At 8:46 p.m., early returns show Diann Tesar with a strong lead in the Salem town chairman primary with 171 votes. Second is incumbent chairman Linda Valentine with 93 votes. In third is Dennis Faber with 83 votes and Patrick O’Connell fourth with 49 votes.
These totals are with one of two polls reporting preliminary results.
The top two vote getters will compete in April to determine who will be chairman for the next two years.
UPDATE 8:51 p.m. — New totals: Tesar 199; Valentine 109; Faber 101; O’Connell 58.
UPDATE 9:08 p.m. — New totals: Tesar 216; Valentine 116; Faber 107; O’Connell 64.
UPDATE 9:12 p.m. — New totals: Tesar 247; Valentine 151; Faber 137, O’Connell 72.
UPDATE 9:14 p.m. — With both polls reporting preliminary results: Tesar 278; Valentine 185; Faber 165; O’Connell 79.
UPDATE 9:20 p.m. — New results: Tesar 318; Valentine 233; Faber 195, O’Connell 89.
UPDATE 10:33 p.m. — Unofficial FINAL results are Tesar 318; Valentine 233; Faber 195, O’Connell 89 (same as 9:20 p.m. update).
UPDATE — Unofficial FINAL results from town Clerk Cindi Ernest: Tesar 361; Valentine 251; Faber 219, O’Connell 105.
Please allow me to be among the first to congratulate Diann Tesar on her primary victory. Combined with the votes for candidates Faber and O’Connell, Salem’s citizens have given Chairman Valentine notice that her reign in office is approaching an ignominious end.
There are many reasons why our reigning chairman has lost the mandate of those who helped elect her to office. Especially significant is her arrogant stance on the incorporation issue for Salem: Insisting that she knows what’s best for us mere mortals– persisting to argue for village status contrary to the wishes of the people (as documented by the advisory referendum and her own board’s unanimous rejection of her incorporation campaign).
Insofar as the surviving supervisor candidates are concerned, I wish them all well in their subsequent campaigns.
Just remember our beleaguered fellow taxpayers. We are all in this together.
America’s “Main Street” economy is still struggling, with no meaningful relief in sight. We need to avoid unnecessary debt and projects that would burden the people with higher taxes and further indebtedness.
Thank you.
Dr. Brad Smith
The moritorium on annexation will end with the earlier writer becoming a new VofPL resident as 743 acres that now are in TOS are given to VofPL!
He will wave at TOS as he passes thru but he will WANT our low taxes – about a third of those in VofPL.
For those who dont know, TOS encompasses Salem, Wilmot, Trevor, Liberty, Camp Lake, Fox River, and all the open farmlands around these communties, less VofSL and less VofPL. Our lands are apx 32sq miles. VofSL and VofPL together are about 4 sqmiles. We, TOS, are 7times greater than the two villages together. VIOLA@! lower taxes due to bigger girth. Loose the girth via annexation, and the taxes in TOS will rise. The loss of our girth will add to the assesed value of the Villages who gain our property. THEY are THRILLED at the concept because their taxes will go down, while ours will go up.
The concept of low budgets and a greater assessed value and the resulting lower levy appears to be misunderstood by the earliler writer.
Tenacious. Passionate.
I sense elements of truth in both comments above. What I also sense is what Cool Hand Luke called “a failure to communicate.” Both arguments have points of merit. The problem that we have here is that there has been no attempt to get “just the facts, ma’am” out on the table and discuss them in an open, un-passionate, friendly atmosphere. It seems like every issue that comes up lately in our area polarizes people at one extreme or the other.
Instead of waging a battle of words via email, forum or comments on news articles, why don’t we have an old fashioned town hall meeting where all particpants agree to check their preconceptions, egos, agendas, etc at the door and have a fair, open and honest discussion without all the rhetoric that has become standard fare lately? That way, we can all make our decision based on the same set of facts and not make our decision based on who has the best sound bite.
And that goes for all the issues that seem to be hot button right now, not just village status.
Hi Darrell,
There was an advisory referendum back in November, I believe, and the electors voted that they did not want to investigate going after Village status.
