My Suggested 2020 Code of Conduct, and the Drama it Created

Back in March of 2026, a reporter's questionnaire for trustee candidates included this question -"What do you see as the most important issue facing Kronenwetter over the next five years, and how would you address it as a member of the village board?"

My answer was (with added emphasis):

"I guess that since we have covered a lot of topics already, I would have to say that what Kronenwetter needs is a fundamental upgrade in ideals and PRINCIPLES to operate by.

We have had at least three ethics codes, and they have failed because they were created for unethical and politicized reasons. Fundamental principles are not like an "ethics code", or mission statement.

A good set of principles embedded into a code of conduct would be a guide to decision making. not a political weapon. Clear basic principles makes decision making better and easier because it eliminates all the mind clutter of typical politics, factions, etc."

   Kronenwetter's government, being in my opinion, currently corrupted by factionalization, self-interest, and personal and/or political animosity, seems far worse than it ever was, and I think this is saying a lot.

   As we see above, after just a few months of the Davel/Joling partnership, it was already starting to boil over, and I identified it as the single most important problem for the Village Board to deal with. The apparent absolute farce of recent events and Village Board decisions shows that I was right, even though I wish I hadn't been.

This was not my first cry in the wilderness for integrity in an honest, intelligent government. In 2020 Kronenwetter was considering changing the Ethics Code in the ordinance.  Here is what I submitted as a replacement for what was on the books at the time:

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“Standards of Conduct for Village Officials and Employees” 

ANY PERSON IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE IS EXPECTED TO: 

I. Put loyalty to the highest moral, Constitutional, and ethical principles above loyalty to persons, or personal gain or advantage.  

II. Fulfill their oath of office by defend the Constitution and uphold its principles, and all laws and legal regulations derived thereof, and never be a party to their evasion. 

III. Give a full day’s labor for a full day’s pay; providing full value to the taxpayer by performing duties with complete and diligent effort and best use of time. 

IV. Seek to find and employ more efficient and economical ways of getting tasks accomplished. 

V. Never discriminate unfairly by the dispensing of special favors or privileges to anyone, whether for remuneration or not; and never accept, for himself or his family, favors or benefits under circumstances which might be construed by reasonable persons as influencing the performance of his governmental duties. 

VI. Make no private promises of any kind binding upon the duties of office, since the Government employee has no private word which can be binding on public duty. 

VII. No public employee may use their position to influence village board or committee/board decisions by any means other than those available to non-employee village residents. 

VIII. Engage in no business with the Government, either directly or indirectly, which is inconsistent with the conscientious performance of his governmental duties. 

IX. Never use confidential village information acquired in the performance of governmental duties as a means for making private profit. 

X. Report to the village board any corruption, or waste or abuse of money, material, or time; wherever discovered, and encourage and support others who do the same. 

XI. Uphold these principles, ever conscious that public office is a public trust. Every official and employee is individually responsible for their actions to the end that they serve the public good. 

   _________________________________________

   That draft seemed to cause all kinds of consternation when I presented it to the APC Committee, and they dismissed it by saying "it was just opinion"; I just "made it all up". I said it was all based on the (then) current ethics code, state statute, and the Wisconsin Constitution.

   The committee requested that I bring it back to the next meeting, showing that fact, which I did, as you can see below. 

   Obviously that Standard of Conduct was never approved.

  Think of how much better off the Village would now be, if it had adopted and abided by these eleven, very basic standards.

   Below is the packet report followed by the above Standards annotated as they had requested, along with my comments at that time.

Communication-From Ken Charneski 

As I mentioned at the last APC meeting, this document is a synopsis of the main points of the village ethics code, and would work for posting on village bulletin boards as per 54-8. It is renamed as a “standard of conduct” to avoid any frivolous ethics complaints that Trustee Eiden was concerned about. 

Due to the umbrage taken by some committee members, apparently asserting that I simply “made up” some of these itemized concepts, I have cited some of the village code sub-sections, and ethics statutes that the list was derived from. I did not exhaust all sources, but I think I have enough here to document that this is not some kind of arbitrary wish list on my part, as the tone of the comments seemed to be.  

Summary of Village of Kronenwetter Code of Ethics for Government Service 

“Standards of Conduct for Village Officials and Employees” 

ANY PERSON IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE IS EXPECTED TO: 

I. Put loyalty to the highest moral, Constitutional, and ethical principles above loyalty to persons, or personal gain or advantage.  54.4, 19.59 (1), 946.11, I’m surprised at the emphatic opposition to this one. 

II. Fulfill their oath of office by defend the Constitution and uphold its principles, and all laws and legal regulations derived thereof, and never be a party to their evasion. 54-1, 54-3, 54-4, 54-5 again, why the opposition to something so basic? 

III. Give a full day’s labor for a full day’s pay; providing full value to the taxpayer by performing duties with complete and diligent effort and best use of time. 54-1, 54-5, 946.12 

IV. Seek to find and employ more efficient and economical ways of getting tasks accomplished.  54-1,19.59 1 (m)  This becomes an ethical issue when we are spending other people’s money.  From a management standpoint – the VB is top management and this exactly how they can promote an ethical and efficient management policy at the same time. 

V. Never discriminate unfairly by the dispensing of special favors or privileges to anyone, whether for remuneration or not; and never accept, for himself or his family, favors or benefits under circumstances which might be construed by reasonable persons as influencing the performance of his governmental duties. 54-7 (c ), 946.11, 946.12 

VI. Make no private promises of any kind binding upon the duties of office, since the Government employee has no private word which can be binding on public duty. 54-6 B, 54-7 C (1-4), 946.12, 19.59 1 (a), (d) 

VII. No public employee may use their position to influence village board or committee/board decisions by any means other than those available to non-employee village residents. 54-1, 54-5, 54-6 B, 54-7 A (4) 

Page 143 of 207

VIII. Engage in no business with the Government, either directly or indirectly, which is inconsistent with the conscientious performance of his governmental duties.  54-7 A (1), (4),  54-1, 54-5, 54-6 B,  

IX. Never use confidential village information acquired in the performance of governmental duties as a means for making private profit.  54-7 B 

X. Report to the village board any corruption, or waste or abuse of money, material, or time; wherever discovered, and encourage and support others who do the same.  54-5, 54-6 A 

XI. Uphold these principles, ever conscious that public office is a public trust. Every official and employee is individually responsible for their actions to the end that they serve the public good. 54-1, 54-4 

Of course, one way or another they would all fall under the Wisconsin Constitution ethical precepts  that are present in the preamble and  Art I, Sections 1 and 22.