Paris sets nomination period for recall election

Candidates wishing to run against the incumbent Paris Town Board members in the recall election will have until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct 25 to file nominating petitions, says a notice of the recall election from the town dated Oct. 19 and distributed to westofthei.com Friday.

The election will be held Nov. 22.

Incumbents Chairman Virgil Gentz and Supervisors Ron Kammerzelt and Ken Monson will automatically be on the ballot unless they resign before Tuesday.

If enough candidates file to run in the recall election that a primary is needed then the primary will be held Nov. 22 and the election on Dec. 20.

Joseph Kolnik, Bob Fliess and Paul Terry, who organized the recall effort, have announced their intent to challenge the incumbents.

The recall organizers were mobilized by the board’s handling and approval of an intergovernmental agreement with Somers, which included the immediate mass transfer of 2,500 acres from Paris to Somers. They objected to what they saw as a forced relocation that will diminish the value of their property and which was handled without public participation, such as discussion at open meetings.

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22 Comments

  1. Paris Pundit says:

    See you at the polls, folks!

  2. Northwestern Mike says:

    From Kenosha News:
    “Following Wednesday night’s vote, Kammerzelt said that, in light of the recall election, he welcomed a debate of from challengers. He asked that a debate be scheduled sometime before the recall election “for any of the nominees.” ”

    Will the nominees debate the incumbents and if so when?

  3. Paris resident says:

    It is so unbelievable that there are
    three totally unqualified people, who are only out to cause trouble because they have no life of their own, would actually have the guts to recall our great town board.
    Many of the people I have talked to also see how rediculous they are.
    What a joke!!!

    From a real town of Paris resident

  4. Less Affected Resident says:

    Paris resident,

    Your post is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read.

    Did you read how many other Paris residents signed the recall petition? The current Board can’t be that wonderful.

    Would you like to be told that in 1 week you were getting kicked out of town and your taxes were going up? I don’t think so.

    They are standing up for their rights.

  5. Debate Question says:

    Will the debate be just against Kammerzelt? Just wondering since the current Board likes to avoid forming a quorum so they can avoid letting the residents know what is going on.

  6. Eye On The Money says:

    Ouch… These posts and differing opinions have been, for the most part, well thought out and considerate. To “Paris Resident” I would like to say we are all real Paris residents, we can all vote, play nice… This isn’t the comment section of a random Yahoo article, we are all neighbors, some of which disagree with you. Afterwards we will still be neighbors.

  7. Paris Pundit says:

    @Paris resident: You are correct, Joe, Bob and Paul DO “have the guts” needed to stand up to the “good ol boys” who tried(and darn near succeeded!) to ram the IGA down our throats. Why don’t you ask those folks living in the “Twilight Zone” how they feel about kicked out of Paris and thrown into Somers. Would they then no longer be considered “real town of Paris residents” like you claim to be? You claim they are “totally unqualified”, are “only out to cause trouble”, and have “no life of their own”. Where did THAT selective reasoning come from? This might be a “joke” to you(your words, not mine), but I assure you, many of us “real town of Paris residents” think the issues are very serious, and believe “the challengers” have a vested interest in protecting our town, it’s residents, and the values many of us cherish. While emotions are running high, I would urge everyone to seek out the facts, make informed decisions, and go to the polls to vote, no matter which side of the issue you are on.

  8. Northwestern Mike says:

    Paris resident,

    Joe, Bob, and Paul are all lifelong residents which make them the “good ol boys.”

    The IGA will be modified and a Memorandum of Understanding between Kenosha-Paris-Somers has resolved the major issues with the IGA.

    These “good ol boys” just don’t want to admit this Town Board improved what they started and reached a compromise with our neighbors which is good for the town.

    Old grievances die hard.

  9. Northwestern Mike says:

    Paris resident,

    Here are the qualifications of the challengers.

    What I can summarize from the post card I received from the challengers is one worked with his father on the family farm and then took it over. He has been farming for over 20 years. He has a wife and 4 children and was born here.

    The next challenger is a third generation resident. His father helped with the landfill deal. Nothing about what he has done.

    The last challenger built their home on 10 acres of the family farm. Their family has been dairy farming since 1954. He has been working at the Highway Department since 1993. It does not say doing what. He helps his sons farm.

    Mighty thin if you ask me.

    How is that debate prep coming?

  10. Northwestern Mike says:

    I got a Fact Sheet prepared by the Town of Paris for its residents.

    Did anyone else?

  11. Northwestern Mike says:

    I had a discussion with an old timer in town. They told me Joe Kolnik’s dad was not on the town board when the agreement with Waste Management was worked out. They also said the Kolnik’s name is not on any of the legal documents between the Town of Paris and Waste Management.

    Is this true?

  12. Northwestern Mike says:

    Hey Darren,

    If you don’t want to allow comments on a story please say so.
    Please don’t sit on the comments and make us wonder what is going on.

  13. Nothing new in Paris says:

    Mike, What are the qualifications of the current board? Just wondering what you know about them.

  14. Northwestern Mike says:

    Nothing new in Paris,

    They are the current board.
    Are the challengers going to debate?

  15. Less Affected Resident says:

    It’s hard to compare candidates without the current board’s qualifications.

    I think most people would admit the new deal is better. But the Current Board only got to it by screwing over its own residents first.

    Besides their qualifications, we need to look at their goals for office. The current board’s goal 6 months was to do whatever it took to block Kenosha even if it meant screwing some residents. That is not someone I want elected regardless of their qualifications.

  16. Paris Pundit says:

    @Northwestern Mike: You have no trouble calling the challengers “good ol boys” and listing their “credentials” that you perceive as “mighty thin’. Yet when asked what the qualifications of the current board are, you reply “they are the current board”.
    Oh. You also seem obsessed with the need for the challengers to debate. Your “smoke and mirrors” tactics are right out of the Donald Trump playbook. Looks like it’s working real well for him. “Challenging the press”(see “Hey Darren” comment above) is a classic “bait and switch” used by Mr. Trump. What’s are we going to hear next from you “the recall election is rigged”? Frantic antics!

  17. Northwestern Mike says:

    Paris Pundit,
    When you are losing the argument you attack me. Stick to the argument.

  18. Northwestern Mike says:

    Dear Paris Pundit,

    “I think a debate would only CONTINUE to highlight the FLAWS of the original IGA, the ineptitude of the current board in trying to railroad such an agreement through without significant input from the citizens, and would prove to be a BOON to the challengers.”

    I this were to be true, why is it that the Town board are the ones calling for a debate?

    You have it reversed. The challengers are afraid to debate.

    I see your focus is on the original IGA not on the improved second agreement.
    The MOU is very good for everyone.

    Everyone remains a Paris resident until they choose to annex to their respective Village or City.

    All would get sewer and water in the growth area.

    There would be revenue sharing with Somers and permanent village and city boundary.

    It is a fantastic deal, better than the original.

  19. Northwestern Mike says:

    Less Affected Resident,

    The board in your terms ‘screwed the residents’ and then ‘unscrewed them’ with the MOU.

  20. Northwestern Mike says:

    How does one unscrew something?
    Counter clockwise.

  21. Northwestern Mike says:

    Pretty simple, I write a comment I would like it posted.

  22. Less Affected Resident says:

    After they unscrewed us, there is still a hole. That hole is why we need to elect Kolnik, Fliess and Terry so we don’t get screwed again.

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