April 20, 2023 at 11:31 a.m.
New era in Newbold to begin April 27
Kroll and Sueflohn bid farewell
New era in Newbold to begin April 27
By Trevor Greene-
Town chairman Dave Kroll and town supervisor Mike Sueflohn attended their final regular board meeting on April 13. Both are retiring from town government, Kroll after 24 years, Sueflohn after nine.
Wisconsin Towns Association director of District 4, Kevin Koth was in attendance April 13 to present Kroll with a certificate commemorating his many years of public service.
"The reason I'm here is to present your chair with a certificate for 20 years of service," Koth said. "Which is awesome because it's hard to find people to do these jobs, because it's pretty much thankless to do it."
Jokingly, Kroll told Koth it took him the roughly two decades he served to find someone willing to replace him.
That person is town supervisor Dan Hess who ran unopposed during this last election cycle.
Koth congratulated Hess and the other two new town supervisors, Petra Pietrzak and Scott Ridderbusch, who will replace Sueflohn and Jim Staskiewicz. The new town officers will begin their terms on April 27.
Staskiewicz resigned in February following his arrest by the Oneida County sheriff's office on an election fraud charge tied to his re-election effort.
"Thanks for stepping up," Koth told the two new supervisors. "Because it's pretty much a thankless job. If you get one or two thanks in a year, you're doing good."
The certificate presented to Kroll,certifies that he served as Newbold's town chairman "with diligence, honesty and integrity."
During his plan commission report, in which he served as chairman for seven years, Sueflohn said he wanted to thank everyone "for putting up with" him.
"It's truly been an education and a real pleasure," he said. "So thank you all very much."
"On behalf of the people of Newbold, I thank you for your service and dedication to this town," Kroll said. "Not only as a supervisor, but as both a member and a chairman for many years of the plan commission. You have certainly made our job much easier at this table and that is appreciated."
Sueflohn received a round of applause from the board and others who were in attendance.
Hess will take over Sueflohn's seat as plan commission chairman. He noted if anyone is interested in serving on the plan commission, they should contact him.
Sueflohn, whose family has been part of the Newbold community since 1977, indicated how much he'll miss being involved with local government.
"I'm gonna miss it a great deal," Sueflohn told The Lakeland Times after the meeting. "I'd like to explain what the privilege has been like to serve the people of Newbold, but I really couldn't put it into words. It's really awesome."
Kroll expressed similar sentiments and admitted to the Times he has mixed emotions following his last regular board meeting.
"I've been chairman for 20 years, I've been with the board for 24, you can't just walk away from that without missing some of the aspects of that," he said. "It's been an honor, a true honor to serve the people of Newbold. But we all have to understand our limitations and be able to accept it."
Kroll said there comes a time when a person needs to step down for the next person to take over and bring "fresh ideas." He said the people will be what he misses most.
With regard to Hess taking over as next chairman, Kroll said this is the second time he "left a job and left him (Hess) behind."
"When I retired from the sheriff's office, my last day, he's the one who took me home," he said. "I am absolutely 100 percent comfortable with this transition and who the new board members are who will be managing this town on the behalf of these people. And every one of them is top shelf."
Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].
Comments:
You must login to comment.