Recall process started for two Park Ridge village trustees
By Kris Leonhardt
STEVENS POINT – Several Park Ridge residents are petitioning to recall two village board trustees, citing “failure to represent the will of his/her constituency.”
At the end of September, the process was started to recall village president, Steve Bergin, and trustee, Gert Neuendorf.
Petitioners say that the board has failed to “engage the people or listen to earnest requests for more conversation or a different process throughout.”
Some of the discord surrounds the planned construction of a new village fire station.
“The board is not listening to the people of this village nor representing their will, especially as it pertains to infrastructure planning and future needs. We want a board that will listen to the people and work with them to find consensus within the village on issues like a new fire department building, rather than moving ahead with plans that only a small minority of residents support,” said Park Ridge resident, Joe Thompson.
Recall paperwork was filed by Matt Chitwood, on behalf of Thompson and several residents who signed and submitted a petition in summer asking the village board to slow down on the fire department building project.
“Now we are simply gathering signatures and talking to folks the best we can while keeping safe distance,” explained Thompson. “88 signatures are needed to file the paperwork, but the goal is more than just getting signatures and forcing a vote. We want people to know what’s going on and to have a chance to make their voices heard.
“Once the signatures are submitted, then it will be up to the people of the village to finally have a say in how to move forward.”