Kathy Nickolaus hired to a three-year contract as town of Waukesha's clerk-treasurer

Published on: 4/28/2014

When Kathy Nickolaus was hired as the town of Waukesha's clerk-treasurer on March 18 she said she didn't want the position permanently.

Nickolaus, the former Waukesha County clerk, anticipated she would step aside on May 1 after getting the town through the April election. But a little more than a month later, the town board unanimously voted to hire Nickolaus to a three-year contract as its clerk-treasurer at its board meeting.

The board made the decision April 24 after it met for just under an hour in closed session. Her contract now keeps her with the town through May 1, 2017.

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

Meanwhile, Marek said Nickolaus has done "a fantastic job" as the town's clerk-treasurer.

Nickolaus, who did not respond to messages seeking comment, 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 on March 18 where they hired Nickolaus without interviewing her. Former town 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.

During her first month as town clerk-treasurer, 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's former deputy clerk-treasurer, Molly Roamer, resigned in February.