Can Kronenwetter's new administrator turn things around?

We asked staff and board members their thoughts

Earlier this month the village of Kronenwetter hired a new administrator.

Peter Kampfer will become the new administrator, replacing Leonard Ludi who became the latest of a long line of village employees to leave the village when he resigned earlier this month.

The resignation prompted several employees at that meeting to specifically call out board member Ken Charneski, saying his numerous emails critiquing employees led them to seek employment elsewhere.

It was a fiery three-hour meeting.

But at the end of that meeting, the village hired Kampfer, who Village President Chris Voll said he reached out to after Ludi resigned. Kampfer had earlier been hired by the village but his start was delayed because of some legal entanglements his last employer was involved in. Kampfer eventually had to back out of the position.

Now Kampfer told the board that’s all wrapped up and he’s up to the task. As several sources pointed out to The Wausonian, he didn’t run from the three-hour, heated meeting. So he’s likely aware of the challenge he faces.

The Wausonian didn’t have contact information for Kampfer but reached out on LinkedIn (a platform I only use when I absolutely have to). The connection has not yet been accepted from what I can see, but The Wausonian hopes to sit down for an interview with Kampfer in the future.

Kampfer joked that he had been a track athlete and could have easily run away during the three-hour, contentious meeting. His hiring was probably the least contentious item on the agenda that evening.

The Wausonian decided to ask some board members and village staff members whether or not they thought Kampfer could turn things around, and if so, why.

Responses

Charneski, who had been critical of Ludi and called him unqualified following Ludi’s resignation, explained why he said he had faith in Kampfer.

Looking at his resume and work history, and experience was a start. Then his interview answers were great and raised no red flags. I believe that the entire Board felt the same way. 

The best in 20 years is not as big a compliment as it might seem.

Kelly Coyle, a board member who has sparred with Charneski on numerous occasions, agreed with him that Kampfer was a great hire for the village. Five of the six board members who voted for Kampfer’s hiring that meeting had been in the initial interview with Kampfer, he said, and that’s why they were confident.

We were very thrilled to find that he was still interested in coming to Kronenwetter despite our issues. I absolutely believe he can make the necessary changes to return a sense of relative normalcy to our village. I am sure he will face the same challenges and pushbacks that his predecessors have struggled to deal with. That being said, I believe his wealth of experience and personal demeanor will outfit him will deal with those issues while providing leadership for the village and protection for the staff.

And Kampfer’s response to the meeting ahead gave Coyle even more confidence.

The fact that he was unfazed during the last meeting speaks volumes about his character and definitely reinforces my belief that he will do an excellent job as our village administrator.

What about staff? Clerk Bobbi Jo Birk LaBarge told The Wausonian that she thinks Kampfer will be fair based on how he handled the May 13 meeting.

I have previous years working with the Department of Homeland Security where change happened daily, weekly, monthly, etc. Change is common in any workplace. We are excited and eager to have someone as well versed and rounded as Peter Kampfer come into our place of work knowing the challenges in staffing and the challenges between staff and a certain trustee that the village has faced for a few years now. I believe it spoke volumes that Mr. Kampfer did not turn tail and run during the May 13, 2024 Village Board Meeting. He stayed for the entire meeting and he listened and he observed. He did not cast judgment on either side and I believe that is because he doesn’t know the involvement or the degree to which the challenges of staffing have existed and still exist.  

Birk-LaBarge says that the current staff in Kronenwetter has become a close-knit group that looks out for each other and supports each other:

What I can tell you, is we have a strong group of staff at the village now and we all stick together, we all have each other’s shoulder to lean on, we all have each other’s ear to listen into, we pitch in and pick up additional job duties for current vacant positions and if we do not know the answer or how we should approach a certain task, we utilize our network and we school ourselves to be able to accomplish tasks and job duties we are not familiar with. We stay for the benefit of the friendships we have formed with each other and because we each know we have jobs that need to be completed to keep this village up and running.

She told The Wausonian that it’s too soon to know for sure if Kampfer can turn around the staffing challenges, but she says she and other staff are confident Kampfer can make a positive difference.

…staff believes, under his watch, he will implement effective strategies, and foster a positive and inclusive work environment. If Mr. Kampfer is willing to take a chance on our Village we need to be able to take the same chance on him but we need to do it together, in unity.

The challenges ahead

As The Wausonian has pointed out in its Big Trouble in Little Kronenwetter story, staff turnover has far exceeded that of other area municipalities. The most senior employee is the village’s Communications Coordinator, who started with the village in November 2021. The village has since gone through multiple clerks, finance directors, public works directors and other positions.

The village now faces a lawsuit — filed by one of its own board members. Charneski is suing the village, including Birk-LaBarge, former interim administrator Kim Manley and had included contracted village attorney Lee Turonie until a judge dropped him as a party to the suit. The suit involved what Charneski alleges are open records violations when Manley allegedly wouldn’t provide legal services invoices. A judge dropped Turonie because, as a contractor, he is not subject to open records laws that apply to municipalities.

Charneski also filed a Wisconsin Elections Complaint against Birk-LaBarge, alleging she didn’t follow proper procedures in selecting poll workers for a previous election.

That case is currently under review by the WEC. Birk-LaBarge wrote a response rebutting the allegations. The allegations are essentially that Birk-LaBarge mishandled poll workers for a recent election; in a recent filing, Birk-LaBarge disputes those claims.

All of that has led to a very divided board. And that has led to a lot of fighting over agenda items that might to an outsider appear uncontroversial.

That will make Kampfer’s job difficult. It was difficult for Ludi, and probably for many of the interim administrators (which included former Plover administrator Dan Mahoney).

But interestingly, seemingly everyone who is bickering is optimistic about Kampfer’s chances. Including Kampfer. But as always, time will tell.

Bonus: details from the WEC complaint and its response

Bobbi Jo Birk LaBarge, along with attorneys for the village, responded earlier this month to the allegations Charneski made against her conduct with regard to village poll workers.

Birk-LaBarge refuted many of the allegations made, including detailing how people she was accused of dropping from lists had themselves chosen not to participate.