Primary in Salem for supervisor

With six candidates having filed papers to fill two available supervisor positions there will be a primary Feb. 16 in Salem.

Filing for seats in the spring election closed today at 5 p.m. The seats current held by incumbents Dennis Faber and Jo Weidman are up. Vying to fill the seats will be:

  • Faber.
  • Weidman.
  • Diann D. Tesar, a former supervisor and town chairman.
  • Eileen Del Monico.
  • Dan Campion.
  • Peter A. DeRidder.

The primary will narrow the field to four candidates who will face each other in the April 6 election.

0 Shares

51 Comments

  1. Dr. Brad Smith says:

    Regarding Salem’s upcoming primary, potential voters should remember that of the above six candidates, present board members Weidman and Faber voted for the Town of Salem budget. This budget had been revised downward from the one that Salem Administrator Casey had originally presented.

    Mr. Faber had expressed a concern that Casey’s original budget was too high for the taxpayers, and his input helped get the town budget lower. Thanks also to Town Chair Valentine’s efforts and those of her husband. (Who constructively dissected Casey’s poorly-prepared budget. I attended a couple of the budget workshops personally and saw that with my own eyes.)

    REGARDING CANDIDATE TESAR, LOCAL CITIZENS WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER THAT THE EXPENSIVE SALEM TOWN ADMINISTRATOR, WHO DOESN’T EVEN LIVE IN WISCONSIN– MUCH LESS SALEM– WAS HIRED ON HER WATCH AS FORMER TOWN CHAIR. THIS MAN HASN’T GOTTEN US TAX RELIEF FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE WAY OF “GRANTS”. WE DON’T EVEN HAVE AN OFFICIAL JOB DESCRIPTION FROM HIM. WHY WAS THERE NO PROBATION PERIOD? WHY WAS HIS ORIGINAL BUDGET SO ILL-PREPARED?

    REGARDING CANDIDATE TESAR, LOCAL CITIZENS SHOULD REMEMBER THAT SHE VOICED SUPPORT FOR THE FAILED SALEM GRADE SCHOOL REFERENDUM LAST SPRING. HER OPPONENT WAS AGAINST THAT REFERENDUM. HAVEN’T OUR PROPERTY TAXES GONE UP HIGHER THAN THEY SHOULD FOR THIS ECONOMY AS IT IS? HAD DIANN TESAR’S POSITION ON THE SCHOOL REFERENDUM PREVAILED, ALL AFFECTED SALEM RESIDENTS WOULD BE FACING EVEN HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES NOW! Let her deny that in writing!

    REGARDING CANDIDATE TESAR, THE “WATER UTILITY” SERVICE CHARGE WAS FOISTED ON US WHILE ON HER WATCH! True, this is supposedly a “state” mandate. But where was her leadership? Why no public meetings alerting Salem residents to this? Her alleged comment that she had “legal notices” published doesn’t cut it– most people never read that stuff. She should have had well-publicized meetings telling the people what was up and how they could direct their concerns to the appropriate contacts in Madison. But no, not Diann!

    REGARDING CANDIDATE TESAR, POTENTIAL VOTERS SHOULD ASK HER TO GO ON RECORD AND PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH A WRITTEN STATEMENT AS TO HOW SHE EXPECTED THE PEOPLE TO PAY FOR THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. THAT IS, DID SHE REALLY BELIEVE WE’D GET STATE AND/OR FEDERAL AID? OR WAS IT HER INTENTION TO SEE ALL OF OUR TAXES SKYROCKET?

    REGARDING CANDIATE TESAR, DOES SHE AGREE WITH TOWN CHAIR VALENTINE THAT SURVEYS OF SALEM’S RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS DONE BY THE TOWN TO ASSESS CITIZENS’ CONCERNS IS APPROPRIATE? OR IS SHE AGAINST THE TOWN BOARD AND ITS OFFICIALS GETTING CITIZEN INPUT THAT WAY? Her written thoughts on that matter should be of interest to potential voters. Many citizens just can’t make it to meetings to voice their concerns, AND I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT MOST OF THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NEVER RESPOND TO MY VARIOUS E-MAILS. So such surveys would be excellent for gathering the public’s concerns.

    JUST REMEMBER LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ON WHOSE WATCH IT WAS ON THAT ALL OF THESE EXPENSIVE PROJECTS TOOK ROOT.

    The other candidates I don’t know. I just hope that they are fiscally-responsible, for citizen participation at (for example) budget workshops, support a review of Administrator Casey’s employment when that contract comes up for renewal, supports balanced budgets, and respect Constitutional Law.

    Thank you.

    P.S. I used to vote for Diann Tesar faithfully. She lost my support for the above-listed reasons.

  2. Darrel Damon says:

    It would be a great benefit for the community if WestOfTheI were to publish a series of candidate profiles, each based on the same set of questions. In that way, we could all make informed decisions versus a “good ol boy” vote.

  3. Dr. Brad Smith says:

    Mr. Damon’s suggestion is excellent. That way citizens could have a clear set of questions and answers by which to assess each candidate’s position.

    One further suggestion. Perhaps WestOfTheI could have an extra interview with those candidates who have already served on the Salem board. One in which each candidate was SPECIFICALLY asked what his/her position was (or is) on such issues as the town budget, the so-called “water utility” service fee, on whether Salem’s administrator should be a resident of the community,
    whether the town adminsistrator should have a job description NOW, and other questions specific to the town itself. Further, that interview (as the original one for ALL candidates) should ask each of the three candidates with past or present board experience what their position and vote was on the various school referendums– which impact residents financially far more than town or village taxes.

    In this way citizens could assess each of these three candidates’ current campaign positions against what their ACTUAL votes and positions were (or are) while actually “on the job”. In other words, let’s see if their ACTIONS match their WORDS.

    Thank you.

  4. Gail Peckler-Dziki says:

    There was no “water utility tax” put on the town of Salem. The state mandated a “storm water utility district” requirement in Wisconsin. I attended several municipal meetings in which other boards created their own storm water utility districts.

    The survey done by the “town of Salem” was not done by the town, but by Mrs. Valentine going, as usual. lone ranger. I’m sure if she had thought to run it by her board that the other board members would have agreed to have the survey and even help compose it. But we wont know now, since they were left out of the loop.

    As far as Diann Tesar supporting the Salem Grade referendum, I have no remembrance of such a thing. Perhaps Dr. Smith might like to give me a refresher and come up with a written statement or something in the meeting minutes of either the town or school that proves his assertion.

    Also, Dr. Smith, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. When meetings are legally noticed and there are stories in more than one paper not only about the Salem storm water utility district but those in other municipalities as well, if people don’t know they have only themselves to blame.

  5. Unknowfarmer says:

    RECALL VALENTINE NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!!!!!

    Doctor Smith

    I just want to thank you for Bashing Diann Tesar. Nice Job. You look very professional and obviously you know everything there is to know about the Town of Salem and the Board. You could have called her and asked for her views and she would have told you straight up. Remember you used to like her and support her at least that is what you said.

    I don’t have a speech prepared as you do by Linda and her husband {Good Old Boys all about personal agenda} or maybe it wasn’t. Or maybe it was drafted on the Making Salem Better {Worse} Website where you and many others basically plan your next moves for meetings. THIS TOWN IS RUN BY VALENTINE PUPPETS LIKE YOU!!!!

    If I am correct this site is big news for the Wisconsin Attorney General. Please correct me if I am wrong…? Is Linda using the Salem Town Attorney to fight the open records law? Can you please go to the Town Hall and ask this question and then publish it on the Private Blog Site. If she is using the Attorney this is wrong be cause she outwardly states in the Kenosha News that she separates her self between herself and her Chairman position. How the heck does that work. WASTING MONEY? TAX PAYERS MONEY?

