Another ethics complaint adds to Newburg turmoil
A new ethics complaint aimed at Newburg Village President Rena Chesak has been submitted to the Village Board, adding to the turmoil that has afflicted village government for months.
The new complaint comes from former village president Mike Heili, chairman of the village Ethics Commission, which earlier found Chesak to have violated the village ethics code by not recusing herself during discussions over the Newburg Fire Department’s contract with the village.
Chesak’s husband, Mark Chesak, is the department’s chief.
Chesak was not sanctioned because the village ethics ordinance contained no penalty at the time of the offense.
In his complaint, Heili accuses Chesak of having lied to the Ethics Commission during a hearing in April when she said she and her husband do not derive a monetary benefit from a fire department contract with the village.
Heili asked that his new complaint be referred to his committee.
The board met in closed session last week to discuss the complaint but took no action.
Interim Village Clerk Deanna Alexander said trustees will likely take up the complaint in open session when they meet Thursday, July 25.
The tense atmosphere in village government led former clerk Rick Goeckner and former treasurer Chrissie Brynwood to abruptly resign in May. Both said they felt unsafe coming to work because of the heightened tensions in the village, complaining they were being watched by a Chesak supporter.
Alexander, who also serves as a Milwaukee County supervisor, was hired as interim clerk last month to replace Goeckner. Treasurer duties are being handled by Newburg State Bank.
Alexander said Tuesday she and trustees have begun negotiating for her to become clerk permanently.
In addition to the new ethics complaint, Village Public Works Director Doug Neumann submitted his resignation on July 9. His last day in the part-time position is Friday.
Neumann said in an interview that he resigned because “I have a lot on my plate,” being the full-time public works director for the City of West Bend and a supervisor for the Town of Farmington.
Asked if his resignation was related to what has lately transpired in Newburg village government, Neumann said, “there are no hard feelings toward anyone in the village; it has nothing do with the turmoil going on. There is a good group of people in Newburg and I think they are heading in a positive direction.”
Chesak declined to comment for this story.
Heili did not return a phone call seeking comment.
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