New Bellevue administrator

BELLEVUE – After a rocky search process, spanning several months and two sets of candidate searches, the Village of Bellevue finally has a new village administrator.

In a special meeting April 29, the Village Board unanimously approved an employment agreement with Benjamin Krumenauer to become the village’s administrator.

Andrew J. Vissers, community development director/interim village administrator, said 15 applicants applied for the village administrator position during this application round.

“(Five were selected) to advance to the interview stage, but ultimately, (the Village Board) conducted three interviews – (because) two of the finalists withdrew prior to the interviews,” Vissers said.

Krumenauer’s anticipated start date is June 27.

An initial application process began in July 2021, when Diane Wessel’s – who started as village administrator in July 2018 – contract was not renewed by the Village Board.

The board contracted with Public Administration Associates (PAA), a firm out of Whitewater which specializes in local government recruiting, went through the application process and selected a finalist – Patrick Marsh – but ultimately decided not to execute a formal contract to him following an emergency closed-session meeting Nov. 18, 2021.

Since the village was still under contract with PAA, which stated that, if the initial recruitment process is unsuccessful, the village can undertake a second round of recruiting through PAA at no additional cost, a new application process was started.

According to the village’s website, the village administrator is the village’s chief administrative officer, appointed by the Village Board, and is responsible for the implementation of the board’s policies and priorities.

The job description states the village administrator is responsible for preparing the annual budget, attending Village Board meetings, recommending policies or programs to the board, keeping board members fully advised on financial and other conditions of the village, supplying the Village Board with information to aid decision-making and serve as a representative of the village.

Vissers has served in the role as interim village administrator since July 2021.

Krumenauer is currently the village administrator for the Village of Osceola, a role he’s held since 2019.

He obtained his bachelor’s degrees in urban and regional studies planning and environmental design and urban and regional studies, geography from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 2008.

Krumenauer later earned a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

He served as assistant planner/civil engineer technician/central services coordinator for the City of Oshkosh from 2007-2014.

Krumenauer served as the regional bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission from 2014-2016.

He became the administrator for the Town of Algoma in 2016 before becoming the administrator for the Village of Oscola in 2019.

Krumenauer is joined in Bellevue by his wife, Amber, and their three boys.

He said they enjoy day trips to state parks, popcorn and movie nights and bonfires with neighbors.

Trustee Jackie Krull said she’s elated to have Krumenauer enter the village’s key leadership role.

“Ben’s municipal management skills and staff development abilities will assist with long-range planning and retention of the most valuable asset we have – the team we have today,” she said. “Ben is well suited for involvement in our community activities and will present a confident image of the village to the community at large.”