    The way it reads in the local papers it seems to be. Or are you funding it? Or since you know all….. How is this being funded legally? Now the highlighting from your speech.

    REGARDING CANDIDATE TESAR, LOCAL CITIZENS WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER THAT THE EXPENSIVE SALEM TOWN ADMINISTRATOR, WHO DOESN’T EVEN LIVE IN WISCONSIN– MUCH LESS SALEM– WAS HIRED ON HER WATCH AS FORMER TOWN CHAIR.

    Dr Smith you have a Board that makes these decisions. The town needed an administrator and he is a darn good one.

    Linda Valentine is from Warren Ill. As far as I am concerned she should go back and you with her. And the rest who are on the cool website. Remember for years you wanted to annex into the Town of Paddock Lake what’s going on with that? Still looking to do this?

    THIS MAN HASN’T GOTTEN US TAX RELIEF FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE WAY OF “GRANTS”.

    Have you set up a meeting with Mr. Pat Casey to find out if he is looking into Grants? Have you set up a Web meeting with Linda and the rest of you folks to discuss this? Have you made a move to get rid of Pat Casey yet? Is this info on the Blog site??

    WE DON’T EVEN HAVE AN OFFICIAL JOB DESCRIPTION FROM HIM.

    He had one from the start do you think Tesar and the board are without intelligence? With this type of position you actually think they would not have one? I think Linda Valentine was at this meeting or you forgot to write this down when she prepared your speech for this blog info.

    WHY WAS THERE NO PROBATION PERIOD? Dr Smith there was a probation period Linda forgot this too. Yikes!!

    WHY WAS HIS ORIGINAL BUDGET SO ILL-PREPARED? That is Linda’s and your opinion. Looked good to me. But hey I am not a Doctor or Linda Valentine.

    REGARDING CANDIDATE TESAR, LOCAL CITIZENS SHOULD REMEMBER THAT SHE VOICED SUPPORT FOR THE FAILED SALEM GRADE SCHOOL REFERENDUM LAST SPRING.

    This is Slander and worth a Liable suit. Careful Doc! I hope Tesar reads this garbage and seeks legal action.

    HER OPPONENT WAS AGAINST THAT REFERENDUM.

    Was she? I was at the meeting and I saw her there. She never took the podium. Did Linda Valentine go on record saying she was against it? Don’t know I got mixed up in all the other lies she told to get in office like all the above you target Tesar personally for. I remember her coming to my door and telling me ALL about it. Thank God I looked into these claims.

    Did you bother to go to the Town Hall and check up on these issues? I did before I cast my vote for Chairman… You need to get your facts straight.

    HAVEN’T OUR PROPERTY TAXES GONE UP HIGHER THAN THEY SHOULD FOR THIS ECONOMY AS IT IS?

    YES!!! I agree and had you done your home work on Tesar and went to meetings prior to your Valentine Days you would have seen the costs she cut working with the BOARD MEMBERS. NOT ACTING LIKE THE BOSS AS VALENTINE CLEARLY STATES TO ALL!!!! Or is it her husband that is to Town Chairman. I am not sure about this. Perhaps they can create a new position called Chair people. No more than two allowed and they need to be husband and wife.

    HAD DIANN TESAR’S POSITION ON THE SCHOOL REFERENDUM PREVAILED, ALL AFFECTED SALEM RESIDENTS WOULD BE FACING EVEN HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES NOW!

    I guess as a simpleton I am confused of what you are stating here. I guess Linda and her crew of Webster’s can explain the added costs for the new pavement at the town hall and the NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENT that’s not effecting your tax dollars now is it. Kenosha County does a great job and now let’s just takes more from your pocket book

    REGARDING CANDIDATE TESAR, THE “WATER UTILITY” SERVICE CHARGE WAS FOISTED ON US WHILE ON HER WATCH!

    True, this is a “state” mandate. But where was her leadership?

    Leadership?
    This statement does not apply. When the state say’s you do it you do it period. If they want to take your land as they did to the folks off HYW K for the new frontage road they had no choice but to surrender.

    Why no public meetings alerting Salem residents to this? It was posted every where and there her alleged comment that she had “legal notices” published doesn’t cut it– most people never read that stuff.
    She should have had well-publicized meetings telling the people what was up and how they could direct their concerns to the appropriate contacts in Madison. But no, not Diann!

    Give me a break you were asleep like myself and many others. Stop throwing stones. Why didn’t you and Linda write to your State Reps. Your in charge of you as well as other’s? I write to my Reps on a regular basis and it doesn’t work. But hey you’re a Doctor you should know this.

    REGARDING CANDIDATE TESAR, POTENTIAL VOTERS SHOULD ASK HER TO GO ON RECORD AND PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH A WRITTEN STATEMENT AS TO HOW SHE EXPECTED THE PEOPLE TO PAY FOR THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. THAT IS, DID SHE REALLY BELIEVE WE’D GET STATE AND/OR FEDERAL AID? OR WAS IT HER INTENTION TO SEE ALL OF OUR TAXES SKYROCKET?

    YOU are incorrect here. I wish you would have gone to meetings when Tesar was in office. But you were to busy passing blame and trying to decide to annex to Paddock Lake.

    REGARDING CANDIATE TESAR, DOES SHE AGREE WITH TOWN CHAIR VALENTINE THAT SURVEYS OF SALEM’S RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS DONE BY THE TOWN TO ASSESS CITIZENS’ CONCERNS IS APPROPRIATE?

    Why wouldn’t she? But that would be added costs to the taxpayers!!! Who pays for the mail? Who pays for the copies? Who pays for the LABOR? More tax dollars.
    Survey’s never get response because it is to time consuming. How many pe

    IS SHE AGAINST THE TOWN BOARD AND ITS OFFICIALS GETTING CITIZEN INPUT THAT WAY?

    Read the above and go to meetings. She always let people speak that’s how it used to work and that’s how Valentine stalled out many meetings… That’s why I stopped going I fell asleep like her husband does.

    Again if surveys were sent out someone has to pay for it. Town People.

    Her written thoughts on that matter should be of interest to potential voters.

    Why is this important you clearly bashed her enough!! What do you care?

    Many citizens just can’t make it to meetings to voice their concerns, AND I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT MOST OF THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NEVER RESPOND TO MY VARIOUS E-MAILS. So such surveys would be excellent for gathering the public’s concerns.

    I personally called Tesar on many occasions. She answered. I did not always get what I wanted but I sure voiced my opinion and she at LEAST LISTENED and tried to get things explained and worked out. Reminding me that she is NOT THE BOSS!!! THE BOARD is 5 members!! NOT ONE.

    JUST REMEMBER LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ON WHOSE WATCH IT WAS ON THAT ALL OF THESE EXPENSIVE PROJECTS TOOK ROOT.

    There you go blaming someone else instead of yourself!! You and Linda will get your personal agenda’s in place don’t worry SHE IS THE BOSS OF YOU!!!

    The other candidates I don’t know. You better get to know them!!!

    Personal Agenda for FABER!!! Make sure you vote don’t for him!!! !

    Hey Doc don’t worry about your administrator concerns this one you and Linda and the Websters will get him fired.

    To all who read this? I do not mean Old Doc any harm but if you are going to watch this Town goes down in flames.

    Vote for the Faber (Slick Willie)

    Please Voters do your Home Work. Recall Valentine!!!

    GO TO MEETINGS AND SEE FOR YOURSELF

  6. Salemethics says:

    Every word that Unknowfarmer printed is true, including the lies by Linda Valentine. I know because I’ve been researching these things for some time. When I heard the untruths being spread about Salem making people abandon wells and hook up to town water, I started my research. This came from the “Valentine election camp”. There never was any discussion of people being forced to hook up to a town water system.

