 997-93 in 1993, has become a very lucrative proposition for the Village Manager's Office.

Village Resolution 997-93 allows for anyone to go to Village Hall to inspect records to make copies of.

The resolution also allows the Village to charge for "locating" records if it takes more than four (4) hours to find them.

The Vanguard is very familiar with Village Hall records.  It doesn't take four (4) hours to find anything at Village Hall.  If it does, then the filing and storage systems need to be greatly improved.

With the advances in technology, they are all stored in a computer or office files and it's simply a matter of taking a few seconds to push "print" or "send" to produce the requested copies.  

We will keep requesting them until we get them without having to pay some $400.00.  Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being used.

Village Clerk's Office

The Vanguard, now that the September 9th Election is over for the Village Clerk's Office, has again asked the Village Clerk to respond to some basic questions about the integrity of our election process in Menomonee Falls in light of the numerous investigations for voter fraud before the November Election takes place two months from now.

Thank God for Wisconsin AG Van Hollen filing a lawsuit against the Government Accountability Board and their cavalier attitude toward illegal voter registrations (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793566).

Menomonee Falls has apparent documented cases of similar such actions from 2004 and The Vanguard is simply asking the Clerk's Office if they have reported these cases to the DA and if these groups are still registering people in the Falls for this election.

The key to stop all of this is voter ID (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/washington/29scotus.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin) where courts all over America are ruling in favor of this type of legislation (http://www.ncsl.org/programs/legismgt/elect/taskfc/voteridreq.htm).

The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA ) gave specific verification instructions of how voter registrations were to be handled and it would be nice to know if the Clerk's Office is following federally mandated law requirements to help prevent voter fraud in Menomonee Falls (http://www.fec.gov/hava/law_ext.txt).

Apparent Failed Computer Programs in Police Department

As reported a couple of weeks ago, The Vanguard, has learned of two apparent failed computer programs (The Phoenix and The Enforcer) that were purchased by the taxpayers at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars in 2003-04.

These programs are used for basic functions of the police department and municipal court that require both departments to use the old system because the new systems don't work properly.

The Vanguard has asked the Police Chief some basic questions about these programs (i.e. cost, failures, ideas) and will hopefully get a chance to get some answers once the Chief gets back from being gone from September 5-15.

Whew...that's enough for now on the updates.

Is Menomonee Falls a Provider of Double Dipping Public Employee Contracts?  

As mentioned at the beginning of this posting, somehow the legislature, county and local governments in the late 80's and early 90's thought it was a good idea to allow public employees to retire in their 50's, draw their full time WRS Pension and then be hired back for the same or basically same position that they had just retired from with salary and benefits to "save" the taxpayers money.

Huh? 

Now these employees would get two salaries.  Their full time WRS Pension and their full or part time salary with benefits once they were hired back.

Oh yes, most of them would also get an unused sick leave lump sum cash pay out too ( http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/2008/08/20/5-million-taxpayer-tab-for-unused-sick-leave-backdrop-pension-cash-payouts-to-retirees.aspx) when they retired. 

As of 2006, The Vanguard has learned the taxpayers of Menomonee Falls have been providing salaries for five (5) such positions at Village Hall since 2001.

We also recently asked the Village Manager for an update to see if additional Village Employees have taken out double dipping contracts in 2007 and 2008.  He wants to charge us for that information and we are still negotiating with him.

Village Manager Contract Examined

This whole issued was brought to light in 2003-04 when it was discovered the Menomonee Falls Village Manager had had a double dipping contract with the Menomonee Falls Village Board since 1996.

The Village Board, led by former Village President Joe Greco and current Trustees Steliga and McDonald, unanimously voted to let the Village Manager retire with his full time WRS Pension in 1996 and then be hired back as the Village Manager with his full time salary position that he had just retired from in order to, in the words of former Village President Greco to a constituent inquiry, "...save money."

Huh?  

How is that saving money?

Let's take a closer look at this double dipping contract.

