Silver Lake Trustee Roger Johnson has been removed as chairman of the General Welfare, Buildings, Public Works, Parks, Public Lands and Library Committee by President Bruce Nopenz.
Johnson said he was notified of the move in a letter from Nopenz dated Aug. 25.
In an email exchange with westofthei.com, Nopenz confirmed the action and said it was prompted by what he saw as “poor performance” by Johnson. He declined to elaborate on specific examples “at this time.”
Johnson supplied a copy of the letter to westofthei.com that he says he received from Nopenz. In that letter, Nopenz said the removal was for Johnson’s “involvement in the Village Hall build out that were not done in a proper manner or communicated openly or honestly. I had initially chosen you for your leadership in the past for the Village and I’m greatly disappointed in what was done.”
The redecorating of the Village Hall meeting room took place late October 2014. Then police Chief Andrew Trudeau told the board he coordinated the remodeling, tapping donated labor with a total cost of under $1,500, the village’s limit for spending without bids and board approval. But a recently completed audit of village funds showed costs related to the redecorating of $3,666, The Westosha Report reported.
Nopenz’ letter to Johnson goes on to say that Nopenz’ decision “is final and a new appointee will be named as the Committee Chairman.”
Tuesday, Johnson said he had no connection to planning, approval or execution of the meeting room rehabilitation. He said he did stop by briefly while the work was being done after hearing about it.
Nopenz appointed Trustee Doug Randolph as the new chairman. Trustee Carolyn Dodge also serves on the committee.
A meeting of the General Welfare, Buildings, Public Works, Parks, Public Lands and Library Committee was scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. (Note: I was not aware of the meeting until 8 p.m. Tuesday — DH) The agenda included several items including discussion of the following topics: basketball court, ball diamond, ice skating rink, fireworks, shade trees on School Street and Christmas tree decorating.
Johnson said he was approached by Nopenz about holding a meeting on those topics, but Johnson felt it would be more appropriate closer to 2016 budget time.
Clown Village
Not 1 meeting was held by Johnson! Why would the parks committee meet in the summer when projects can actually get done???? Yet another village loud mouth (KE) blames the current board on Johnson’s shortfalls of no fireworks, no concerts in the park, etc…….Johnson is lazy, no other reason! A new chair was appointed and BAM…..A meeting scheduled! It’s about time SL pushes the old out and welcomes the new! Stuff might actually get done now without Johnson’s failure as a leader!
I would just like to remind the “Old guard” that they voted out the fireworks for 2 years…then Kathy Woods and I started Citizens for Growth and we stomped the streets looking for sponsors for the calendar that we put together and sold and after paying to have that done…ALL PROCEEDS WERE DONATED to the cost of the fireworks…along with several local businesses and families both from Salem and Silver Lake, we put on fireworks for 2 years. I was out at the beach in Silver Lake the last year that we did them and heard people complaining that they weren’t big enough, not long enough….WHAT DID YOU EVER DO TO HELP OUT!!!! IT WAS NOT THE OLD BOARD THAT PUT ON YOUR FIREWORKS…It was local businesses people and families that cared!!!! So don’t be crybabying Roger Johnson and his ineffectiveness…he never did anything to put on fireworks!!!!
Johnson has a history of not doing any thing but complaining. He is all talk and no go. That is why he has been removed and I hope never reelected. Johnson is still living in the 70’s. My complements to the new board. Thanks for showing us the right way. Do not forget about Dodge. She was in charge of the money when the remodel took place. She knew what they were doing.
It looks like Mr. Johnson was made accountable for his actions, and this case inaction.
The village knew at the time of all this ‘free’ remodel time and furniture purchases that is was probably not drug money that paid for it – and the Sheriff’s investigation proved that. Pat Dunn smelled at rat and asked for the investigation.
So Mr. Johnson says “I didn’t know” You sir were the Chairman of the Police Committee at the time! You could have known if you wanted to know.
There are ONLY three explanations: 1. You never asked (lazy and incompetent), 2. Knew and lied (dishonest), or 3. Didn’t know and never asked (didn’t want to know the truth). Not flattering choices on his part.
Same goes with Trustee Carolyn Dodge. She was the chairman of the finance committee which approves the invoices for payment. She had the same three choices as Mr. Johnson.
And President Sue Gerber led it all who also had the same choices as the other two.
The citizens of Silver Lake were lied to and the taxpayers fleeced by these three and others.
For Johnson and Dodge it is time to have some pride and think of your community first and say “I resign”. Let’s put this whole Gerber regime in our rear view mirrors once and for all. Time to move on.
@finally: Just want to point out that at the time of the remodel, Johnson was chairman of the emergency government committee, not the police committee. The General Welfare, Buildings, Public Works, Parks, Public Lands and Library Committee did not exist until April or so of this year, when it was created by Nopenz.
Please do this for your village. Read the audit report. You will find out everything you need to know.
more Silver Lake board members acting as puppets. If GG and others wanted to make changes to the Village so bad, why not run for office?
Has anyone taken the time to read the agenda of the committee in question. What I would be more interested in learning is where the money is going to come from for the items on the agenda? Increased taxes? From all the election flyers I was led to believe the village was broke. Does silver lake really need more basketball courts and baseball diamonds at the expense of the tax payers. Board members please just do what you were elected to do and act ethically, professionally and financially responsible on behalf of the citizens of silver lake. We just need peace in this town.
secret meetings, closed door deals, public being lied to or kept in the dark……. sounds a lot like what the current board was complaining about a year ago? Bernie sure is quiet about these things lately.