Politics & Government

Racine Police Chief Applies for Mount Pleasant Administrator

Kurt Whalen is one of 43 applicants for the vacant position.

After announcing his retirement this past summer, City of Racine Police Chief Kurt Wahlen started exploring his options. Turns out, he's interested in the possibility of serving as the new Mount Pleasant Village Administrator.

"I think I can make a difference there, and Mount Pleasant is going places," he told Patch. "There's industry and residential growth. Plus, the village is dynamic and I’d like to be part of it. I think I have a lot to offer and hope they see it that way, too."

Wahlen is alert to the calls that he would be double-dipping for health benefits and pension since he will have those through the city.

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"I know everyone is sensitive about this," he acknowledged. "But that won't apply for the Village of Mount Pleasant because I wouldn't take retirement or health benefits from them. So, really, if you think about it, I could save them some money."

A total of 43 interested parties submitted materials for the vacant position. With the exception of two applicants who asked for confidentiality, Patch was given access to the names:

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  • William Beith - Assistant Administrator, Village of Gilberts, Illinois
  • Irene Bell - Former Racine Country Club Coat Check
  • Thomas Benziger - Program System Analyst, Access Living in Chicago, Illinois
  • William Bierma - Self employed
  • Paula Blise - 14 years with City of Kenosha
  • Peter Breitigam - VP Operations with V & J Foods
  • Al Clausen - Co-founder of the REAL School
  • Wendy Enright - Former Marketing/Contract Prep with CNH America
  • Timothy Freitag - City Administrator, City of Jefferson, Wisc.
  • Joshua Fudge - Fiscal/Management Analyst with Milwaukee County
  • Thomas Georges - COO/Colonel in US Army
  • James Gitz - Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer, Town of Campbell, Wisc.
  • Alicia Gordon - Owner/Operator of Racine-area apparel store
  • Michael Gracz - Village Adminstrator, Village of Oregon, Wisc.
  • Daniel Guild - Village Administrator, Village of Poynette, Wisc.
  • Valerie Hernandez - Event Coordinator at UW-Parkside
  • Dennis Jantzen - Contract Safety Manager, Department of Defense, Great Lakes, Ill.
  • Karen Kroes - Senior Strategic Marketing Analyst, FedEx
  • Patricia Lembitz - Budget Officer/Business Manager with Wisconsin National Guard Challenge Academy
  • Sheila Magee - Former City Administrator in Greensburg, KS
  • Viviana Martinez - Youth Prevention Director for STCADA
  • David Maynard - Former City Administrator with City of Princeton, Wisc.
  • Ruthie Melvin - Former Hostess at Old Spaghetti Factory
  • Andy Merriman - City Manager, Bluefield, Wisc.
  • J. Everett Mitchell - Former Village Administrator, Hortonville, Wisc.
  • Paul Moderacki - Village Administrator, Mukwonago, Wisc.
  • James Oswald - Accounts Receivable at Lakeview Pharmacy
  • Christine Patock - Former Controller at Gustave A. Larson Company
  • Teresa Petrovic - Regional Clinic Director, Lakeshore Medical Clinic
  • Edward Potter - Former Village Assessor, Mount Pleasant, Wisc.
  • John Potters - County Coordinator in Oneida County, Wisc.
  • J. Lee Robbins - General Counsel for Town of New Whiteland, Ind.
  • Lisa Kay Reeves - Clerk/Treasurer, Schofield, Wisc.
  • Renee Rogers - Marketing Internship, Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha
  • Kent Royster - Former Business Growth/Retention Manager for Clinton, Iowa, Regional Development Corporation
  • Amy Russell - Team Lead for Equal Rights Division for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Civil Rights Bureau
  • Jennifer Sheiffer - Former Interim Village Administrator in Clinton, Wisc.
  • John Sonnentag - Controller for Ada Products Company, Inc.
  • Rebecca Togliatti - CEO of Rehabtech, Inc.
  • William Whalen - Mayor of Ashland, Wisc.

The Mount Pleasant Personnel Committee is meeting at 9 am today, Jan. 5, to narrow down the field of candidates and forward those names for a background check. From there, the applications will go to a five-person ranking committee who will interview each individual on Jan. 31 and provide a list in order of preference to the Personnel Committee.

Assuming the timeline flows as planned, the Village Board will meet in closed session by Feb. 27 to put together a compensation package and choose a final candidate. The new Administrator is expected to begin by April 1.


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