My answers to Wausau Pilot - Kronenwetter Trustee Questionaire

 

Kronenwetter spring election questions

Email *

charneski21@gmail.com

Name and age

Ken Charneski

Occupation

independent business

Prior political experience (if any)

6 years Kronenwetter Village Board, Chairman of the CLIPP committee 2021-22, (reformed the Village building code to reasonable standards), Chairman of the the Administrative Policy Committee 2022-23,(complete overhaul of Employee Handbook, updated Village Policies, and employee wage scale to retain employees.

 In April of 2023 I was prevented from participation in any standing committee, apparently due to the personal political agenda of President Voll and his running mates. This is the first time in Kronenwetter history that a trustee has been treated this way.

What motivated you to run for office?

Some residents of the Village appreciate my diligence, objective thinking, and a willingness to pursue the Village's best interests, no matter what the personal politics and objectives of staff or others on the Board might be. I intend to continue to serve the public in this way for the benefit of the People of the Village.

What is the biggest concern you have about the way Kronenwetter's municipal government operates today, and how do you propose to manage that, if elected?

To keep the answer short, I'll say it is the inability since the 2023 election, of the Board to function efficiently or discuss issues intelligently. This appears to be due to petty preoccupation of the two new Board members and the President with some kind of personal animosity and resentment toward conservative, responsible ideals, and toward myself for representing these ideals. A good example is the March 25 Board meeting in which these two trustees went off on rants of numerous false accusations toward me, apparently hoping the publicity of this would then affect the outcome of the election. Politically motivated grandstanding like this has no place at a Board meeting trying to conduct Village business. However, that same disruptive spirit has surfaced at many meetings since last April, and it is embarrassing to the Village. I have tried to keep the Board on course to conduct Village business like adults, dealing with facts and issues for the best interests of the Village, and away from making decisions based on personal partisanship, or be led off into the weeds by irrelevant ramblings. As an offshoot of that, there appears to have been a total disregard for budgetary spending limits by certain staff members. But then, that may be because the majority of the Board as a whole does not seem to share my concern with the cash burn of the annual deficits, or holding anyone accountable for violations.

If elected, what steps would you take to put Kronenwetter on firmer financial footing?

About five years ago, I led the move to stop the habit of borrowing to to fund purchases or projects, as well as advocating working toward eliminating Village debt altogether. That is why you see Debt Reduction as one of the goals in the Village Strategic Plan, and it has been working out well so far. In 2020 I initiated and fought for the plan to refinance Village debt from 3-5% interest, down to just under 1% interest. This was also successful, and the Village has since saved at least two million dollars in unnecessary interest because of it. Since the trustee changeover of the 2023 spring election, I believe that village overspending has been a disaster. Over $500,000 was spent without authority and in excess of budget limits. That number may turn out to be more like $700,000, according to requested budget amendments. Overall, it appears that the Village spent close to a million dollars more than it received in revenue for 2023. We don't know exactly, because for some reason we will not get the 2023 year-end financial report until after the election. The 2024 is also off to a bad start because the budget has a $400,000-plus deficit already built into it from the start. I voted against that budget. Just as in 2020, I saw that refinancing the debt was a no-brainer, I now see with equal clarity that deficit spending like this will result in a crash-landing for village finances if it is not brought under control quickly. We need to take a hard line on cutting costs and staying within the realm of responsible budget management, not continually dipping into Village reserves. As it is going now, when capital projects come due, and if the money is not there for them, it will become necessary to borrow for those projects. If Village residents don't like the sewer rate increase they just got, they certainly will not like the tax rate increase caused by new Village debt. I aim to prevent any new Village debt, and I know it can be done if there is support from the rest of the Board.

How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our community and be transparent in your decision-making?

As a trustee, I have always had an open door for phone calls and emails. Public input is important, but not everyone will be happy with every decision. I try to find the most reliable information, and then to make the best decisions that I can with that information. I am not afraid to vote against hostile opponents, if it is in the best interest of the taxpayers, and I am always willing to explain why I voted a certain way.

How can Kronenwetter effectively tackle the ongoing housing shortage, particularly for people with low to moderate incomes?

Simply stated, the cost of things has gone up much more than the income of the working people has, making not only housing more difficult, but other basics as well. It is difficult to counter at the local level the deliberate plans and actions taken at the national and world economic level. That said, Kronenwetter has lots of land available. As mentioned above, we have a reasonable building code, and we also have a very low tax rate. All of these should be encouraging to anyone wishing to locate here.

What is the most exciting thing happening in Kronenwetter right now? In other words, what makes Kronenwetter such a great place to live?

I would say there is a lot of pent-up interest for development of TID 1 and other areas, that will be acted upon once the floodplain map is finalized with an ordinance. This is about a year behind schedule, which I believe is due to improper legal guidance, but I think out Community Development Director is finally getting it straightened out, and the ordinance approval is close at hand. . There are areas along Old 51 that will also be favorably affected once the ordinance is approved. This will all help increase the tax base and help finances. With the water treatment plant finally being constructed, I think for many, the day they can turn on the faucet and get clean water, will be exiting to them. Kronenwetter has always been my home, and even as farmland gives way to development, the Village has always had the relaxed atmosphere, rural neighborliness and traditional values that sets the Village apart from some of the other municipalities. We have newcomers from all corners of the country adding to the positive mix of ideas. Unfortunately, there are a few who move away from the cities for the peacefulness of this Village, but then bring with them the urban attitudes and values that they were trying to move away from. Criticizing their new home and wanting to change it can create cultural conflict with the long term residents, and all we can really do is to set good examples as being the neighbors that we want others to be.

How will you work to keep tax increases to a minimum while maintaining expected services for residents?

Since we are currently taxing at our maximum levy amount, and grants or other revenue sources are uncertain, the one and only choice we have is to cut spending. I believe that this can be achieved while successfully maintaining services if the the Board has the resolve to do so. That is why aside voting for me, also voting for Dumais and Hoffmann is so important in this election. The only other option, and I think this is the plan of the others, is to borrow to fund capital improvements and equipment, because the current deficits are eating up the Village's cash reserves.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I have a 6 year track record of diligent inquiry, financial knowledge, and practical decision-making at the village level. I have no allegiance to anyone other that the best interests of the taxpayers of the Village, and to the State and Federal Constitutions. Some people love me for that, others as noted above, not so much.