    Ms. Tesar never publicly made her voting intentions known in any public meeting that I attended and there is no record in the minutes. I did take the time to call the clerk and Diann. She said she has never made it known in public how she voted.

    I did my research and called the town hall on the “water utility”. The town of Salem doesn’t have a “water utility”. It does have a stormwater utility which the state has mandated that municiplaities address the problems of groundwater runoff. They don’t give a means of paying for this mandate. Many communities have/or are in the process of creating a stormwater utility to address the state’s mandate.

    The surveys should have been done by the whole town board not just one member. It could have included questions the other board members wanted answers to and included with the next utility bill to save costs.

    I also heard at a meeting Linda Valentine talking about incorporating the Town of Salem to become a Village. I would suggest that each voter look at what the costs of just getting the information to start the process will be. Call the Town of Bristol. They just did this. The costs are astronomical. Also call the Town of Somers as they are considering the same thing. Also call the surrounding villages and ask what their mill rate is compared to ours. Especially Paddock Lake. Did you also know that should the Town become a village, as Linda Valentine has been demanding, that people wiil no longer have a say in town government? Towns in the state of WI (and a couple of other states) are the last known democracies in the United States. If the town becomes a village there will be no more annual meetings, residents will no longer vote on the tax levy or the highway expenses. Residents will no longer be able to make advisory recommendations or any of the powers that the state statutes give to them. Under Linda’s watch, you will no longer have a say in our town’s government.

    Board members don’t respond to my emails either, but if I call them or talk to them before or after a meeting, they have been more than willing to answer my questions. Diann Tesar did this on many occasions. Never was she too busy.

    I also checked on the job description for Mr. Casey. There is one and has been one since 2008 prior to him being hired. Other employees also have job descriptions which have been in place for years. If you don’t believe that the town needs an administrator, your fooling yourself. Salem is one of the largest towns in the state. There are constant changing government regulations and an administrator has the expertise to advise the board on these regulations. Do you know that Mr. Casey has already saved the town huge amounts of money, including about $60,000 on the highway/fire building. The one Linda Valentine voted for. Did you also know that Diann Tesar pushed for a referendum for this building.

    If you have ever been to Linda Valentine’s group and are able to access the past posts, you will see that it is a very small group of 6-8 people who post on a regular basis. These same people, Linda included, ridicule people, other board members, and staff all in the name of making salem better. She tells her members how to behave at meetings, what meetings to attend, and what they can and cannot say. All in the name of making Salem better.

    I only hope that taxpayers wake up and really look at the candidates and ask questions. If you don’t, you will be lead down the road to “Lindaville”. It’s not a good road to take.

  7. Gail Peckler-Dziki says:

    Recently, comments have been made by the Valentines that Linda didn’t want reporters on her website. Last January when she kicked off her campaign, she invited me to be on that website. I was a reporter then.
    I decided not to take up her invitation. If it were an open website like many candidates have, I certainly would have logged on. But the invitation and need for a password was just too much. It carried with it the joining of a group and supporting a particular candidate.
    As time went on I saw how LInda tried to create crisis after crisis out of non-events. She made a stink out of the SEWRPAC forecast of where public wells could be located in SAlem. She felt that the county circumvented the town board and wanted another meeting at the town hall so residents could grill the SEWRPAC representative. Previous chair, Diann Tesar, obliged.
    I sat there for nearly 30 minutes while LInda grilled the representative herself. She shot question after leading question at him and didn’t give him time to answer one before she fired off another volley.
    Finally I asked him a few questions and he answered that it was a projection. If there was a certain level of population at a future time, these were the general areas that wells could be located. The report also gave a possible cost. But these were all possibilities. There were no engineering tests to determine exactly where water was or depth or quality. Salem has always been slow to use state given powers to force things like wells or sewers. There was no solid information or reason to create public wells.
    When the planning began for the fire/highway building, the idea that the well that would service that structure could be made available to future building in that area, neighborhood 9. That area is planned for light industrial/commercial. Having public water available to that area would encourage economic growth. It would also be good for insurance purposes for businesses. There were no plans to force anyone on the wells. It was mentioned that people living in the trailer park could possibly hook into that well should their private wells give out. But that was it. Any statements to the contrary were not true.
    The previous commenters have stated things that I know to be true. Instead of telling Pat Casey that he did a great job of saving the town $41,000 by changing the purchaser to the town instead of the vendor, the town chair complained that Pat gave no details as to what would be purchased. The project specifications had not changed and she did have the details.
    There was a job description when the town began the administrator search. Statements to the contrary are not true.
    The town chair went on her own to get a bid from Kenosha County Sheriff for additional sheriff ours to the tune of about $75,000. People thought that Sheriff Beth attended a town meeting because the sexual predator ordinance was being discussed. He was there at the chair’s request to present a surprise bid.
    Early on the MBS website, candidate Valentine commented that those on the website must remember that she would be a member of a five-person board. THat has long been forgotten as she attempts to turn the town and all employees to do her bidding, whatever it might happen to be.
    As far as MBS being and informal group with no ties to the town, some of you have already mentioned that she felt free to spend taxpayer dollars because she sought the town attorney’s opinion on the subject. I think that the town board ought to present her with a bill for that. I certainly don’t want to pay for it.
    I just recently learned that if you send her an email on the town chair email, your automatic response carries a solicitation to join up on her website. That should be removed.
    Also, there is a rumor afloat that a new website has been launched. Anyone know anything about that?
    A recall would cost just what an election would coast. If our town board gets together, they can control the runaway train that is the town chair.

  8. Gail Peckler-Dziki says:

    Also, be aware that I no longer cover the town of Salem. Now I can speak as a private citizen and active salem resident.

  9. unkownfarmer says:

    To Miss Dziki & Salemethics,

    I thank the Good Lord that you also have done your home work. I truely belive that with determination we can OUST the Personal Agenda brought by the Valeintine Webster Group. The ones who run our Town right now and not the board.

    Again folks please do some research!! Before it is too late!!

    What’s the cost of Recall compaired to the Personal Agenda Spending?
    I think its time to investigate!!

  10. Salemethics says:

    I never did my homework. Like others, I depended on our board to do the right thing. I will say I didn’t and don’t always agree with what the other board members have done. I didn’t even vote for some of them.
    It wasn’t until I saw the things on Mrs. Valentine’s web group that I started looking at things. In fact shortly after Mrs. Valentine took office, I started attending some of the meetings. It was an eye opener. I was embarrassed for our town. Every meeting I attended was orchestrated by her telling people what to say and do. They don’t do anything unless she tells them or “goads” them into it. When people from her web group don’t do what she wants then she scolds and chastises them on her web group. All to get what she wants or to make herself look better.
    I’ve been in the audience and watched a couple of times when she and her husband have “bashed” the administrator and I’m not quite sure what it was for. Is this the way an employee should be treated in public? It doesn’t matter if she agrees with him or not. He is an intelligent man and doesn’t deserve to be treated that way. No one does.
    If anyone does a recall, I would be the first to line up and sign the petition. I haven’t done the research on recalls yet, but the town hall should have information.

  11. Gail Peckler-Dziki says:

    The cost of a recall would be the cost of an election, possibly a few thousand. About 500 signatures are needed on a petition of those who wish to have the recall. You also need a viable candidate to run. It is also helpful to show cause for the recall election. If you contact the Wisconsin State Election board, that group will give you all pertinent information.
    It does boggle the mind to try to understand why Valentine and spouse want to beat up an administrator who is doing a good job. My goodness, saving $60,000 at the beginning of a project? That’s what happens when you have a professional in charge.
    When Paddock Lake first hired an administrator, I paid attention to the first budget after he was hired. That budget didn’t go up any more that year than the previous year.
    A professional administrator has no group to which he is beholden. He has no need to win an election every two years. And the professional administrator has an overview of EVERYTHING.
    Casey created a comprehensive, complete and coherent budget that town employees said was the best the town ever had.

