Proclamation Recognizing First Responders & Village Staff For Actions During August 2025 Flooding. Mystery Of Missing Manhole Unsolved.

President Soderberg Announces That Special Counsel Finds NO Statutory Ethical Violations By Anyone. Matter Is Closed.

From agenda packet.

9/15/2025 Village Board Meeting Agenda Packet here.

Recording starts here. President’s report: President Soderberg reflects on the dreadful events of the past week with school shootings, a subway stabbing in NC and an assassination of a prominent youth leader, Charlie Kirk, in Utah. He pledges to engage in meaningful conversations without silencing dissent, and act with positive intent.

He provides an update on roads, water main repairs at County Line, sidewalk repairs amongst other activities. He mentions that the plan commission will be moving forward with the 2050 neighborhood meetings, finally, and creating a policy on multi-family housing. FEMA has been released to provide funds for flood victims and may apply for assistance. A resolution recognizing the emergency responders and village staff is on the agenda tonight.

The formal investigation into the property transactions around the Mequon and Village project known as “The village center” has been completed with no evidence of statutory ethical violations by anyone.

Proclamation recognizing emergency responders and village staff for their dedicated service to the Village of Germantown during the August 2025 flooding episode here.

Other announcements follow.

Public Comments here. Resident paraphrases Charlie Kirk, and comments on why citizens are challenging the proposals from the village staff and board. The village board should listen to the residents and vote “No” when the proposals are not in the best interest of the village. Don’t go along to get along.

Resident lives on Wagon Trail and comments on a misplaced fire hydrant that needed to be removed and replaced while the road is still under reconstruction. The project has been delayed and has caused problems with mail delivery. There have been pauses in the construction activity. He asks the village to do better planning on these projects.

Resident comments on why the need to borrow $13.5M in upcoming year. Why is there a $1M placeholder for property that the seller does not want to sell to the village? Pay down the Grosenick properties. Kuhn’s Pleasant View subdivision like their wells, don’t run water there.

Resident email is read into the record regarding the broadcasting of meetings and don’t assume that people have cell phones and computers. Sell the $9M of unwanted properties.

Appointments to village board commissions here. Jolene Pieper for administrative appeals board. Melanie Smythe and Jeff Voyer for economic development commission.

Interesting discussion by people who don’t want certain applicants.

President Soderberg mentions an inappropriate email that went out from a staff member to influence the vote. Trustee Pieper asks to split the vote. They discuss the merits of each candidate.

Eventually they vote for both to become part of the commission.

Consent agenda here. Item D pulled by Trustee Pieper. Items F and Trustee Jan Miller. Item D is regarding tree pruning; the same contractor who “butchered” the trees two years ago is doing the work. Public Works director, Matt Mortwedt, describes the measures in place to not repeat the previous problems. Trustee Jan Miller wants the tree board to meet.

Item F for Kuhn’s Pleasant View grant application has the words “possible” water in it still. The residents don’t want it. The board will need to make that decision.

They vote on the consent agenda minus D, F and J. Passes.

Back to tree pruning here.

Kuhn’s Pleasant View subdivision grant here.

Soccer club landscaping proposal here.

Resolution disallowing claim by lady in village whose car wheel went into an open man hole here. No one knows why the manhole was missing. They discuss and award a claim to cover the cost towards repairing the wheel.

Communication and recording of public meetings here. Trustees Jan Miller and Borst worked on a proposal for recording most of the village meetings. Additional cost will be up to $3,500, some from shared services. Standing committees, park and rec, economic development, tourism and joint review board. Live, channel 25 and posted on the youtube channel.

Discussion ensues. They decide a policy should be generated regarding this as there is none currently.

It passes.

LONG OVERDUE!!!!

Meeting ends.

Note: Any commentary is the author’s own personal opinion and not a statement of Village of Germantown policy.