MADELINE ISLAND

NEWS AND INFORMATION

EDITORIAL

NEWLY ELECTED COWARDS? by Edward Itor

POSTED: MAY 5

Newly elected Supervisors, Ham Ross and Larry Whalen have now attend at least three Town Board meetings, yet no motions have been made to remove Carl Broberg, current chair of the TPC. 

In my opinion, this year's election was won solely on the issue of zoning.  Residents of La Pointe have been accused of being misinformed and not understanding the need for the changes being passed.  They have also been told by Town Chair Greg Nelson that they do not need to understand these changes.

These changes are so complicated that by Broberg's own admission at a public hearing this winter, it took him about 20 minutes to understand the changes that he himself was proposing!!!  Didn't he understand the changes BEFORE he submitted them???

Many island residents were excited about the change in our local government, yet no motion as been brought forth by either candidate to remove Broberg from the Town Plan Commission.  Do these newly elected officials think that Broberg is doing a good job?

Or maybe they are just afraid to go against the "cocktail circuit crowd".  After all, these people are powerful people with money and influence.  By going against them, one opens oneself to any attacks that they may launch. 

A good example of this would be the "complaints" launched by ex-Supervisor Michael Starck on the day after the election towards Michael "The Doctor" Allen, whom many believe is responsible for this website.  Starck's complaint against Allen involved property Starck assumed Allen owned, when in reality, he owns no property in La Pointe.

However, attacks like this are usually meant to scare others in to keeping quiet and it appears that it is working, at least in the case of Whalen.  Starck also launched a complaint against property owned by Whalen as well.  Could another attack by these people be in the works for Ross's property?

It is extremely disappointing that neither of these newly elected officials have done anything to try and remove Broberg from the TPC.  The others on the Town Board apparently approve of Broberg, despite his recent unethical behavior of trying to slip language into an ordinance that had already been submitted to the Town's attorney for review, hoping that no one would notice.

At this point, Broberg should have, at the very least been reprimanded, if not removed from the TPC.  However, as of today is still the Chair of the Town Plan Commission.

Perhaps Ross and Whalen are afraid of retaliation.  And rightly so.  However, one would like to hope that they would stand up to these bullies with the mandate from the people who help put them into office.

It's not easy to instigate change and it is even harder to follow through when the deck is stacked against  you. 

At least by putting this on the next Town Board agenda, it would bring the topic of Broberg's behavior out into the open and force those to who still support Broberg to defend their positions; positions that are not really defendable. 

I'm wondering what they are waiting for.  Every meeting that Broberg is chair, drives the Town of La Pointe closer to court battles that they will surely lose when challenged.  Who will end up paying for these legal battles?

The tax-payers of La Pointe, of course!

Would you like to see Broberg's reign of stupidity brought to an end?

Call or write Whalen and Ross and DEMAND that they put this topic on the next Town Board Agenda.  Apparently they don't have the courage to do this on their own.

Ham Ross:  715-747-6365 mrmuckles3@yahoo.com

Larry Whalen: 715-747-3442 membertownboard_lw@yahoo.com

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