The Silver Lake Village Board approved the creation of a committee to make a recommendation to the board on an individual to hire as a part-time fire chief to lead the Silver Lake Fire Department.
Trustee Roger Johnson, the chairman of the Emergency Services Committee made the motion to create the committee. He presented the following make-up for the seven-member committee:
The three members of the SLFD would have one collective vote and Johnson would not be able to vote on committee business.
During discussion of the committee, Trustee Patrick Dunn asked that Trudeau be removed from the committee because comments he has made show him to be biased against some department members that might apply for the position. Johnson agreed to the change and said another neutral party will be sought to fill Trudeau’s seat.
When members of the audience suggested that creation of the committee should wait until present Chief Allison Draeger was done being chief, Johnson pointed out Draeger was not qualified to be chief under the department’s own standard operating procedures. The SOPs say a chief should have experience as an officer before being considered as chief.
Draeger was elected chief by the department membership this summer and began acting as chief after the resignation of Chief David Kordecki, who was appointed by the board in June. Kordecki resigned in July. The fire department had objected to the hiring of Kordecki by the Village Board with no input from the department.
No timeline for coming up with a recommendation on a fire chief was revealed.
UPDATE — Trudeau issued the following statement (via email):
“I assisted them in getting a municipal common hiring process outlined for the Fire Chief position and was a key role in getting this process moving forward. Now given the fact they want a fourth outside member to be on the panel to take my place I think that will be a struggle to get this accomplished. Getting that many qualified outside members to be involved with this process will be very difficult in my opinion. I knew it would be hard getting three Fire Chief’s on board given the political climate, but I had made good progress to try and make that happen. I do not think some people have thought through how much leg work needs to still be done to make this a reality. Since I have been taken out of the committee I hope Trustee Pat Dunn steps up to the plate for the village to get this task accomplished since he has taken such an interest in this issue as they will need all the help they can get to make this happen.”
How can he say he assisted in the creation of a hiring policy. Why would he be a key role in that process??? Why would adding an impartial 4th person be a problem. If he has already created the standards, they should be able to follow them, no matter who they are, right??? He thinks that nothing can be done without him. And for him to direct words to a trustee, essential one of his bosses, is uncalled for. He needs to be put in his place. He does not run the show even though he thinks he does. He needs to concentrate on his own department and stay out of the other areas business. He doesn’t involve himself with the Maint Dept??? I don’t get why everyone needs to stick their noses in to the fire department!!!
Sit back and take a look at the big picture here. When we hired a police chief (Kingsley), did we have outside police chiefs assist in the hiring process? This really just sounds like a way to make sure the board really gets who THEY want! Are we going to start asking other heads of maintenance to help with the hiring process of a new head of maintenance when that time comes? What about the police chief? Why didn’t we ask other police chiefs to assist in a hiring committee? It won’t be long and Silver Lake will only be run by those who can just all agree with each other, then head to one of the 5 bars or so and have drinks and laughs together. Silver Lake is a disgusting village right now. The board has created a dump! I forsee Silver Lake being a landfill in 10 years as a result of THIS village board! Let those who voted to keep the village a village live in their own squander. I’m glad I moved!
Seems that “Team Trudeau” is fond of using the “I” and “me” words quite a bit!
There was no “outside search” to replace our Police Chief………WAS THERE?
Were any outside candidates considered ? WERE THEY. Andy basically sat down with Roger and drafted the current part time police department positions that we have. Now he wants to dictate how the fire department position should be filled. Read his email again…..full of his own assumptions and arrogance. This is the guy that’s going to help get our village back on track again? Keep that bullet in your pocket, Andy.
Thanks Pat for your honesty. I believe you are the only board member with the citizens best interests at heart.
Is it Bernard or Pat Dunn?
I have been reading your posts for quite some time now.
