Lisbon reshuffle considered

Posted: May 1, 2012

Town of Lisbon - An Aug. 14 advisory referendum on the consolidation of the Town of Lisbon and the Village of Sussex is already having an impact on the town board's plans to restructure the town government administration.

The Town Board decided last week to renew for 18 months a contract for a building inspector that generally runs for three years and postponed a decision on how to replace retiring treasurer Rebecca Plotecher.

Town Chairman Matt Gehrke said that depending upon the results of the referendum he might want to restructure the administration of town government. Gehrke said he is anticipating another retirement in the Town Hall office later this year in addition to Plotecher. Gehrke suggested the Town Board might want to take advantage of the vacancies by considering ways to restructure the administration of town government to make it more efficient and less costly in the event there is no consolidation with the village.

Those plans could be affected by the results of the advisory referendum which asks voters whether they support or oppose consolidating the town with the village to create a new municipality. If voters support consolidation, any reorganization might be short term depending on whether the efforts to consolidate the two municipalities are successful.

If the voters reject consolidation, any reorganization is likely to be longer term since the Town Board is likely to explore governing alternatives other than merging with Sussex.

Town Administrator Jeff Musche suggested the Town Board may want to hire a part-time or interim treasurer from Manpower. Musche said the staffing agency may be able to provide a candidate, or candidates, who have municipal accounting experience. If the Manpower employee is qualified and performs the job well, the Town Board may want to consider hiring the Manpower employee permanently, Musche added.

However, the Town Board also instructed Musche to continue, and broaden, his search for other candidates to fill the position.

Plotecher indicated she could be available to assist the town in the event there was a delay in filling her vacancy. Her retirement is effective May 5.

Gehrke also suggested the board renew the contract of Building Inspector Bryan Oelhafen for 18 months rather than the usual three years. Gehrke pointed out that if the town and village consolidated, the town may not need Oelhafen's contractual services.

Concerns about the job security and future of town employees were expressed at the annual Town Board meeting last month. Ed Nelson, a member of the Plan Commission and the Park Committee, asked Gehrke what would happen to town employees who had faithfully provided services to town residents over a period of years. Nelson indicated he was particularly concerned for Park Superintendent John Grieten and his staff who have been credited for the development and maintenance of the town's 125-acre Community Park as well as other parks in the town.

Gehrke said he assumed the new municipality would want to select the most-qualified employees from either community to fill vacancies.