Town of Waukesha - A citizens group upset with two-thirds of the Town Board is close to getting the signatures it needs to recall Town Chairman Robert Tallinger Sr. and Supervisor Stephen Smart, an organizer said Monday.
The object of citizens' scorn - a February 2-1 board decision that paves the way for the City of Waukesha to drill shallow wells near the Vernon Marsh - is also likely to be discussed Tuesday at the town's annual meeting beginning at 7 p.m.
Joseph Banske, an organizer of Concerned Citizens of the Town of Waukesha, said members of his group have collected about 1,000 signatures on recall petitions since the effort was registered April 5. The group has until 5 p.m. June 4 to collect 1,123 signatures, which is 25% of the number of votes cast by town voters in the last gubernatorial election, Clerk Kathy Karalewitz said.
The reason for the recall, which must be stated on the petitions, is the officials' "negligence in protecting and promoting the Town of Waukesha's water supply."
The board in February approved a land division of a parcel along Highway I south of Foxvale Court that would give control of 13 acres to the city. Waukesha has plans for three to five shallow wells there as a back-up to water the city wants from Lake Michigan. The city is under court order to reduce radium levels in its drinking water, so the city's looking for a new water supply.
Residents have expressed fears that the city wells could adversely affect their private wells and harm the Vernon Marsh and the Fox River.
A third town supervisor, Everett German, is not targeted in the recall. He voted against the land division.
Tuesday's annual meeting agenda includes an item in which Tallinger will address those attending.
Tallinger said he disagrees that he has not worked to protect the safety of town water, but he said he does not intend to address the recall effort or reasons behind it.
"I don't want to start a war," he said. Instead, he said, he intends to tell residents that taxes didn't go up, the town is debt free and residents have among the lowest taxes in Waukesha County.
One topic expected to come up Tuesday is something citizens and supervisors might agree on - expanding the size of the Town Board.
The Town of Waukesha is the only remaining community in Waukesha County that operates with just a three-person board of supervisors. Tallinger agrees with citizens that it's time to change that.
The board last month had drafted an ordinance that would expand the board to five members, taking effect at the next spring election. It was tabled so that citizens could discuss it at the annual meeting.
"It will be adopted," one way or the other, Tallinger said.