Here are the particulars:

• Village Manager retires on June 21, 1996 with a salary of $72,000 as Village Board unanimously accepts his retirement at age 60.
• Village Manager applies for and receives his full time WRS Pension at approximately 60% of his final year's salary or initially $43,200 a year between June 21st and June 24th 1996 at age 60. 
• Village Manager has his WRS Pension funded 100% by Menomonee Falls taxpayers.  Village Manager contributes 0% to his WRS Pension. 
• Village Manager is unanimously rehired by Village Board on June 24, 1996 at age 60 with a full time salary of $72,000.
• Village Manager will automatically receive 3-5% annual increases from Village Board without any job performance evaluations for life or until the Village Manager retires the second time.  This is normally reserved for United States Supreme Court Justices or the Pope.  Not Village Managers.
• Village Manager will receive in retirement full health, dental and vision care at no cost to him.
• Taxpayers will pay Village Manager's Service Club Membership annually.
• Village Manager will received 35 days or 7 weeks vacation a year.  Any unused vacation is to be compensated for in cash at the salary level for the year the vacation is scheduled.
• Village Manager shall receive 11 1/2 paid holidays a year.
• Village Manager shall receive 250 days or 1 year in sick leave days and will continue to accumulate 10 hours of sick leave a month on top of the banked days.
• Village Manager shall have a Village vehicle at his disposal for Village business and incidental personal use.  He shall be reimbursed by the taxpayers for use of his personal vehicle for Village business.
• Village Manager will have the taxpayers match 100% of his deferred compensation plan contributions up to 5% of his salary or initially $3,600 a year because he is retired and is no longer eligible for WRS Pension contributions because he is receiving his full time WRS Pension retirement.
• Village Manager will get an unused sick leave lump sum cash payout of $70,000 when he retires in January of 2007.
• If the Village Board terminates the Village Manager's contract without cause, the taxpayers will pay the equivalent of 1 1/2 weeks of service for every year of employment (60 weeks) plus vacation, holiday, unused sick leave, health, dental, vision and life insurance programs at no charge to the Village Manager. 

Can anyone say Milwaukee County or Tom Ament?

Village Manager Becomes Millionaire in Retirement

When the Village Manager retired on June 21, 1996 and came back to work on June 24, 1996, little did the taxpayers of Menomonee Falls know the Village Board was going to make him a millionaire in retirement.

The Village Manager retired the second time in January 2007.

The following 10 year averages will demonstrate how the Village Board made the Village Manager a millionaire in retirement:

• Village Manager salary started at $72,000 in retirement in 1996 and finished just under $100,000 when he retired the second time in 2007 for a 10 year average of about $82,000 or a total of $820,000 from the taxpayers.
• Village Manager began his WRS Pension at about $43,200 in 1996 with 7% annual increases over 10 years or about $624,000 in total payouts from the taxpayers.
• Village Manager had his health, vision and dental plans paid for at no cost to him at about $10,000 a year for a total of about $100,000 from the taxpayers.
• Village Manager had his deferred compensation contributions matched by the taxpayers at 100% up to 5% of his annual salary or about $4,000 a year for a total of about $40,000 over 10 years from the taxpayers.
• Village Manager received a $70,000 lump sum cash payout for unused sick leave from the taxpayers in January 2007.
• Service Club Membership and personal car.  Minimal cost.
• Village Manager draws Social Security Pension that taxpayers funded at 50% (7.65% FICA) for an annual average salary of $82,000 over 10 years or about $62,730 in total Social Security contributions.  This may be subject to revision depending on when the Village Manager started taking Social Security.  

That brings the total in retirement from the taxpayers to the Village Manager of about $1.71 million.

The new Village Manager, in a meeting with members of The Vanguard from last year that gave the Village Manager a summary of that meeting for clarity purposes, stated that he would not take a double dipping contract and that he would not take an unused sick leave lump sum cash payout when he retires.  He is also paying 20% for his health care premiums which is four times the rate more than what unions currently pay.

The Village Manager was not aware of how many of his employees had double dipping contracts.  He was provided with a list and it is hoped that he will make this a policy priority of the Village to closely monitor and scrutinize whether or not these contracts will end in the near future as part of negotiations as he promised.

That is good news for the taxpayers of Menomonee Falls and a real credit to the new Village Manager. 

Legislature Changes Law to Protect Against This Type of Abuse 

The Wisconsin State Legislature changed this law in 1996 just days after the Village Manager took his double dipping contract because the abuse statewide had reached alarming levels.