  12. cj says:

    Well what a shame this town has come to the Hatfields and the MC Coys Maybe some of you need to seek God and his forgivness for all the back stabing and name calling I see in this town.

  13. Salemethics says:

    The only name calling and back stabbing done here and elsewhere was on the part of Dr. Smith who is also a member of Mrs. Valentine’s webgroup and on the part of her and her group posts.
    No name calling or back stabbing on our part. Only stating verifiable facts.

  14. Gail Peckler-Dziki says:

    Someone made the comment that there is no need to be concerned about the MBS website since there are so many “conservatives” on it.
    I don’t think those on the website are conservatives in the true sense. Not when I see jc using a typical liberal technique of attacking your “opponents” to attempt to cast doubt on them personally. That’s done when there is no substantive reply to the facts.
    This issue is not about one person, its about the entire town. What is good for the town? That’s the issue. If someone is engaging is acts that don’t help but hurt the town, deal with it.

  15. C J says:

    Gail you are a vicious lady always on the attack of who ever says something you don’t like. All we hear is you complaining!!! Why didn’t you run since you have all the answers.People who live in glass house should’t throw stones You do cast a lot of them Maybe if you started to work together with ALL the board members in office instead of your daily attacks our town could heal and people again would be kind to each other. Is this what kind town we want.or would we like a town when everyone says good morning, hello , how’s the family when they see you instead of gossiping about what you dont like about them With all thats going on people out work fighting to keep what they own everyone in under great deal stress.We need change and everyone should have the same goal. You cant deny our economy has put the average family under stress and something has to change for the average person to be able to make it . I know the Dr and he is a very nice person but maybe he has been pushed to his breaking point as so many have.
    No one should be in office for more then couple terms We need fresh faces fresh ideals.Some one who listens to the people When some one is in for long time MY opinion is they lose perspective,think they have all the answers.And I thought Chicago polites were bad

  16. Chris Gustafson says:

    THE TOWN OF SALEM WAS NOT MANDATED TO HAVE THE STORMWATER UTILITY DISTRICT, it is merely a financial “tool” that is being used to achieve their regulatory compliance goal.

    The mandate is to reduce the annual amount of total suspended solids getting into our stormwater run off. This problem comes from a widespread urbanized area of many square miles which is why its called Non-Point Source Discharge Pollution.

    Many folks think assessing a “tax” is not as equitable as imposing quarterly “fees” based upon land use and hardscape contributing the grit & grime that must be “ELIMINATED” because certain entities would be exempt from paying their fair share toward a viable long-term solution.

    To learn the FACTS, contact the WDNR stormwater engineer Pete Wood at (262) 884-2360.

  17. Chris Gustafson says:

    To learn the FACTS about what the state will require of private wells located within a municipal community drinking water system’s service area some point in the future should the town’s new non-transient non-community well for the combo building be needed for potable use by others, call the WDNR Municipal engineer, Tony Ratarasarn at (262) 574-2134.

  18. Salemethics says:

    I never said the state mandated a stormwater utility. Read again I stated: “Which the state has mandated that municipalities ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS of groundwater runoff. Not that they mandated a stormwater utility. They have mandated they we address them, but don’t give them a means for fixing the problems.

  19. Chris Gustafson says:

    My posts here were for people who wish to contact the state authority with their questions pertaining to stormwater runoff and with questions regarding drinkingwater wells utilizing groundwater from the aquifers beneath the earth’s surface. Nothing more.

  20. Salemethics says:

    If that had been the case, then all that would have been necessary would have been to say, I would like to provide further information on this subject. Instead in CAPS (which is considered yelling on the internet) you yelled, “the Town of Salem was not mandated to have a stormwater utility.”
    Chris contribute useful information in terms anyone can understand, educate people in easy laymans terms. Quit contributing to the problem of making people in the town think that the town is doing underhanded things. You are an intelligent woman who could really help instead of tearing down.
    For a long time I sat back and watched. It was when I started asking questions that I have been finding out the truth about things and you should too. Your too smart to be involved with those who only spew gloom and doom instead of looking at the good things that are happening in our town. Think about it.

  21. Dr. Brad Smith says:

    The matter concerning Diann Tesar’s alleged support of the failed Salem School referendum is easily settled. Let Mrs. Tesar STATE IN WRITING just exactly what her position was on this important matter!

    I never stated that Mrs. Tesar expressed her position on any referendum in her official capacity as town chair. Linda Valentine would never express her position on any school’s referendum in her official capacity either.

    At the time I had heard from many people, even those supporting the referendum, that Diann Tesar was FOR it.

    Everyone had their right to an opinion on the matter. I had assumed that Diann Tesar’s alleged position for the referendum was motivated by a genuine concern for the welfare of the students. Just as those of us who opposed this referendum were equally for the kids and NOT “anti-education”. Even to this day I believe that if she supported this referendum, that her support was well-motivated. (Contrary to some of her critics who suggested that Diann’s position was prompted by her own self-interest as a teacher.)

    So instead of her friends attacking my commentary, why doesn’t Diann STATE IN WRITING what her position REALLY WAS? Or did she tell one group of people that she was “for” the referendum, but then told yet another group of people that she was “against” it?

    Does Diann Tesar’s position on the failed Salem School referendum even matter?

    ABSOLUTELY!

    Since we are all affected by some school district’s tax levy, I believe that any person in a leadership position has a DUTY to let his or her taxpayers know their positions on such crucial matters. Perhaps not in an “official capacity”,
    but from a stance of MORAL LEADERSHIP.

    Especially in these trying economic times. Since last March I’ve tried warning my fellow citizens and our elected officials that America has entered into an economic DEPRESSION.

    Contrary to the “recession is over” hype (“…oh, but we are having a jobless recovery…”), what we have now is a “stimulus recovery” that has only benefited the “too-big-to-fails” on Wall Street. Main Street America continues to suffer. Any so-called “recovery” is merely temporary. This is just like 1930 all over again, when President Hoover (wrongly) pronounced that “the worst is over”.

    I’ve been urging anyone who cares to listen to generally vote “No!” against ALL tax bodies’ budgets (as a protest).

    As any of you who are taxpayers can attest, all of our property taxes have gone up (just as I warned).

    SO LET DIANN TESAR TAKE OWNERSHIP OF HER POSITION ON SUCH ISSUES!
    Linda Valentine made it clear that she was AGAINST this particular referendum. One major reason why I voted for her.

    Concerning the “water utility tax”, Mrs. Dziki is correct. This was not a “tax” put on us, but rather a “fee”. (More reason to scold Mrs. Tesar and her board. Instead of calling it a “fee”, had this been called a “tax” instead, then that might have been tax-deductible for our increasingly-beleaguered taxpayers.)

    Of course, the net effect is the same. More money out of our pockets, and less for the local economy.

    According to Chris Gustafson’s posts, a formal “fee”, “tax” or district per se wasn’t legally mandated by the state.

    Perhaps I was wrong in suggesting that Mrs. Tesar’s hands were “tied” on this particular matter. For if we REALLY DIDN’T need to create this added “fee”, then her FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE the issue more clearly to the public and to her own board makes her “leadership” in this case one of true NEGLIGENCE!

    AGAIN, LET DIANN TESAR EXPLAIN THIS ONE IN WRITING!

