Silver Lake Village Hall meeting room gets makeover courtesy of police chief

The newly redecorated meeting room in Silver Lake Village Hall.

The newly redecorated meeting room in Silver Lake Village Hall.

The room where Village Board meetings and municipal court are held in Silver Lake Village Hall received a makeover recently at the initiative of police Chief Andrew Trudeau.

The redecorating includes a new two-tone paint job, a new wood rostrum that the Village Board will seat behind. two faux columns for the wall behind the rostrum, new nameplates for board members and artwork for the walls. Photos of past village presidents were replaced with a plaque with the presidents names and terms. The orientation of the room has changed from the board sitting at one narrow end of the room and the audience at the other to the board sitting along one of the long walls. A large table that used to be in the audience area has been removed.

At Wednesday’s Village Board meeting, Trudeau said the expenditures by the village for the redecorating fit under the $1,500 limit for spending without bids and board approval. The money will come from drug seizure funds in the Police Department, he added. Much of the labor was donated.

Here is how it came about in Trudeau’s words:

I took on the project as the room needed updating and the voting layout needed to have a much better flow than in previous years. We did the room in 2 days….October 25th and 26th (the last nice weekend of the year!). It was a group of us from the PD, office staff, family members and also Sue Gerber helped out volunteering the time to get it done. I was there until 1:30am Sunday morning to complete it, but it got done.  … I run a service business for all Racine and Kenosha County for Commercial and Residential appliance repair. I donated the money to pay RK Painting and Decorating, which is Rick Keller who lives in Silver Lake to do the painting. Rick is a professional painter and one of the best as you can see. The materials for the rooms decorating will be paid for by drug seizure money through our PD.  Lastly the pictures on the wall were printed by Dean Fryda who works for Silver Lake Rescue. Dean supplied the village with the pictures you see on the walls including the Village of Silver Lake sign between the pillars.  This was a group effort coordinated by myself to show everyone what really can be done in a short period of time when people work together. We hope everyone likes it as a lot of time and hard work were put into doing that.”

Village Clerk Terry Faber said after the meeting that the new arrangement was better suited to voting, which took place Tuesday in the meeting room.

During Wednesday’s board meeting Trustee Pat Dunn, while first saying the room looked nice, asked how the renovations had come about, since they were never discussed with the board nor came before the board for approval. Trudeau then explained the project.

Said Trudeau: “I am one to make some change … I guess you can hold me accountable.”

After some discussion, Dunn said to Trudeau:  “Any other changes you have planned? Bring them to the board first.”

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10 Comments

  1. Fed up citizen says:

    Are you kidding me!!! The fire department goes weeks with out tires. We have trouble finding money for stuff. And you spend 1500 on paint and wood! To redecorate at meeting room!!

  2. Much needed says:

    The board room looks great. This should have been done a long time ago. It’s great to see some working well together. It’s sad that with how little this cost and time and materials donated, people still find room to whine. Not sure why it’s so hard to just be thankful. Thank you to all those who worked on this selflessly.

  3. Shame on you lack of gratitude!! says:

    To fed up citizen, are you stupid or can you NOT read??? This was a TOTAL
    DONATION!!!! What do you NOT get about that !!! And by the way was it not
    This same New POLICE CHIEF that FOUND the money for the tires for your
    FIRE TRUCK????? What is wrong with you people???? You are IMPOSSIBLE
    To please or deal with!!!! I am surprised anyone would deal with you at all!!!!
    What an ungrateful person you are !!!! You know those of you that cry you
    Want change I fear,want it the least!!! SHAME ON YOU AND ALL WHO ARE SO
    DEAD SET ON GETTING YOUR WAY ,THAT YOU WOULD LOOK A GIFT HORSE
    IN THE MOUTH!!! SHAME SHAME SHAME ON YOU!!!

  4. Pete says:

    It shows how concerned they are about the voters thoughts by doing this before the desolve vote. I think no one cares about the taxpayers.

  5. Bernard Punsley says:

    I must agree with Much Needed. Everyone working together for something that will benefit anyone that attends a meeting or function in this room. I would encourage the board members to remember that when they are seated behind their new digs. I would also suggest a “No Whining” sign be put up on the wall in the back row. Thanks to all who participated/donated, and to Chief Trudeau for making it happen.

  6. Typical Pat Dunn..... says:

    Has no problem with the room getting done until one of his “handlers” tells him he should have a problem with it. With all the yapping Nopenz, Francart, and others do,,,, why won’t any of them step forward and run for the board?

  7. ridiculous says:

    Why didn’t Trudeau “Find” this money before?? All of a sudden it is ok to spend village money without permission??? Drug seizure money is still village money!!! Not that it doesn’t look nice but aren’t there about 1000 other things they could have used with that??? And that Trudeau already isn’t following the purchase policy is disturbing. What else is he gonna do and then ask for forgiveness for??? Set some priorities is a huge problem with this place. They couldn’t spend 200 for a program that would have really helped the the entire community but they give themselves a board room to boost their egos!!!

  8. Karen Erb says:

    It seems that after consideration of how the large expected turn-out for the election could best be accommodated, the village staff came up with a solution. The generosity of the staff and the forethought to get this done in time for the election is greatly appreciated! As it emerged the participation was as great as expected. It was one of the largest in Silver Lake’s history. The flow of traffic in and out of the room was smooth, with quickly moving lines. And lines there were! No one waited long, but there were lines almost all day long.

  9. newman says:

    They did a fine job redoing the board room. Good job who ever helped in doing it. I guess there is no pleasing Pat Dunn. 🙁

  10. Loving the volunteerism says:

    This was a great jester, from really great people. Village hall did need an uplift. These people volunteered their time to make the village hall inviting for all. It’s a shame some in this village try to find something to argue about. I suppose these people will never be happy. I would like to THANK Chief Trudeau, Diane, Tom and many others that made this a welcoming place.

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