Lake park opponents acknowledge certain political certain limits

Muskego - A recall effort cannot be waged against two officials targeted by a group that has been fighting a Little Muskego Lake park proposal, a leader of the opposition said this week.

Lorie Oliver, a leader of the group Muskego for Ethical Government, acknowledged Monday that recalls cannot be held against Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti or Alderman Keith Werner because both were elected only last year. Under state law, it's too soon for recalls to be launched against them.

While Chiaverotti didn't vote for the plan but does support it, Werner did vote for it, along with three other aldermen - Tracy Snead, Noah Fiedler and Neome Schaumberg.

Whether those aldermen will be targeted in elections might come out of a meeting the group held this week, Oliver said. Of the three, only Tracy Snead is already up for re-election, starting with the Feb. 21 primary election.

Three other aldermen - Dan Soltysiak, Neil Borgman and Kert Harenda - voted against the proposal.

After the 4-3 vote to go ahead with buying two mansions to make room for the park, Muskego for Ethical Government filed a direct legislation petition Jan. 30 calling for progress on the proposed park to stop and a referendum to be held. As of press deadline this week, the Clerk's Office was still verifying addresses on the petition's more than 3,409 signatures. The clerk has until Feb. 14 to complete that task.

If there are enough signatures and the petition is in proper form, it will go on to the Common Council, which would then have 30 days to approve the resolution on the direct legislation petition. If that doesn't happen, the resolution will go to a referendum.

There is no word yet on whether the direct legislation can stop progress on the park. While the council decided to go ahead with the purchase of the two homes for $3.55 million, no closing dates are set. The homes are along Janesville Road just north of Pioneer Drive.

Oliver said there are just too many unanswered questions, including the ultimate cost and whether 4.5 acres is big enough for a park with a parking lot and access road.