By Patricia Bogumil
Interim Editor
After two months of research into the legality of the current building lease at the Waterford Town Hall, and more than two hours of closed session talk about that research, Town of Waterford Sanitary District (WSD) commissioners chose to take no action Wednesday night, but instead continue researching and discussing the matter.
The special May 30 closed meeting was held with Attorney John Macy. In March, commissioners asked Macy to review all paperwork for the 99-year lease at the Town Hall, which has been in effect since 1988.
The lease agreement is between WSD, which owns the Waterford Town Hall, and the Town of Waterford, which pays WSD $1 annually for space in the building.
The closed session discussion May 30 was to focus on Macy’s findings about whether the lease is valid as an enforceable legal document, whether or not WSD can legally get out of the lease; and whether or not WSD can sell the Town Hall, either way.
WSD cited two state statutes before commissioners met in closed – rather than open – session Wednesday night.
These statutes offer exceptions to the Wisconsin open meeting laws for deliberations involving the purchase of public properties and conferring with legal counsel about strategies for litigation.
After the closed meeting, commissioner Jeff Santaga said that commissioners had delayed taking action other than to ask Macy to research additional issues about the lease that Santaga said have been unclear for a long time.
“We’re trying to learn some things so we can be better neighbors,” Santaga said.
During the closed meeting, commissioners were advised not to talk publicly afterward about their discussions, Santaga said, but he predicted that “anything that we’re doing is going to be positive.”
Santaga explained that he expects any eventual action taken by WSD about the lease to be “absolutely” a win-win for both sides or he would not be interested in supporting it.
Commissioner Donna Block confirmed afterward that Macy had given the commissioners an oral report Wednesday night, and they in turn had given Macy direction for some further research. Commissioner Bill Gerard did not respond to requests for comment from the Waterford Post.
Wednesday night, Town Chairman Robert Langmesser criticized WSD for using taxpayer money to pay Macy to do months of research into breaking “a long-standing and valid lease.”
These same taxpayers also paid Macy to attend Wednesday’s closed meeting to report on his months of research, Langmesser said, but the taxpayers were not allowed entry into the meeting to hear what they’ve been paying Macy for.
Instead of spending money to find ways to raise money, WSD should look into its internal structure, Langmesser said, including the “extraordinary” salaries and benefits he said some WSD employees receive.
“The sanitary district’s rates are being raised to subsidize all these big salaries and big benefits, which the public would be shocked to learn about,” said Langmesser.
“And if people are interested, they can go down to that office and obtain this information at any time.”
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