Let me repeat, the electors voted NOT to investigate the issue. And it was Advisory.
At a subsequent Town Board meeting the Town Board voted to table the issue to some time in the distant future because of this referendum.
Again…. Yes again, Linda tried to show some leadership and some vision and was shouted down.
Now this individual decides to resurrect it again. He is like a cancer in the Town with no vision and no positive ideas. He just yells and yells and expects you to believe him just because he said it.
It has been brought up that a group of citizens could set up an exploratory committee, independent of the Town, to investigate the Pros and Cons, which is all that Linda was proposing in the first place. If you ware interested in heading that up I am sure you could find a number of people in the town that would be interested in looking into it with you.
Then you could ask to be added to the agenda and you could report to the Board what your findings were and offer a recommendation one way or the other.
Just one additional comment. The outgoing VILLAGE Chairman of Bristol promised his electors that their taxes would not go up because of going to a Village and he kept his promise. I have been over the Town Budget a number of times and I can tell you there is plenty of money in the budget to finance the expense.
Thank you,
Jim Valentine
Jim and Linda,
You both make me chuckle. One will tell a fib and the other will swear to it. Have either of you ever checked out the mil rate for a Village? Also, the Town of Salem encompasses, Wilmot, Trevor, Camp Lake and Salem, I’m not quite sure where the heck “Liberty” is, or “Fox River”(other than the actual RIVER itself), and I’ve lived here for almost 50 years. You may want to acclimate yourself with the Town you want to represent. As far as the referendum being “advisory”; that may be so. At the time of that referendum, THE PEOPLE that Ms. Valentine is “supposed” to be representing, said “leave it alone”. However, Ms. Valentine did not do what the MAJORITY of the PEOPLE said – instead she just switched it up a bit and wanted an “exploratory committee, independent of the Town” to investigate” things. She may as well spit in the elector’s faces. The electors were pretty adamant – they said “NO”.
If you want to be a GOOD representative for THE PEOPLE, I suggest that you LISTEN to the people – don’t talk down to us – actually LISTEN. I think you could do an awful lot more of that during Town Board meetings. Some of the Board members have the experience that they have because they’ve actually listened to the people they represent. And, I must say, it must be working – they keep getting re-elected.
To Chris: Amen!
To Diann: Congratulations!
To any who aspire to assume the very demanding position of Town Supervisor: Please be aware of the mandate to represent the people, the electors, in the most unbiased manner possible. Please keep in mind what Dr. Smith wrote. Our community, as well as the rest of the nation is still suffering and losing – jobs, homes, and the breakup of families. All of these people are not participating in this so-called recovery. The only recovery so far seems to be on Wall Street and the already rich. We need board members who are compassionate, not arrogant and, as Chris wrote, listen to the people.
Get rid of the Valentine’s this April and Do not Vote for Campion he is Linda’s son in another life.
These people are back on the street just like two years ago pounding on doors to get your vote. Handing out flyers for Campion and Valentine. With again mis truths. Zero Budget She had a no vote here if remember.
Too many lies from these folks. Like Damon says, friendly atmosphere I spent way too much time at the meetings watching Linda work with the Board. Or shall I say Dictate. Her way for Her People Only!! I am sure the board would work much better if all of her people were on it!!
Anybody see the news last night? Channel Six? Products of the Valentines once again. So Sue the town and who gets the bill for it??
Oh and let’s get this right… The Blame will go to Tesar Linda’s personal SCAPE GOAT. Can’t wait to see Linda’s article or one of her Flash Mob Websters in the Kenosha News!!! Yee Haa here we go again~!~!
Salem used to be a Town where people had Christian Attitudes and cared about each other, helped out when there was strife or when a Barn burned everyone in town went to help. Just like the flooding when I helped the Tesar’s bag sand with the Fire Fighters and other neighbors. Or when the Tornado hit the 100 homes. We all jumped in to help out. Who’s watch was that on? I hate that statement but if you remember you know the names…
Now let’s see the reply on this….. “Oh that’s what the Valenties did and what they will do!!
Yeah Right….. I sure don’t see it and I don’t want to hear anymore about how great the Valentines are….
Enough!!! Vote in April