Why don’t you run for the board ,if you want to have the input you seem to crave. It seems that Trudeau is doing the best job he can, considering that no one in your village can agree on anything let alone someone that will hold a position in power. It looks like all some of YOU just want to keep things the same out there. Whatever was happening, it didn’t work, otherwise there wouldn’t be all the slurs and potshots and Disolve nonsense at the people that are trying to get things done.
You remind me of a spoiled child that holds on to all his toys and refuses to see himself as others see him.
Grow up , Dunn or Pugsley or whatever name you want to hide behind today and start making some meaningful contributions to to problems of your village, instead of the sniping you seem so good at, or just move out where you can be happier. Life is too short to be wound up in yourself . You keep thinking you are more important than you really are. Trudeau is not perfect, but at least he is trying to do something constructive.
@James Hansen: Well James, you;’ve added some real insight into our problems here in Silver Lake, lambasting both Pat Dunn and myself. Pretty apparent you are a member of the Andy Trudeau fan club. What solutions have you proposed? To accuse “us” of “trying to keep things the same out there”(your words, not mine, is LUDICROUS!!!!!) Speaking of “slurs and potshots”….have you EVER attended a board meeting and listened to the “red jackets” and their ilk screaming at citizens and board members? Where you ever there when our former police chief was ordered to attend the meetings just to keep the peace? You accuse me of “sniping”….read your post again and tell me you are following the “if you can’t say something nice about someone, don’t say anything” advice that our mothers all taught us. “Life is too short to be wound up in yourself”…James, you need to UNWIND!!!
I remain….”Bernard”…..(or Jeff, or Pat….or Larry, Curley, Moe…..)
So James Hansen thinks that Pat Dunn is “Bernard”…..well ain’t that a hoot!!
@James Hansen…..since this article focused on the Fire Chief selection process(or lack thereof!) in Silver Lake, why don’t you ask the Police Chief what happened to that process? Is it still in place? Is the village still planning on naming a Fire Chief? They steadfastly REFUSE to appoint Fire Chief Allie Draeger to the position, Roger Johnson has made is clear he will not support her….what happened to the selection process? James..got any answers for that?
@James Hansen….just curious….do you have paramedic level service where you live? If not, why wouldn’t you want it? Do you have a local fire department, do they have a Fire Chief. Name one fire department in Kenosha County that does NOT have a Fire Chief. Ask yourself WHY is the Police Chief in Silver Lake trying to DICTATE how the Silver Lake Fire Chief is selected? What happened to the selection process? Why hasn’t the Village Board recognized Chief Draeger? Why is there a “revolving door” with previous Fire Chiefs leaving? Awaiting your answers, James. And please try not to include any “slurs or potshots’ in your response. My ego is fragile enough as it is. PS….if you are looking for any answers to my questions, stop in at SLRS, or talk to any of their annointed board members.
Don’t let Bernard rattle you,,, he and the other sour losers of town don’t understand the difference between someone who is trained and qualified to do their job versus someone who is a glorified volunteer. Ms. Draeger has neither the training nor the qualifications to be a chief of anything.
@James Hansen “don’t let Bernard rattle you”…..ah….a little too LATE for that!
Let’s say you are 100% CORRECT that “there is a difference between someone who is trained and qualified to do their job versus someone who is a glorified volunteer”..your words, not mine. Apply your logic to our Village Board President position……is she “trained and qualified” to do the job? Could a professional administrator do a better job? As to your inference that Chief Draeger is a “glorified volunteer”…….just WHO are YOU going to call when your house is on fire? I’d be most interested to hear your answer to that@@@@ As for Chief Draeger’s “training and qualifications” not meeting YOUR STANDARDS, I’ve seen her resume. Not only is she HIGHLY QUALIFIED to hold her current position as Fire Chief, she is HIGHLY DEDICATED as well. And she has the support of her troops and MANY of our villagers. Like the credit card commerical goes “I’ll ask you again….who are YOU going to call when your house is on fire”?????