Accusations Fly Over Trustee Ethics Allegations

Mount Pleasant Trustee Sonny Havn issued a press release Wednesday charging Trustee Karen Albeck with trying to get him removed from the board by orchestrating the creation of an anonymous letter accusing him of ethic violations.

Last October, an anonymous letter was delivered to Village Hall asking the board to remove Havn from office if he didn't voluntarily resign for having an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. The author also expressed concern that this relationship interferred with Havn's ability to successfully carry out his duties as a village trustee.

A report was released Tuesday after a Racine Police Department investigation from RPD Chief Art Howell saying the allegations do not rise to the level of being criminal, and he cautioned the village to perhaps get legal counsel to look into possible conflicts of interest.

But, in a press release sent to The Journal Times, Havn spells out how he believes Albeck was behind the letter and the accusations against him.

"At the very least, (Albeck) helped with the preparation of the letter,” he is quoted as writing. “I certainly find ... unethical, at best.”

Albeck denies being behind the letter though she does admit to knowing the letter-writer and making a couple of grammatical corrections when he sent the letter to her before advising him to forward the letter to the full board.

"Trustee Havn’s accusations are totally false, a fact which has been told to Trustee Havn repeatedly," she said in an email to Patch. "The idea that Trustee Havn would make such a slanderous statement is a significant breach of honesty and ethics on his part."

The author of the letter spoke with Patch on Wednesday; he still wishes to remain anonymous. He said he knows Albeck only through dealing with her as a trustee.

"She's the only one on the board who called me back when I wanted to talk about a concern," he said. "So she's the trustee I call most often when I have a question or want to know something." 

He also told Patch he finds it suspicious that the allegations are once again front-and-center six days before an election in which both Havn and Albeck are running for office. Havn is seeking re-election as trustee and Albeck is running for village president.

"I find it odd that there was nothing for six months, but six days before the election, wham, this hits the press," he said. 

Albeck also finds the timing questionable, telling Patch that Havn timed his statement to throw her campaign and that he lied to The Journal Times.

"I am aware that Trustee Havn does not want me to be elected President of the Village, as evidenced by his $100 contribution to the campaign of my opponent," she said. "To purposefully lie to the media does not speak well for Trustee Havn’s character."

In an email to Patch early Thursday morning, Howell confirmed that Mount Pleasant Police Chief and Interim Administrator Tim Zarzecki will have the addendum report Thursday morning at some point.

"Chief Zarzecki will have the addendum later this morning," he wrote.