Town of Waukesha hires Kathy Nickolaus to three-year contract as clerk-treasurer

Michael Sears
Former Waukesha County clerk Kathy Nickolaus has been appointed to a three year term as clerk-treasurer for the Town of Waukesha.
Published on: 4/25/2014

The town of Waukesha board hired Kathy Nickolaus to a three-year contract as its clerk-treasurer at its board meeting Thursday night.

The board made the unanimous decision after it met for just under an hour in closed session.

Nickolaus has been serving in this role for the last month after being hired by the board at a special board meeting March 18

Nickolaus, the former Waukesha County clerk, had previously said she didn't want the position past May 1 while the town was in transition with its clerk-treasurer position. 

But her contract now keeps her with the town through May 1, 2017.

Nickolaus is the town's third clerk-treasurer over the last few months.

Former clerk-treasurer Jamie Salentine resigned at the end of 2013 and her replacement, Jeanne O'Brien, resigned just a month after being hired. O'Brien left to become the deputy clerk-treasurer for the City of Delafield in March. 

With the April 1 election nearing and the town needing a clerk-treasurer, the board held a two-hour special meeting where they hired Nickolaus without interviewing her. 

Former town of Waukesha supervisor Joe Banske made the request at that meeting to hire her on a temporary basis. 

Nickolaus, who served as county clerk from 2002 to 2012, drew criticism across the state for not including votes from Brookfield in the 2011 Supreme Court race. She also came under fire for failing to post spring election results in a timely fashion in 2012.

She then decided to not seek re-election in November 2012 but sought a seat on the county board this year as a supervisor. Nickolaus was handily defeated for the District 2 position.

As the town clerk-treasurer over the last month, Chairman John Marek said Nickolaus has done "a fantastic job."

Marek said the town's clerk-treasurer position had been advertised and no one applied for it. 

During her first month, Nickolaus was paid $32 an hour. Marek said negotiations for Nickolaus' salary are now ongoing and her contract will be decided at the next town board meeting. 

Assistant Clerk-Treasurer Eryn Baudo has also been named the town's deputy clerk-treasurer. The town needed one with its deputy clerk-treasurer, Molly Roamer, also recently resigning.