December 5, 2007
Wisconsin

Investigation requested on Scholz

Citizens for Responsible Government Calumet County Recall Committee has requested a district attorney investigation of a second Calumet County Board supervisor relating to their actions on wind turbine discussions and votes.

In late October the Recall Committee sent a letter asking District Attorney Ken Kratz to “investigate the actions” of William Scholz, who represents District 14 on the County Board. That district includes all or portions of the Town of Rantoul, Village of Hilbert and Village of Potter.

Lee Bjork, spokesperson for the Recall Committee, said Monday morning that he has not heard any update on the status of the Scholz investigation.

The Recall Committee has already filed signatures asking for a recall election of Supervisor Jerry Criter in District 16 on the same grounds (see related story in this week’s Tri-County News). Kratz investigated the claims against Criter and, in a letter, informed him he believes Criter has done nothing wrong to date.

The committee’s letter said Scholz “has voted and made motions on Chapter 79-Wind Energy Ordinance for Calumet County. Under Wis. Stat. 19.59(1)(c)1, no local public official may ‘take any official action substantially affecting a matter in which the official, a member of his or her immediate family, or an organization with which the official is associated has a substantial financial interest’.”

The Recall Committee says Scholz continued to make motions and vote on the wind energy ordinance on both the Planning and Zoning Committee and as a County Board supervisor until the Sept. 6 Planning and Zoning Committee meeting, at which time he reportedly said he had a conflict of interest and excused himself from the discussion and left the room when the wind energy ordinance was being discussed.

The letter to Kratz, signed by Paul and Lisa Roberts, said Scholz had knowledge that his son was planning on putting up wind turbines on his land.

The Recall Committee further alleges that several supervisors asked Corporation Counsel Pamela Captain on Oct. 30 whether or not they should abstain from the discussion. The committee said Captain replied that unless they signed something from a wind energy company, they did not have to abstain from discussion or voting.

By Mark Sherry
TC News editor

Tri-County News

5 December 2007


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/12/05/investigation-requested-on-scholz/