Spring Election 2017: Paris supervisor no. 1 candidate questionnaire answers

Voters in Paris will be able to vote in a contested election for Paris supervisor no. 1 in the spring election on Tuesday, April 4.

Each candidate was sent the same request for biographical information and a set of questions. Following are their answers:

Ronald Kammerzelt — Age: 66. Education: Tremper High School, Gateway Technical School, University of Wisconsin Madison. Occupation: Retired Pleasant Prairie Utility Superintendent. Previous elected or appointed governmental experience: Pleasant Prairie Utility Superintendent, Paris Planning Commission. Current Paris supervisor no. 1. Do you live inside any of the expansion areas that could end up annexed into Kenosha or Somers? No.

Joe Kolnik — Age: 60. Education: Paris Consolidated, Westosha Central High School, Gateway. Occupation: Farmer/Semi-Driver. Previous elected/appointed public office: None. Do you live inside any of the expansion areas that could end up annexed into Kenosha or Somers? I Live in Paris.

1.) Why did you decide to run for Paris supervisor?

Kammerzelt — I decided to run for Paris supervisor to complete and make sure the intergovernmental agreement is signed and in place and also to ensure that the people of Paris have a source of revenue for now and into the future.

Kolnik — After I initiated the injunction that halted the April 7, 2016 IGA. Without the injunction, Paris would owe Somers a fee of $1.25 million and nearly 100 Paris residents would have been forcibly annexed into Somers. Since I brought awareness to this issue, not only has the $1.25 million fee been removed from the agreement but a $3 million interest free loan has been removed as well. I spearheaded a Recall Election and defeated all challenges brought on by Beverly Mcumber the Paris town clerk. She was reprimanded by the Wisconsin State Election Board and was told to hold the recall election. I found that people were extremely disappointed in the town board.

2.) Why are you the best choice for Paris supervisor?

Kammerzelt — I think I am uniquely qualified. I am a former utility superintendent for the village of Pleasant Prairie. I know sewer and water. I am also a former farmer. I understand the issues facing farmers. I am also a developer, president of Kammerzelt Properties, and I understand how development works. I also have the experience with Paris to negotiate contracts and I in fact have negotiated many, many contracts in my years.

Kolnik — The Town Board has limited their information to the residents of Paris. The Paris town board cried wolf when town dump revenues had a dip in 2012, but like the federal government. Once they increased our taxes by not paying 25% of the county tax, instead choosing to increase the cash reserve from $16 million in 2012 to $21.6 million in 2016. Voters in the town need to be aware of the cost of this IGA that is being funded by the $5 million we have paid over the last 4 years. I would of not approached it in this matter.

3.) How do you feel the negotiations with Kenosha and Somers should proceed?

Kammerzelt — Once the documents are finalized and the agreement is finalized other than the attorneys looking over everything in a legal aspect, we will meet with the other entities, Kenosha and Somers, go over how the commission will be set up so that both Somers and Paris will have equal standing as to what develops and where it develops. Also you cannot say you are going to bring business to the town of Paris without having a partner unless you’re willing to pay their taxes. So this is the whole reason why we’ve partnered with Somers in the first place. The way it is structured now, you cannot just say you are going to bring business to Paris without having a partner unless you get rid of the money that Paris has, which you cannot, it does not belong to each resident. You can’t say I am going to distribute the money. It belongs to the town it does not belong to individuals residents, which the opponents seem to have a different idea of how that is. I have heard many, many times that they want their money. It’s not their money its the town’s money. So that’s important to understand.

Kolnik — I asked at the February Board meeting if there was any legal document in regards to the money that the Board announced that they would not pay and they responded they had No answer. At the March 28th board meeting they were asked if there were any updates promised by the board that they would keep us informed. Again they said there had No information but that the lawyers were crossing the “t’s” and dotting the “i’s. How do you expect me to form an opinion with no information? I’m not in the inner circle.