Now, a public employee has to wait a minimum of 30 days before they can be hired back for the same or similar position that they had just retired from.

A closer look at the Menomonee Falls payroll shows, in a document released by Village Hall, the Village still had five (5) employees that fell into this category at the end of 2006.

The Village Manager was one of them but he retired for the second time in January of 2007.

The other four (4) positions are in the police department.

Their retirement and rehiring schedules are as follows:

• Employee 1 was originally hired 12-2-68, retired 4-3-98 and was rehired part time 1-2-01.
• Employee 2 was originally hired 7-20-70, retired 1-5-01 and was rehired part time 3-12-01.
• Employee 3 was originally hired 8-10-81, retired 4-1-04 and was rehired full time 7-1-04 and pays $133 per month ($1,596 a year) for the $13,000 a year health premium. 
• Employee 4 was originally hired 6-20-60, retired 7-3-98 and was rehired part time 1-1-05.

Presumably these employees are receiving their full time WRS Pension as well as their Village salary in retirement.

They will or may already have received their unused sick leave lump sum cash payouts as part of the $5 million taxpayer liability (http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/2008/08/20/5-million-taxpayer-tab-for-unused-sick-leave-backdrop-pension-cash-payouts-to-retirees.aspx) when they retire the second time.

Municipalities all across America are facing the same difficulties of keeping up with the costs of public employee benefits and are hoping to come to some kind of resolution to keep everything balanced properly without too much of a burden to the taxpayer (http://www.redding.com/news/2007/nov/17/public-pension/).

The police department also has 3 employees on full time disability that is paid for at 100% by the taxpayers as part of the WRS Pension Plan. 

Let's hope the new Village Manager will do better than his predecessor working with the Village Board to keep the taxpayers in mind first before others.

What do you think?

Please let us know what you think about double dipping contracts for public employees by using the comment section below to answer our questions.

Question 1

Do you think double dipping contracts should be eliminated for public employees by the Menomonee Falls Village Board?

_____yes

_____no  

Question 2

Should the unused sick leave lump sum cash payouts that some citizens view as double dipping contracts be eliminated too?

_____yes

_____no

Contact your Village Board (http://www.menomonee-falls.org/index.asp?nid=292) to let them know what you think about using your money for double dipping contracts.

Thank you for reading our blog and participating in our poll.

Next week...Employee Benefit Costs 

Vanguard Updates

We promised to bring you updates on various issues until they get resolved to our satisfaction.  Our posting this week will be on voter fraud in Menomonee Falls and what can be done to protect us against these vicious and illegal tactics by some that severely compromise what our forefathers bled and died for giving us the privilege to vote for the candidate of our choice.

Before we get there, some quick updates.

Garbage Financials

How about that Governor Palin?  Doesn't she make you feel good about being an American again?  She may be just what John McCain needs to win.  For the sake of our great country, let's hope so.  This will now give us a reason to vote for John McCain.

More importantly, she has made The Vanguard's position on the $42 million garbage financial debacle of the Village Board from 2000-03, that has unknowingly haunted our community for years, perfectly clear with what she was able to do in Alaska with corporate oil companies that we can and must do with the Village Board in Menomonee Falls before it's too late with Waste Management negotiations.

The Village Board falsely promised our community in 1994 and again from 2000-03 with Joe Greco, Jim Jeskewitz, Mike McDonald and Jeff Steliga leading the way, that they had struck it rich with Waste Management to put a dump in our backyard and that we would stand to make millions for many years to come at no "cost" to the taxpayers.

We could take those millions and spend it until the cows came home instead of using it for tax relief because the Village Board said it didn't "cost" us anything.

The millions that taxpayers were promised by the Village Board from Waste Management actually went from the taxpayers to Waste Management for picking up our garbage.

Riiiiiggggghhhhttttt!

The only problem is, we weren't told the truth by the Village Board about the agreement with Waste Management.  The problem is not with Waste Management.  They are a private corporation trying to make as much money as they can in a capitalist free market economy.

The problem is with the Village Board and their false promises that they knew they could not keep costing the taxpayers at least a $17 million shortfall in debt service (http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/tags/garbage+debate/default.aspx) which will go on the property tax rolls starting as early as 2015 if not sooner for an average cost to every homeowner of some $800-$900 in new taxes above and beyond their regular property tax bill to make up for the shortfall of the $42 million bill for the new library, village hall and police station. 