    I vote to seat representatives who I expect to do their jobs. I want transparency, clarity and open government at all levels. If we as citizens have to keep an eye on our elected officials and “baby sit” them at every meeting, then perhaps they all need to be turned out of office!

    Mrs. Dziki states, “…you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.”

    True.

    However, this is yet another good point about Mrs. Tesar’s “leadership” style compared to that of Linda Valentine’s. That is, it seems that Mrs. Valentine has succeeded at getting MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER to attend budget work shops and town meetings of all types than any of her predecessors. She has done a far better job at transparency too– getting DETAILS on important issues out to both the media and public at large.

    It would appear that Linda Valentine has done a better job of “leading the horse to water” after all!

    Maybe we need to have ALL of our town officials state their positions on these crucial issues, and not just these six candidates.

    Thank you.

    Dr. Brad Smith

  22. Chris Gustafson says:

    Please understand that I am not trying to talk over the heads of everyone. When I capitalize, it is only because I can’t italicize (I wrote think at my email account this time, and still it did not copy and paste as preferred).

    Bob Beebil the Senior Environmental Engineer at SEWRPC, who I butt heads with on occassion, gave me sage advice 14 years ago, “You have to Learn the Lingo, If You Want to Know What’s Going On” & “You Can’t Find the Right Answer if You Don’t Know the Right Question to Ask.” With that in mind, I would like to say something about WHERE economically-beneficial light industrial/commercial land uses are & will be within the Town of Salem.

    The WDNR is in the process of tightening up polluted runoff rules. Groundwater Protection starts with Source Water Protection. BETTER Stormwater Runoff Management helps us keep good potable private drinking water wells so they don’t end up only useable for watering non-edible yards and flowers.

    Wells owned by municipalities that are used for public consumption must have Well Head Protection Plans that identify potential sources of contamination within a certain distance (Zone of Influence) of where the well goes in the earth. Even though our town’s new well might only be used mostly for hydrants and building sprinklers soon, one day it will serve at least 25 or more people for 6 months or more per year. Here’s why that’s important to know.

    How our town goes about doing its own Stormwater Management is going to be an ever increasingly important component of our future Well Head Protection Plan. That means, activities of our Stormwater Utility District will affect how many and what types of chemicals and other things we’ll have to pay for to be tested and treated under WDNR’s new polluted runoff rules.

    Our town’s new well is in an area that has a long history of industrial/commercial/and agricultural land use. Time of Travel (how long it takes stuff to go in the earth, through the Water Table, into the Groundwater where potable wells withdraw tap water…) is not just affected by how much clay or gravel we have below. Some stuff is molecularly-heavier than water, and some migrates quicker or can make other things lose their ionic bond to clay which is just one way the earth filters what we drink. Our new High Capacity Well will likely be withdrawing 100 gallons or more per minute. That Pumping Scenario creates what’s called a Cone of Depression that l eventually over time will change which direction groundwater flows towards lakes & streams,how bad stuff could move into wells too.

    Everyone should be concerned about what gets in the Fox River and Camp & Center Lakes which is a Priority Watershed. The surface elevation in feet above sea level of those two lakes is basically the water that gets in many older shallow private potable wells of shore land homes there. The surface elevation of the Fox River is where my well bottoms out at and many other homes along either side of STH “83”.

    We have at least, 13 sub watersheds from just north of CTH “AH”, south to the stateline within the Trevor Creek Watershed which includes Camp and Center Lakes, which all together, is a sub watershed of the Fox River. The ponds all over here that are required to retain (slow runoff) and detain (settle polluted sediments out of runoff) will have much strict management requirements soon because the Clean Water Act allegedly DID NOT require sediment testing prior to final disposition or re-use of muck.

    Ponds keep runoff from being problematic to downstream wells within THEIR Zone of Influence. When there is a lot of land clearing for to make new foundations for buildings, roads, and utilities, they sediment-in quickly and no one wants to go through the regulatory maze of getting state and federal permits for dredging. This is because muck testing tells us where its safe to dewatered, if its then safe to land spread in parks where children roll in the grass and make forts in brush, or whether its wiser to land-filled it which is very costly to do!

    Muck too high in bacteria, heavy metals, and chemicals is not safe for bodily contact and inhalation of dust. If areas around the ponds are not required to be wide enough for machine ingress/egress and muck dewatering areas THAT ends up being a problem for pond managers and those who have to draft developer agreements. Making ponds of smaller width/length but deeper depth is NOT good because they end up functioning like an underground injection well, allowing pollutants into potable source water.

    Pond location and sizing are issues for some developers because they loose housing lots in which to profit. When you think about how much just one buildable lot sells for and what’s at stake, you’ll have a better understand why this has been and always will be such an important issue for municipalities like the Town of Salem.

    To get to the WDNR’s proposed stiffen polluted runoff rules, create a Wisconsin User ID so you can submit your thoughts electronically before the Public Comment Period ends, check out…WDNR Hearings and Meetings http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/hearmeet.html

    Clearinghouse Rule 00-025 ORDER OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD CREATING RULES http://www.legis.state.wi.us/cr_final/00-025.pdf This is an 87-page document with info that basically pertains to Source Water Protection activities.

    To create a Wisconsin User ID, through Web Access Management System (WAMS) go to https://on.wisconsin.gov/WAMS/home. The WisDOT has a similar Wisconsin User ID requirement. To submit your comments on WDNR’s Administrative Rules proposals after you create your Wisconsin User ID go to http://dnr.wi.gov/org/legal/adminrules.html.

    Lastly, I’m not a tree hugger as accused. I don’t want us ending up with the problem Antioch, IL has where their H.O.D. Super Fund site ended up requiring them to connect all their MC wells together to dilute whats there so as to be able to provide an acceptable consumer product (safer drinkingwater)! WI Gov. Canidate Mark Neuman that stiffed that municipality for infrastructure he did not pay due to his bankrupcy which resulted in a huge property tax hike for those residing in his “Cluster” developments off of Hwy 173 & Savage Rd. knows all about it as I’ve had to submit deposition against him a few years back.

    So pardon my techy talk, I’m tired of having to dummy things down for politicians and lawyers who want someone who can relate stuff to a jury. I’ve spent the past 14 years studied various local, state, federal, international environmental law, phytoremediation, phytomining, environmental forensics, plus human and ecological risk assessment so I can get a better paying job in toxic tort. To learn more about what makes me tick, search online AEHS, NGWA, IECA, ASWM, ASFPM, ASDSO.

  23. Chris Gustafson says:

    Since the comments posted to this article has turned into a Slap Fest of what Town Chairpersons should and can and should leagally not do… and all this hit the apex over getting public access to the MakingSalemBetter[Unoffical] website for inspection, let me tell you why complainers don’t know nothing!

    The WDNR has a Bureau of Remediation and Developement and the U.S. EPA and IL-EPA keep public records too that anyone can access during normal business hours.

    WDNR’s Bureau of Remediation and Redelvelopment in MADISON …maintain public records of toxic and hazardous sites through out this state. A guy by the name of Sam Essex (now retired?) was in charge of sending you upon FIOA or in this case Wis. Stats. Ch. 19 Open Records Request, legible copy of 7 different lists which you can purchase for a relatively small fee, that includes Kenosha County.

    These lists contain the sites where toxic and hazardous substances have been released into the environment. Such as, the “No Action Scenario” leaking of radio-active gas leaking from Zion Nuke Plant, barrels that allegedly fell off of trucks into road ditches containing substances that react with water vapor that when compromised requiring the evacuation of an area two miles in radius when the poly-over pack if there was one leaks, could cause the chemical to vaporize and has propensity to settle in low lying areas plus an affinity for human lungs, that can kill, upon inhalation.

