MTP/City of Racine Water Agreement

Just FYI - or any other interested Mark who lives in MTP and is on the hook for millions each year. Be sure to see section D and note how the $$$ flowing to City of Ratcine from the shiny sewer pipe forced down the throats of MTP residents courtesy of MTP Village Idiot David DeGroot and former Village Administrator Kurt Wahlen increases over time.Village Idiots, er, Residents make up any shortfall! Better yet still, Kurt Wahlen is one of the litigants suing City of Ratcine to maintain his 100% taxpayer funded healthcare for life! City of Ratcine Mayor Cory Mason (signatory to the agreement) bent over MTP Village Idiot David DeGoof and showed him where "The Big One" goes! BOHICA MTP Residents - you've been Fox-scammed by the Foxconn failure - but you will fund City of Ratcine retiree healthcare! ! SCAM-O-RAMA Ratcine and MTP! Enjoy the shotshow from SE WI!

https://www.cityofracine.org/uploadedFiles/_MainSiteContent/Departments/Water/_Documents/Mt.%20Pleasant%20Water%20Agreement%20November%202018.pdf

"Stockholm Syndrome Grips MTP While Kurt Wahlen is FIRED!"

From Kurt Whalen Exposed:

"July 11, 2016, from The Journal Times:

"Mount Pleasant parts ways with village administrator

"MOUNT PLEASANT — Kurt Wahlen’s tenure as village administrator ended Monday the same way it began — polarizing.

"As trustees continued to be split over his three-year tenure, the Village Board in a special meeting unanimously approved a separation agreement to formally part ways with Wahlen. The vote followed a 40-minute closed-session discussion."

 Read more: https://kurtwahlenexposed.wordpress.com/2016/07/17/stockholm-syndrome-grips-mtp-while-kurt-wahlen-is-fired/

"Wahlen may soon be out as Mount Pleasant administrator"

From The Journal Times.com:

MARK SCHAAF mark.schaaf@journaltimes.com  4 hrs ago  1
 

Kurt Wahlen

"MOUNT PLEASANT — Kurt Wahlen appears to be on his way out as Mount Pleasant village administrator. 

"The Village Board has called a special meeting Monday to discuss a separation agreement with Wahlen, whom the new board majority has generally opposed. 

"The closed-session meeting has been set for 7:30 a.m. at Village Hall, 8811 Campus Drive. Board members then may reconvene in open session to vote on matters discussed in closed session. 

"Wahlen expects Monday will be his last day on the job. 

"'Elections have consequences,' Wahlen said when reached by phone Thursday. 'That's what I'm facing here.'

"Power on the factional Mount Pleasant Village Board shifted after the April 5 election, with the new majority often at odds with the current administration. The most high-profile example is a controversial Highway V water and sewer project, which Wahlen helped bring to passage before the election.

"Questions over Wahlen's job status were first raised June 3, when the board met for 90 minutes in closed session about his contract, which had expired three weeks earlier. 

"Talks about extending the contract never materialized, Wahlen said. 

"In another meeting, a fired employee took to a public forum to make a variety of claims about 'questionable practices' under Wahlen, who denies the claims. 

"It's been part of a turbulent period for the board after two incumbents were unseated in April, in a race driven by their support for the Highway V project. In recent weeks, the board has clashed over closed-session meetings, special assessments for water mains and grant funding for Pike River work. 

"Wahlen, the former Racine police chief, began his tenure as Mount Pleasant village administrator in 2013.

"'It's time for the village to move on, and if it means getting me out of the way, so be it,' Wahlen said. 

"Village Board members and Village President Jerry Garski could not be reached for comment Thursday. The village canceled its regularly-scheduled Monday night meeting."

Read more:  http://journaltimes.com/news/local/wahlen-could-be-out-as-mount-pleasant-administrator/article_10684310-7c51-5ed9-93ca-54acea96ee53.html

Related: https://kurtwahlenexposed.wordpress.com/

"Former Employee Accuses Wahlen of Intimidation, Wrongful Termination"

From Racine County Eye:

By Heather Asiyanbi in Government · June 13, 2016 · No comments

"Former Mount Pleasant Payroll Coordinator Jillian Schumacher Monday in public comments before the village board accused Village Administrator Kurt Wahlen of firing her for being a whistleblower.

"Schumacher said she was fired unfairly and without any prior warning because she questioned financial processes that didn’t align with the personnel handbook or standard practices.

"'In short, I believe I was terminated for being a whistleblower and not blindly following policies I felt were unprofessional,' she continued.

"Specifically, Schumacher claims Wahlen fired her just four months after she had a positive review during which she was awarded another week of vacation and told she was on track to receive a raise. Schumacher worked for Mount Pleasant for 13 months.

"'In January of 2016 my vacation was increased to 3 weeks and I was on schedule for a raise. I had received no verbal or written warnings and no suspensions as outlined in the discipline section of the personnel manual. I had every reason to believe I was a competent and valued employee,' her comments to trustees read.

"But, last month, Schumacher told the board that Wahlen called her into his office and asked if she wanted to quit or be terminated. She elected termination and said she believes Wahlen fired her because:

• Pay for staff is arbitrary negotiated by the Village Administrator on a personal basis rather than as a uniform employee policy. Pay for similar positions vary without regard to experience or job description.
• Raises are arbitrarily awarded or withheld and do not follow village personnel handbook guidelines.
• Some salaried staff are allotted comp. time while others are not. The result is that some staff are paid when absent and others have to use vacation time.
• Village fees were waived by staff for certain residents but charged to others – without oversight or board approval.
• Fees and bills were not routinely deposited and at times were allowed to collect in a box if staff was absent. In early 2016, during property tax season, as much as $2 million dollars or more sat in the village office without deposit – vulnerable to fraud or neglect.
• Two village employees – Jo Gleason and Dianne Flannery – were paid well over the $8.57/hour wage for poll workers on election day; Gleason was allotted her regular rate of nearly $18/hour.

