On 11.25.2009 Walworth County Judge Gibbs in a pretrial conference of a lawsuit filed against Mayor Chesen came to an agreement that all the elected alderpersons that the Mayor “suspended” from office in September 2009 would be returned so the “ city could present united front in the event or the face of litigation in federal court.”
In the Court’s own words: “Everyone agreed it would be an appropriate lubricant if I were to give Mr. Condos a call and I will tell you this that Mr. Condos graciously, for the good of the city, indicated that he would tender his resignation as First District alderman with the proviso that it only need be in such a fashion that would allow him to be eligible to run for the First District aldermanic position and/or mayor…”
Of course this agreement did not come easily. To begin with the pretrial conference was originally to take place on 11.16.2009, but Mayor Chesen couldn’t attend due to a trip to Florida . Then someone (it is not yet clear who) contacted Wisconsin’s Attorney General to try to scuttle the whole mediation, claiming it would be a violation of the open meeting law. In the past Mayor Chesen has contacted the Attorney General and the Walworth Co. District Attorney to try to get them to charge the four alderpersons he had suspended with an open meeting violation; both declined his request, despite the fact that they do prosecute open meeting violations.
At the city budget hearing on 11.30.2009 Mayor Chesen and District One Alderman Krause tried to convince the city council to hold a special election for the now vacated Aldermanic District One prior to the April 2010 general election, contrary to the court agreement. The council voted unanimously to hold the election in April. Alderman Krause is up for reelection in April.
Mayor Chesen being Chesen couldn’t help himself by including in his order, rescinding his suspensions, taking a dig at his political opposition by calling the appointment of Spyro Condos “illegal” and stating that Mr. Condos agreed to resign his seat “based on his improper appointment”. No court, prosecutor, or any of the three Attorneys representing Lake Geneva in this matter has ever found that Mr. Condos was appointed illegally or improperly. They are innocent, just like every American, until proven guilty in a court of law.
In his resignation Spyro Condos, not to be out done, got some digs in about filling past vacancies at the City Council and School Board. Stating that Bill Chesen,Ron Weber, Dick Folman,Bob Fleming, Pete Bolt, Gary Dunham (twice), Todd Krause had been appointed to the City Council and Bea Dale, who is behind the current recall against Alderperson Spellman and Mr. Condo’s recall when he was Mayor, was appointed to the school board without a special election.
What an absolute crock.
I’m an outside observer in all this, not having lived in LG for some time, and I don’t have strong feelings for or against Bill or Speedo. But frankly, Speedo has by far been the classier actor in this melodrama. And that should be very scary to Chesen’s supporters.
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