    Some of the lists with specific data included waste sites where the WDNR encouraged land owners of municipal refuse sites to before 1977 so they do not have to monitor the groundwater (that was more of a a painting the stick orange than the perverbial carrot on the end of the stick if you ask me) , active dump sites, EPCRA emergency response and repair sites, sites pending listing on the National Priority List which are ranked basically by determined on how explosive a particular land parcel is, and so on.

    When you find such “sites” are within an area that can potentionally adversely affected your family’s wellbeing, meaning here that human health can be negatively affected either acutely in the short-term, or over the long-term by chronic ingestion…that might cause your kid to have Scalded Skin Syndrome or Radation-like dematitis, or osteomylitis (infection of bone that could require amputation) or any of the four types of Leukemia when not typically for the age of the “receptor” which is jargon used to pycologically-distance yourself as a regulator from knowing people are being poisoned, or cancer of the bone such as your jaw, or cancer of the Appendix, may be then, when you try to obtain copy of those publically accessible contaminated site record to see if the testing was done during high atmospheric pressure during a Bow-Echo Storm Event which can cause false-negative lab results due to volitle sensitvity of many toxic, carcenogenetic and hazardous, explosive substance known a “chemical constituents” or whether the sample was properly collected and preserved and was shipped within 4 hours with a trip blank, NOW I AM YELLING JUST TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR HERE …you’ll find you might have a time limit on your public record inspection, or that you’ll have to temporarily surrender your license as collateral just in case, because people have been known to steal the original record, AND THEN HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PUBLIC REPOSITORY BE UNLOCKED.

    When you get done figuring out what all the acroymns mean such a “Brownsfield” and “CERCLA” and “BRRT” and AFTER YOU FIND WHAT TIME OF YEAR AND AT WHERE ON THE PROPERTY A SAMPLE WAS COLLECTED AND WHETHER IT WAS HOMOGENISED WHICH IS ALLOWED, but dilutes soil,sediment, and water samples… and want copy of more than 6 pages of such evidence… you’ll have to pay, wait two weeks or more, drive back to that regional office whether it be in Chicago, Milwaukee, so forth.

    So maybe now you might understand why Gail A. Peckler-Dziki complaint after having chosen herself NOT to jump through the hoops that were emplaced to preserve the integrity of MSB collected, is really just a whole lot of whining for nothing, in unprofessional and unlicensed opinion.

    Do you REALLY think any of our incumbent elected officials or any of our want-to-be candiates for elected office have accessed, read, and comprehend whats on the WDNR’s Groundwater Retrieval Network, or US EPA TOXIC RELEASE INVENTORY, or the State Department of Health SEERS web database of breast cancer rates which showed in the Mid-1990s the ZIP
    Code for Twin Lakes has a high prevelance but zero population?

    Former US President Bush Jr. cut funding to US EPA by such a drastic amount it effectively CLOSED US EPA LIBRARIES! Why isn’t anyone here complaining about the blockage of public access and right to public inspection of those PUBLIB RECORDS!

    I guess you say next I must have job-related work-burnout.
    Give Me a break! Both sides of this Past and Current local town board issue have limited knowledge of what is and what should never be.

  24. Jim Valentine says:

    Hi Everyone,

    Has anyone noticed that the people who are bashing Linda don’t use their real names and the people who support Linda do use their names? Why is that?

    Also, maybe Ms. Dzicki would like to enlighten us as to why she is no longer covering the Town of Salem.

    Thanks.

    Jim

  25. Salemethics says:

    Thank you Chris, those are things people can understand. I’m not a dummy, but not everyone is as well read as you are nor do they care to read through tons of technical mumbo jumbo Keep it plain and simple and get the word out and people will listen.

  26. Chris Gustafson says:

    THANK YOU “Salemethics” for your kind words. BUT, and I MEAN NO OFFENSE HERE TO ANYONE (capatilized for emphasis in this context) people would benefit from obtaining a good collegiate word dictionary and a good collegiate science dictionary. Reason being, what I’d like to and could being saying that now requires many paragrphs to do, could easily be said with far fewer well chosen words. People need to help THEMSELVES before they can help others. That requires reading and looking up the definition to words at times. I would also like to point out, meeting attendance is not always required to find what some might seek. Although official records can be read that might not contain everything there is to know about a specific topic matter, it is a good place in which the clues given greatly narrow a search and help define what should be asked that is of importance.

  27. pete deridder says:

    I am running for the town supervisor postion i have been in the community for my whole life i have seen lots of changes i feel that it is time for a change i feel that there are some board members that arent there for the voters and that is why i chose to runn i will be holding a meet in greet at the community library in the next few week before the primary i will have it posted here and in the local papers please feel free to cotaat me via email at pderridder729@gmail.com with any concerns and anything i can do to help the voters of the town of salem thank u for ur time and please feel free to contact me.

  28. Salemethics says:

    I have no hidden agenda. I am neither for nor against any particular candidate at this time. My only goal here is to set the record straight, make sure the truth is being told and make sure the are some kind of ethics in our town. I will watch all five people on our board.

    During the week between Christmas and New Years I went into the town hall to pay my taxes. I was approached by Mrs. Valentine. She had a table set up. After some small talk, I was told that there will be two new faces on the town board after this next election and that she would see to that. I pay taxes for the town hall. I want to know why a current person on the town board is being allowed to influence votes there? Maybe I want the same faces in office or maybe I don’t, but how do other people feel about her swaying your vote in a place you pay taxes for? I was told by one of my friends that the same thing happened to him. How do the two people on the board feel about this? Another friend told me that when she was there paying her taxes there were two other people with Mrs. Valentine, Kim Bruenig and Terry Burns, soliciting signatures for their campaign. I want to know if there are people running against them were they given the same opportunity? Maybe they weren’t my candidate choices yet a place I pay taxes for is being used for this type of activity? Where are the ethics here?

    I have chosen to use these forums. The reason is that I am a member of Mrs. Valentine’s group. Only so that I can see for myself the things that were/are happening. If I put my real name here then you good people of the town would no longer have access to the truth and unethical things that are happening. I really don’t want to be ridiculed as others have been. Her group was not open to everyone.

  29. Chris Gustafson says:

    I have to admit, there sure are a lot of questions as to what is and is not allowed during elections. I’ve heard that there is a minimum set back distance from polling places when ballots are being cast. Absent such activity, I’m not really sure myself what is disallowed. A good place to try and find some answers to these questions is the Wisconsin State Law Library at http://wilawlibrary.gov plus questions worth asking those who do run for an elected office can be found at http://www.votesmart.org/index.htm

  30. Chris Gustafson says:

    Electors with questions about what forms are required to be on the Spring Ballot for Local Offices can learn more by going to http://elections.state.wi.us/subcategory.asp?linksubcatid=412&linkcatid=526&linkid=295&locid=47

    SUC AS….

    GAB-1 Campaign Registration Statement
    GAB-162 Declaration of Candidacy
    Memorandum Regarding Felony Convictions
    GAB-169 Nomination Paper for Nonpartisan Office
    IRS Registration and Filing Requirement
    GABIS-6 Ballot Access Checklist for Municipal Candidates where Nomination is by Caucus
    GABIS-7 Ballot Access Checklist for Municipal Candidates where Nomination Papers are Used
    GABIS-8 Campaign Finance Checklist for Municipal and School District Candidates
    Campaign Finance and Bookkeeping Manual

    ….This not everything available from the Election Division of the State Ethic Board….

    For an overview of statutes pertaining to local officials go to http://ethics.state.wi.us/LocalOfficials/LocalOfficial1.htm

    This website, and the information that must be provided on the Declaration for Candidacy form and other forms, TO ME ANYWAYS, seems to provide a good foundation on which electors could start to formulate base questions to which they might want to seek answers from of candidates for local office too.

