By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
ASHWAUBENON – The village board is down to five trustees following the recent resignation of Ken Bukowski after more than 11 years on the board.
His resignation was effective July 10 and came two days after Allison Swanson resigned as the village manager, a position she held since 2011.
When contacted for comment, Bukowski indicated the departure of Swanson, who five months earlier received a vote of no confidence from the Ashwaubenon Public Safety Officers’ Association (APSOA), led to his decision to leave the board before his term expired next April.
“What happened to Allison is unconscionable and a disaster for this community,” Bukowski said.
One of the complaints the APSOA had about Swanson related to Bukowski being involved in a disturbance reported last September when he was accused of yelling at a woman because garbage cans along Commanche Avenue were left out for more than five days, longer than allowed by village code.
According to records released by the APSOA, Swanson contacted the Public Safety Department’s then head of internal affairs, Capt. Jody Crocker, to request no charges be brought against Bukowski, though her position had no law enforcement or prosecution authority.
He wasn’t charged for his involvement in the disturbance.
Bukowski, who represented Wards 9 and 10, was re-elected to a new three-year term in April 2018.
Filling vacancy
The remaining six board members, including Village President Mary Kardoskee, agreed Tuesday, July 28, to fill the vacancy created by Bukowski’s resignation by publishing a notice in The Press Times as well as posting the vacancy on the village’s website and subsequently accepting applications/resumes.
At their Aug. 25 meeting, board members may interview all qualified candidates and subsequently select a candidate to appoint at that time to serve the remainder of term expiring next April.
With seven members on the board all present, that could prevent them from deadlocking in a tie, as occurred Tuesday when two motions failed on 3-3 votes related to the Green Bay Packers seeking to construct screening on the north end of Clarke Hinkle Field to prevent people from spying on practices from the second floor of the Resch Expo now under construction.
“That would be the only reason I’d say we’d have to fill it is for voting reasons,” said Trustee Gary Paul, who represents Wards 3 and 4.
Another board member indicated he will be resigning later this year.
Trustee Michael Malcheski, who represents Wards 11 and 12, said he is building a new home outside his district and will probably be resigning in August or September.
“We need to be consistent… filling the vacated seats,” he said.
Malcheski, whose current term also expires next April, has been on the board for more than eight years.