Mayor Nelson Unfulfilled Promises - 11 Staff Depart Since Becoming Mayor
Promises Promises Promises with No Results
During the 2023 election for Franklin Mayor, many promises were made by then-candidate John Nelson. As of today, none of the promises have been delivered and the City of Franklin is worse today than it was before the April 4, 2023 Mayoral election.
Candidate John Nelson February 12, 2023 warning then of the rapid and concerning employee turnover at Franklin City Hall.
Let us start with campaign promises made by then-Candidate Nelson. Listed below are all of the campaign "promises" made by Nelson quoted directly from his campaign web page :
To be frank: Current leadership has failed you and me. We need a change. That's why I'm running for mayor.
Current leadership rarely welcomes new or different ideas. Lots of bright and experienced officials and volunteers have walked away from City Hall as a result. They were exhausted and frustrated.
Current leadership often has facilitated or promoted obstruction, inefficiency and secrecy. Conflict, tension, ethics complaints and lawsuits have followed.
I am a professional law enforcement officer. I have the experience to develop and promote policies designed to keep Franklin families, seniors, children and businesses safe.
And, unlike current leadership, I won’t recklessly use my authority to manipulate the system to get my way.
And, perhaps most importantly, I will restore a positive structure at city hall for citizens, developers and employees alike.
Then Candidate Nelson also indicates on his website "Where I Came From and Where I Want to Take Us:
We’ve heard many promises. However, if you've attended a city meeting, talked with a neighbor who has, or are aware of the rapid and concerning employee turnover at City Hall, you know Franklin’s image has suffered greatly and for far too long. I believe my skills, experience and temperament are better suited to raise our community to the next level.
Current leadership rarely welcomes new or different ideas. Lots of bright and experienced officials and volunteers have walked away from City Hall as a result. They were exhausted and frustrated.
However, if you've attended a city meeting, talked with a neighbor who has, or are aware of the rapid and concerning employee turnover at City Hall, you know Franklin’s image has suffered greatly and for far too long.
The reality of the situation is that the mayor hired Kelly Hersh as director of administration as political payback for her efforts in having Nelson elected mayor. Hersch has no background or degrees in Public Administration and DID NOT meet the minimum qualifications of the job posting for the position. Sources indicate that Hersh was the only applicant for the job. Nelson outright lied to the Common Council. FCN reported one month before the April 2023 election that Nelson offered Hersh the job if he won. Hersh not only received the job but also received a higher salary than the Common Council approved using his “mayoral budget line”. Multiple open record documents show that Hersch was on the Nelson campaign team along with County Supervisor Steve Taylor and ROC Ventures CEO, Mike Zimmerman.
Eleven (11) Franklin Staff Depart Since Nelson Elected Mayor
Since April 4, 2023, under Nelson and Hersh's leadership, eleven (11) staff positions have either resigned, retired, or have been terminated. Those positions and individuals are:
Karen Kastenson, City Clerk
Nicole Maramonte-Hinz, Planning Clerk
Scott Satula, Director of Inspections
Rick Oliva, Police Chief
Adam Remington, Fire Chief
Glen Morrow, City Engineer
Tyler Beinlich, Asst. City Engineer
Katy Rivedal, Permits Clerk
Kyle Kabe, Assessor
Jill Glanz, Fire Inspector
Laurie Miller, Planning Manager (with a wrongful termination settlement of $65,000)
Bob Tesch, Buildings Superintendent
Under the Olson Administration 11 positions were lost over 9 years. Under the Nelson Administration 11 positions were lost over 14 months!
As Nelson's mouthpiece, County Supervisor Steve Taylor proclaimed in a March 29, 2023 Facebook Post:
"When the captain pilots a sinking ship, passengers jump off to preserve their lives." Updated to 2024, (John Nelson's) "leadership" style has forced numerous employees, many high-high level, to retire early or to leave for calmer seas" It's time to send John Nelson off into the sunset.
County Supervisor Steve Taylor March 29, 2023 Facebook Post
Then we have this gem posted by Director of Administration Hersh before she was given a job as Director of Administration with no qualifications:
"City staff exodus indeed! I see one person pointing his finger at others on the council but the irony is the person who points his finger blaming others has made himself the sole responsible party for the city. This is particularly true regarding the loss of knowledgeable and experienced city staff. The city needs new leadership before all of our skilled staff have left thanks to our toxic leader."
Kelly Hersh Facebook Post January 9, 2023 before she was appointed Franklin Director of Administration
Ms. Hersh, are you now blaming former Mayor Olson for the departure of eleven (11) staff members since you and Nelson have led the city since April 4, 2023? Or is it that you and Nelson (and Taylor) are "cleansing" City Hall of any ruminants of the "Olson Era" because you and Nelson consider them co-conspirators, sympathizers, and loyalists to Olson?
Nelson Investigation In Town of Waterford Continues - Franklin Impact
Let us also remember that Mark Belling and Wisconsin Right Now reported in February of this year that Mayor John Nelson, a lieutenant in the Town of Waterford Police Department was now one of four police suspended pending an investigation. One of the four has taken a separation agreement. We also know that one of Nelson's close friends former Acting Chief and Lieutenant William Jeschke was also suspended pending an investigation. Recent news reports indicated that Nelson has pushed back his appearance with the investigators and instead of ending in August as indicated by town chair Teri Nicolai-Jendusa it could be by mid-September.
Anyone who believes that this investigation is solely a Town of Waterford issue about Mayor Nelson is terribly mistaken. There will be and is a crossover to Franklin connection(s). One could only wonder if the "powers that be" are now prepping Alderman Eichmann, Franklin Common Council President, as possible Mayor Eichmann of Franklin? Time will tell.
City of Franklin Common Council President Michelle Eichmann, John Nelson (Mayor, City of Franklin), Steve Taylor, Jim Luckey, George Christiansen (County Clerk), Georgia Konstantakis (Franklin Municipal Judge), Marcellia Nicholson (County Board Chair), and Liz Sumner (Milwaukee County Comptroller).
Oak Creek and Franklin Residents take a good look at the picture above. What do you see missing at County Supervisor Taylors "campaign" fundraiser?
There are no other alderpersons from Franklin other than Eichmann. There are no alderpersons from Oak Creek. The Mayor of Oak Creek is not present. There are no City Administrators or Directors from Oak Creek or Franklin. There are no staff from Oak Creek or Franklin. and........THERE ARE NO RESIDENTS FROM OAK CREEK OR FRANKLIN. Just Supervisor Taylor's groupies who all owe each other political favors.
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