  31. Chris Gustafson says:

    CORRECTION!!! the information I provided previously from the Government Accountability Board Election Division website whose home page url is
    http://elections.state.wi.us/index.asp is NOT FROM the election division of the State Ethic Board.

  32. Jim Valentine says:

    Salemethics,

    And we are to believe you don’t have an agenda because you say so. But you are too cowardly to use your real name. “Ethics”, right?

    How can you use “ethics” and not use your screen name and not give you real name? Seems like a contradiction. Read the Kenosha New VOP today.

    Kim and Terry were asking for signatures to put their name on the ballot. They are Nominating Petitions”. This is legal anywhere within the dates stated in state law. You weren’t voting. You were only saying you believe they should have the right to run. And you were free not to sign them. Kim is running unopposed. Terry does have opposition. Both Terry and Kim asked for permission to set up a table and Linda said yes. Anyone who asked Linda to set up a table was allowed to.

    Linda is the Town Chairman and she set up a table so that people who have questions about thier taxes, or anything, could ask them. She is OUT there talking to the people. maybe yo should ask why the other Board members don’t do it.

    You are accusing Linda of saying that there will be two new faces on the Board after the election. You have put her at a disadvantage because you won’t say who you are. She can’t come back and say you said this “….”. Not very fair, but then you are “Salemethics” so you must be honest and accurate. Right now it is your word against hers. But then you are Salemethics so we should believe you.

    MSB is open to everyone except the Town Board.

    And now we have it. The person who is giving us the truth and the decidier of what is ethical does not have the courage to use his/her name. No… this person lurks on a Message looking for stuff to divulge to everyone else….who can join the Message Board for free. If you don’t see the ethical problem here God help you.

    Jim V.

  33. valentine says:

    My personal opinion about elections is that a contested race ALWAYS GIVES VOTERS a CHANCE at choice. Contested races are welcomed, Uncontested reaces do harm.

    I have never said “I WILL SEE TO THAT!” How absurd a thought or inference! Certainly, no one person can guarantee such a claim! Reasonable people in general would have to shake their heads in astonishment for anyone to make such a claim. And those same people should question anyone even suggesting that another said such a thing!

    I wish each candidate, incumbant or not, GOOD LUCK in their race!

    Sorry, was I shouting? No, I was making a point. DID YOU HEAR IT?

    Self named ETHICS is suggestive, and maybe self applauding but not necessarily factual.

    Do you all realize that most of the comments attached to this westofthei article are OFF TOPIC? INCLUDING MINE herewith? But I could not resist countering an outright lie… I could not resist.

    The article was about, PRIMARY IN SALEM! Not, about water, not about Salem Grade, not about Valentine, but about the PRIMARY IN SALEM!

    Interestingly, if I am to believe the statement, S-E took some time to talk with me at the town hall. When was the last time you ever had the opportunity to speak with any board member at a time other than quickly and urgently before a board meeting? Did you have any concerns? Did you offer them? Did you request anything to be investigated, changed, considered? Did you use the time wisely? Did you discuss the upcoming election? Did you express any preference to an uncontested race in any of the open seats?
    Did you express any interest in why I was sitting at the town hall? Did you take a seat or rush out?

    And for the record, I have SPOKEN to each TOS candidate and have invited them to post their campaign material, discuss their platforms, field questions, etcetcetc. This would not be a new piece of information for thos who are on Making Salem Better because it was clearly posted upon my completion of the calls. Making Salem Better has always been open. It has been advertised on my campaign literature, on my political signs. It is now open to the whole wide world.

    Signage 100FT from the DOOR, not the property lines.
    Nomination papers are NOT campaign materials. omination papers are the documents used to initiate campaigns.

    Did you catch the editorial abut NAME WITHHELD in one of the print papers?

  34. valentine says:

    TOWN of Salem BOARD MEETING TONIGHT!
    7pm 01 18 2010

    Perhaps there will be some interestiing Citizens Comments –
    some statements of candidacy?
    some statements regarding platforms?
    some statements of how to be reached?
    some statements about meeting and greeting dates?
    Perhaps there will be some interesting, fresh and new faces for those in attendance to see and listen to!
    Perhaps the incumbants will take the time as well to stand and speak in citizens comments! THAT WOULD BE Fresh and new as well!

    Primary is as the article states FEBRARY 16th!

    PROMOTE the VOTE!

  35. Chris Gustafson says:

    Maybe westofthi could creat an open forum option like the online version of “another” newspaper, so any and all elected officials may view them if they so wish.

  36. Salemethics says:

    Great idea about an open forum Chris and thank you for the information you put on about elections. I will be doing some research on this tomorrow.

    Touche’! Sorry folks, I don’t lie and neither does my friend. This is what happens when you cross this regime and is the reason why I don’t reveal who I am. At some point it will be known who I am, but for now you’ll just have to make your own judgement. Better yet call the town hall and do some research yourselves. They don’t hide things there. They are there for all taxpayers. If you give them a chance they will be honest and give you very detailed explanations to your questions. We don’t always agree with the decisions they make, but keep in mind, they are doing what they feel is right for our town. We as citizens must figure out what we feel is right.

    Yes, this a simple article about the candidates, but when I saw the lies being told by Dr. Smith, I had to inform other honest folks about my research. The solution is simple, if lies aren’t told then there is nothing for candidates or the current board to worry about.

    Dr. Smith, every citizen is afforded the right to vote by the Constitution, without revealing the way they voted. Voting in the United States is something that is private. Every citizen has the right to vote as they see fit, without repercussions. Mrs. Tesar, every candidate, and person on the town board has every right to vote as they so choose without having to be intimidated by people like you. Neither she or any other candidate owes you an explanation as to how they voted. This includes Mrs. Valentine. She has the right to divulge this information. If she chooses not to, then that does not make her bad nor does it make any of these candidates bad people. It is their Constitutional right.

    I will vote for the candidates who have the best interest of the Town as a whole at heart. Not candidates who do someone elses bidding or has their own personal agendas. We don’t always agree with the decisions they make, but keep in mind, there are those who are doing what they feel is right for the majority of citizens in our town. You as good people and we as citizens must figure out what we feel or who is right.

  37. Chris Gustafson says:

    We all need to keep some things in mind. To every tale there is a grain of truth. Memory of events usually happens in reverse of occurence and is more profound, easier to recall, and more reliable when a strong emotion is attached to it. Original untampered audio public records makes for stronger evidence than do compressed, abreviated final meeting minutes. Things are not always as they appear, so judge not least ye be judge. Who I identify with as my community, might not be the same as yours, and there is nothing wrong with that. Until you walk a mile in someone elses shoes, you don’t really have a good idea what their journey has been like. We need to start respecting there will always be a diversity of opinions, it is one of the things that makes this a great nation. The rhetoric really does need to cease.

  38. pete deridder says:

    i would just like to thank the people who attended last nites meeting and heard me announce candacy. i would also like to announce another meet and greet at the salem library on the 2nd of febuary. i would also like to comment on one more thing and any one that has any questions to this feel free to contact me. how come the minutes take 7 hrs to type because some people put 16 things on the agenda under the adminstators buisness when it was the town chairs buisness. under are past town chairs rain the meetings lasted tell 930 we left at 1030 last night the minutes also took 2 to 4 hrs to type not seven and one more thing have to supply ur name for town minutes was brought up i think it is good either way but would like to point out to belong to a google groop that is sponsered by our town chair u have to supply ur name.