The Vanguard is asking the Village Board to come clean with the $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund so we don't have to pay for this debt service starting in 2015 or sooner on our property tax bill that we were promised by the Village Board was going to be paid for by Waste Management to take care of the new library, village hall and police station.

The Vanguard also wants an annual minimum $85.00 dividend per household for free garbage pick up from the Village Board with Waste Management until they leave town when the dump is closed because our community will be left with the aesthetic, environmental, legal and lost tax revenue issues when Waste Management is gone.

Where is Waste Management going to go to get a new dump? 

Just like oil companies, where are they going to go drill for new oil? 

The taxpayers have an incredibly strong bargaining position.  Let's have the Village Board take advantage of it. 

Who wants a dump in their backyard today besides the Menomonee Falls Village Board?

Governor Palin did it in Alaska requiring oil companies to pay every resident a $1,654.00 dividend in 2007 that will be $3,200.00 in 2008 (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/09/03/EDAR12MTTR.DTL) (http://money.cnn.com/ scroll down to click on Palin's Economic Record video).

For a family of four (4), that's $12,800 in tax relief and money to spend, save or invest. 

Many other communities across America (http://blogs.menomoneefallsnow.com/the_vanguard/archive/2008/08/31/quot-excuse-me-could-you-tell-me-how-to-get-to-the-high-school-quot.aspx) have had their local elected officials make similar dividend and royalty agreements with various companies and we can do it in Menomonee Falls if the citizens will only collectively rise up and contact their Village Board (http://www.menomonee-falls.org/index.asp?nid=292) to let them know this is what they want with Waste Management paying the entire $42 million Municipal Facilities Fund and picking up our garbage for free giving every homeowner a minimum $85.00 dividend annually to lower our property taxes.

Police Department Failed Computer Programs

The Vanguard is making some progress with the Police Chief to get the requested information about The Phoenix and Enforcer Computer Programs that taxpayers have paid tens of thousands of dollars for that have apparently failed miserably according to the reports given to us.

We will keep asking for the information to share with you until it is received.  Should be interesting.

Village Manager Sitting on Numerous Requests for Public Records and Answers to Questions

The Vanguard has been asking questions and for various Village documents for over a year now from the Village Manager's Office that will reveal some very interesting information about tens of millions of dollars of the taxpayer's money and how it is being used.

Numerous letters and communications from the Village Manager's Office over the last year, one 40 pages in length, appear to be doing everything they can to sit on public information that citizens have a legal right to know.

We're hoping to get the information before another year goes by.  It would be nice to know what the Village's debt service numbers are, what the taxpayer's surplus account is, how much health care premiums are, what we're paying the City of Milwaukee in taxes each year and what the quality of our water is to mention a few items before another year goes by. 

School District Personnel Problems   

Mark Belling, WISN Talk Show Host, broke a story last week involving a very peculiar and uncomfortable situation with a student and her parents at the high school with a veteran administrator that apparently was ignored by the high school principal when the matter was brought to his attention during the fall of last year's school year requiring the parents to ultimately involve the superintendent.

The Vanguard has asked the school superintendent to verify this information along with several other similar matters recently involving other staff members in the district with similar issues.  Parents have a right to know what is going on in their district that they pay well over $50 million for in taxes.

We will share the information with you once the superintendent responds to our request. 

Protecting Against Voter Fraud in Menomonee Falls

With recent numerous reports of massive voter fraud and illegal voter registration in southeastern Wisconsin, particularly in the City of Milwaukee (http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=1&date=8/27/2008&id=45347), a reader asked The Vanguard to look into how the election and registration process is done in Menomonee Falls to protect us from potential  voter fraud.

The Vanguard contacted the Village Clerk's Office seeking basic information and they did not respond to our request.  In order to have accurate information for this posting, we had no other option but to contact the State Elections Board.

The State Elections Board Staff were extremely helpful, professional, informative and polite.  However, they were only able to answer a limited number of questions and referred us to the Clerk's Office for the remainder of our questions.

Honest and legal voting in elections is very impor