"When she brought her concerns to Wahlen, Schumacher said he threatened to 'dock' her pay. A few weeks later, he fired her.

"Board members were clearly surprised by Schumacher’s comments. After the meeting, Village President Jerry Garski said he takes the allegations seriously.

"'This was surprising … it’s the first we’ve heard of these issues, and we will look into them,' he said after the board meeting.

"He did not offer any additional comment.

"Wahlen was not at the meeting because he is on vacation this week. Racine County Eye did send him an email to his village email address and will update this story if we reach him for comment. His contract with the village expired on May 13, and negotiations for a new one have not begun, according to sources close to the village.

"To listen to Schumacher’s comments, click the link below:"



 Jillian Schumacher Payroll Coordinator from Rees Roberts on Vimeo. 

Read more: http://racinecountyeye.com/former-employee-accuses-wahlen-intimidation-wrongful-termination/ 

Related: https://kurtwahlenexposed.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/mtp-village-administrator-kurt-wahlen-is-accused-of-intimidation-wrongful-termination/

"Mt Pleasant seeks clarification"

From Racine County Eye:

By Rees Roberts in Government, News · June 3, 2016 · No comments

Tags: Mount Pleasant Village Board



"An exclusive recording of the Village of Mt. Pleasant Special Personnel Committee was recorded for Racine County Eye.  Click on the play button to hear this recording.  Total length: slightly longer than 8 minutes total.

"During the recording and in the attempt to bring up the audio on weak loudness Public Commenters, the loudness of the recording increased suddenly.  Please be aware of this which occurred at about 3 1/2 minutes into the recording.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

"To see the agenda for this meeting click here.

"Summary:

"A Special Personnel Committee meeting was convened at 4:00 pm on June 3, 2016 to apparently discuss Administrator Kurt Wahlen’s contract with the Village of Mount Pleasant.  More specifically to obtain 'Contract Clarification.'  During the public comment period, Kurt Wahlen spoke and requested that the committee stay in open session.  Former Trustee Anna Marie Clausen & current Trustee Dave Degroot also spoke in favor of staying in open session.  However, the Village Attorney said that he would not be able to share contract information with the committee if it was held in open session.  When a vote was taken, the committee voted to go into closed session.

"When the committee returned into open session, President Garski reported out of the closed session by stating 'through our discussions, we got the contract clarification that we wanted.'

"Wahlen was hired in May 2013 during a board meeting at which former Trustee Don Schulz, Feest and Garski – who was a trustee at the time – objected to the way his candidacy was presented by then President Mark Gleason. Wahlen was given a two-year contract with a one-year review, and a new two-contract in 2014 apparently retroactive to May 2014.  This would apparently put Wahlen’s contract as expired as of last month and on a per day to day employment without a current contract.

"After the meeting, Trustee Gary Feest was questioned about the status of Walhen’s employment.  His answer was 'Kurt Wahlen will be here on Monday.'

"Apparently in question, was the end date of Wahlen’s contract."

Read more:  http://racinecountyeye.com/mt-pleasant-seeks-clarification/

Related: Kurt Wahlen Exposed.


I'm sure glad I voted for Feest for honesty and transparency in local government.

"Opinion: Golden Parachutes Lay A Goose Egg in Mount Pleasant"

From Racine County Eye:

By Denise Lockwood in Elections, Letter to the editor · March 2, 2016 · No comments

"On April 13, 2015 in his last meeting as Mount Pleasant Village President, Mark Gleason put forward a measure on the agenda to guarantee a six month severance package for all village department heads fired for any reason other than 'just cause.'

"This 'golden parachute' deal for department heads was a complete surprise ­ it had never been discussed or recommended by any committee prior to that day. Gleason’s timing and motivation were and remain abundantly clear.

"The Village of Mount Pleasant employs nine department heads which includes Village Administrator, Kurt Wahlen ­ who 'coincidentally' was also Mark Gleason’s police partner years prior.

"Mark Gleason hired his former partner as Village Administrator under circumstances which scandalized trustees not two years before. The novice Village Administrator received an $80,000 per year salary (which was increased 31% to $105,000 ­ sixteen months later), four weeks vacation and a whopping 24 sick days per year.

"Should the Village Board of Trustees decide to cast off Wahlen, his severance package would be $52,500 plus benefits paid for by the people of Mount Pleasant. A sweet parting gift from his old partner on his last day as Village President.

"Although the Fire and Police Chief were exempted from the deal, six other existing department heads at Village Hall would also qualify for the payout representing some significant and unprecedented cash.

"In fact, no other municipality I could find anywhere offers a severance package like this to their department heads. It is unheard of. More than a few city and village representatives I spoke with laughed ­ hard ­ when I explained the deal to them."

Read more: http://racinecountyeye.com/opinion-golden-parachutes-lay-a-goose-egg-in-mount-pleasant/

"KURT WHALEN EXPOSED"

"Can Mount Pleasant Afford to Employ Kurt Wahlen as Village Administrator?"

See: https://kurtwahlenexposed.wordpress.com/

"Can MTP Afford To Employ Kurt Whalen as Village Administrator?"

Sources:

http://journaltimes.com/news/local/city-bar-settlement-about-mitigating-risks-city-says/article_5dac40e5-b8fe-5080-a919-f33e3e4d8db1.html

http://journaltimes.com/news/local/city-settles-police-lieutenant-s-discrimination-lawsuit/article_06f51879-ec10-5f57-98b4-0caa763f73b1.html

http://www.wicourts.gov/ca/opinions/11/pdf/11-2282.pdf