  39. jc says:

    For those who were not at the meeting last night here is some information. There are some people who complained about how long the agenda was. Yes it was. Alot of the things that were on the agenda last night are things citizens have asked for, never done or things discussed during another meeting and tabled. Linda Valentine was doing a follow up on things. Most of the time in the past what happend was things brought up during a meeting and then were tabled untill the information could be researched. Then what happens then is it is forgotten about and people are tired of that. Our chair is just finishing what was requested by someone or something not finished during another meeting. I thought many things on the agenda were long over do on getting the correct information. My opinion is a few people at meetings make it a point to make our chair look bad instead of sitting back and letting her do her job. I dont remember anyone ever doing this to our past chair. Things on the agenda are all things that I believe are business of the town not a personal matter as stated by some. Maybe if during the meeting answers are giving instead of being told they dont know it, items wouldn’t be on next months agenda. The agenda is put out in time for each dept to do there homework and have the answers for the meeting. But some of the depts come unprepared with answers. Ask your self why !!! Why not just come prepared, finish that business and move on to the next. Also ask why is it the only finger pointing is done to the chair person never any other board members or the adminastrator. If you believe everything you read or hear about the town chair she alone has caused all the problems in Salem. How can anyone believe that? Many of what has gone on was started long before she was in office. She will be in office for a while so maybe we all should start to work with her and see what she does do.
    We as a town have been put neighbor against neighbor and I think it’s time for it to end. How productive can we as a town be if this doesn’t stop. Maybe if some who complain as much as they do worked together we could have a great town. You don’t have to agree with everything. I don’t, but I still will work with who is in office .That is why we have elections.

  40. jc says:

    Maybe if you made at point to talk to the town chair one on one you get the honest answers. She makes herself available before EVERY meeting or call her email her if you really want know answers.Get the facts before you believe all the nonsence.

  41. pete deridder says:

    i have a question i was just wondering about the meeting the other nite about the adminstrators job description why is it ok for certain people to stand and ask question and not ok for others and one more thing the town meeting the other nite where the chairs husband spoke why is it ok for him to ask for an applogy but when she make comments and holds a meeting that is what i feel an insult to the adminstartor. she owes the whole town a sorry she issulted all of us and tryed to make us move backword instead of forward. and she should also appologize to patrick for the insults toward him

  42. jc says:

    I suggust you do some research before you make your statements

  43. Lou says:

    Jc you are correct, it is up to departments and elected officials to come prepared, they receive board packets several days in advance of the meeting, and they should be aware of what is going on in their community. If the average person does not do their job at work they couldn’t just say “oh put it off till next month”, they would lose their job. If they are not committed to their position maybe they should step down and let someone else in who wants to help the community.

  44. jc says:

    Who come up with large caps is yelling There is no where on here or any where there are rules using caps That is one own perference.I use caps only because it easier for me to see has nothing to do wirh yelling There are no rules on caps some thing someone started just a people use lol. g/f ,bbff or any other shorted letters

  45. Chris Gustafson says:

    For those of you who want to do RESEARCH, here’s a tip:

    To find & view publically-accessible online circuit court records of anyone who just might also being running as a Candidate in the Primary for Town of Salem Supervisor or any other for Public Office “google-search” there term “CCAP” …

    When the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) Access to the Public Records of the Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP) comes up on the “GOOGLE PAGE” click-on “SIMPLE SEARCH”….

    OR “cut/copy/paste” http://wcca.wicourts.gov/simpleCaseSearch.xsl

    to the URL address of your computer.

    Then, enter last name, first name, middle intial, and and change the query option from “25” to “50” just for time-efficency-sake.

    An estimated two digit month/day/four-digit year will work if close enough to the actual Birth Year, for example, 11/10/1985.

    Then do not forget to click on “Court Events” to glean additional information!

  46. JC says:

    Dr Brad You asked some good question to diane tesar But she must feel it not important for her to answer Wonder if she will be at the meet and greet to answer ?

  47. Chris Gustafson says:

    1. If TOS’s fire fighters are some of the highest paid West of I-94, do you think they should also have to complete 40 HR HAZMAT and CAMEO or better computer modeling training and certification if they are currently or want to be fulltime town employees?

    2. Do you think contracting-communities should be pay MORE for TOS Fire/EMS services?

    3. Once the new Public Works/Fire/EMS Combo Building is done and the living quarters completed, do you know how many more of our fire fighters will be full-time employees?

    4. Do you know if ANY elected public official from our community or another’s is financially benefiting from working on this Combo Building?

    5. Do you think ERU stormwater fees should be more site-specific and based upon ACTUAL total impervious area, land use type, and total square footage of area planted with true beneficial native vegetation?

    6. Do you think constituents’ keeping 100% of their runoff from leaving their properties and ending up in road ditches should have more than a 50% ERU fee reduction?

    7. Do you think a cost/benefit analysis of POUND OF TSS REMOVAL PER DOLLAR should be conducted prior to locating and constructing stormwater projects since this is a measure constituents can use to gauge how well the decision-making skills are of elected and appointed public officials in this regard?

    8. Do you think that residential properties with sandy soil infiltration ratings that are chiefly 1/3 of an inch per hour or greater should get an ERU CREDIT?

    9. Do you think all of the town’s highway and public works employees plus the town’s new administrator should become Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Inspection Specialists?

    10. Excluding undeveloped and ag land, our town’s permitted Urbanized Area 2012 TSS Fed/State mandated reduction goal is about another 17% and our town’s 2013 Fed/State mandated TSS reduction goal is 40%. How important do your think locating stormwater projects are to where the loading is going?

    11. How important do you think public education and public involvement is toward reaching the mandated 2012 and 2013 TSS reduction goals?

    12. Do you think the town should a seperate ERU fee that is based instead on rain-on-frozen ground, rain-on-saturated ground, and rain-on-hot ground 1yr/24hr. 2.4-inch designed storm run off events?

  48. pete says:

    hi the meet and greet for tonight 2/2/2010 has been cancelled do to the meeting at the town hall and a family emergency i have to tend to thank u and i will see all of u on fri at the meet and greet

  49. Jerry Leslie says:

    Salem voters, we need to start to change the supervisors, curently on the board. Linda Valentine has been making alot of changes that should have been done years ago. Instead the Tesar lead group was only interested
    in selling of salem one subdivison at a time. Not looking at the inpact on
    the infrastructure of all this building. At one point there were 1000 homes
    to be build in different stages. The Supervisor in the Jan. Meeting accused
    Linda Valentine of sending a letter out without them seeing it. and they said
    they have a copy. No one brought a copy. Linda Valentine said see would
    put this on the agenda for the Feb. Feb. meeting the letter issue came up, They the Supervisor spent 25 minutes on the issue and again no one brought in a copy.
    If I had a letter I surely would have it in my hand. Linda Valentine’s Web site
    It was open to the public before she was elected, It is a good web site. But
    with the undermining her from the Supervisor I believe she closed it to members only to protect her from the past chairperson and supervisor’s.
    Since she has opened it to the public only to stop the waste of time.
    Srart with a VOTE for Dan Campion for supervisor. Thanks Jerry

  50. valentine says:

    In this primary, TOS voters can vote for FOUR people to appear on the APRIL ballot..
    The vote tomorrow is only to define which names will be on the ticket for the April election.
    Primaries are interesting events.
    They give the newbies a chance to HAVE AT IT with the incumbents.
    They give the incumbents cause to make their platforms known.
    I can SEE, and WE can see, what has been done by the incumbents, so recaps are somewhat unnecessary. …
    I personally would like to know what WILL be done or what INTERESTS the incumbents have…just like I would like to read about the interests of the newbies.
    The videos on this westofthei.com are a grand start!

    There are 6 names on the ballot for towmorrow.
    We get to vote for 4.
    And, of the winning 4, we get to vote for two in April.

  • Follow us on

  • Archives