Lake Geneva's mayor suspends four on council

SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Lake Geneva's mayor has suspended four members of the Common Council, accusing them of neglecting their duties and violating open meetings laws.

Mayor William P. Chesen also accused the four - Penny Roehrer, Mary Jo Fesenmaier, Arleen Krohn and Thomas Spellman - of creating "inefficiencies for staff and the citizens," according to the suspension orders.

Chesen scheduled a "removal from office" hearing for Sept. 23.

The move came on the same day former Mayor Beatrice Dale and others launched a recall drive against Roehrer and Spellman, accusing them of not voting "according to the wishes" of their constituents.

Roehrer, Krohn and Spellman said the suspensions and recall drive are payback for their vote, along with Fesenmaier's, to appoint former Mayor Spyro Condos to a vacant council seat rather than schedule a special election.

Spellman said Condos' appointment gives development opponents a 5-3 majority on the council. That's something Chesen and development proponents won't stand for, Spellman said.

Condos also is the target of the recall effort.

"The underlying issue is the development community has been in control of the city council," Spellman said, noting that the mayor previously held a tie-breaking vote. "The council has always filled vacancies by appointment."

Chesen did not return a telephone call seeking comment Thursday evening.

Dale initiated a successful recall drive that ousted Condos from the mayor's office in 2001 amid accusations of unauthorized spending and other abuses that were disputed by the incumbent.