Letter: Former clerk alleges misconduct in Park Ridge

Editor’s Note: The vote referenced below was a 2018 nonbinding referendum containing three options: rebuilding its fire department and purchasing newer, used firetrucks (45 votes); purchasing a custom-built pump-truck to fit inside its existing firehouse (89 votes); or dissolving the fire department and contracting fire services with the City of Stevens Point (74 votes). The village had just under 60 percent voter turnout for the election. The author, former Park Ridge Clerk Jeri McGinley, also references “two separate open meetings law violation complaints” below, which current Clerk Kathy Bemoski has no record of. The April meeting referenced below was postponed due to concerns over meeting in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic; village staff ultimately purchased and trained to use Zoom video conferencing. The meeting was ultimately held on May 4.

To the Editor-

Good government is not alive and well in Park Ridge.

Two years ago the village board asked residents to vote on fire protection options. One option was to explore contracting services from Stevens Point, which completely surrounds Park Ridge. The least popular option was to construct a building for our fire department.

Only 22 percent of more than 200 residents voted in favor of a building, and countless residents have spoken out against it since. Today’s village board disrespects those who disagree with it, ignores citizen concerns, and refuses to explore all of the fire protection options that were placed before the voters. In recent weeks, the board has rushed to finalize a contract to build an unpopular and very expensive fire station.

The board has kept residents in the dark. In its March newsletter, the village president told residents only that space and equipment issues were “being resolved,” while quietly making plans to hold the final vote on a new building.

In April, residents expressed concern about a scheduled in-person board meeting. The meeting was postponed and the board rescheduled a virtual meeting with little warning. Still, roughly 40 people participated in the meeting, and almost all expressed their desires to see the board slow down. No citizen spoke in favor of the building.

The board’s response was to vote unanimously to sign the construction contract.

The board violated state law by bypassing a required zoning committee meeting that would have encouraged public participation. The board also ignored its own zoning ordinances by sitting the 50×70 metal building in the residential district.

Two separate open meetings law violation complaints have been filed against the board.

We have gone from a debt-free village of 230 households to borrowing roughly $525,000, so far.

We are already seeing property taxes rise for something we truly need, our public schools, and now in the midst of great economic uncertainty, the board is adding to our taxes from projects that we haven’t asked for and have dared to question whether we need.

Jeri McGinley
Park Ridge