But dissolution advocates vow to fight on
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
The Village of Silver Lake earned a reprieve Tuesday evening.
A referendum calling for the dissolution of the village did not gain enough votes to prevail.
Dissolve supporters won the vote, 608-538, but did not gain the tow-thirds majority needed to dissolve the village.
Had the vote been wide enough, Silver Lake would have been absorbed back into the Town of Salem.
Sue Gerber, the Village President, expressed relief Tuesday evening.
“I want to thank all the people who came out and voted,” Gerber said. “I’m just looking forward to putting the whole dissolve movement behind us.”
Budget issues forced the issue in recent months, as the Silver Lake fire department struggled to replace and repair some equipment, and adjustments needed to be made to the police budget as well.
“We’re also looking at other ways to be fiscally responsible,” said Gerber, pointing to a $100,000 decrease in the police budget.
Proponents for the dissolution admitted the two-thirds majority needed was a rough number to gain.
“We knew from the beginning, the two-thirds of the overall vote would be a challenge,” said Bruce Nopenz, one of the residents who turned in the petition to dissolve. “This, however, doesn’t even compare to the challenges that await Silver Lake in the next few years.
“Poor financial planning and bad timing of events are going to hamper the village to do much of anything but focus on debt management,” he added.
Former Village President Jeff Albrecht added, “Although we are saddened by tonight’s outcome, we are not swayed from our goal. Members of the Moving Silver Lake Forward group are some of the finest, hard-working and dedicated people in Silver Lake and they have already committed themselves to continuing the effort into the spring election.
“Silver Lake desperately needs big changes in order for our community to survive in the years ahead.”
Silver Lake’s other referendum, which would prohibit the village from entering into mutual aid agreements with the fire department, failed 650-479.
Other referenda
In Paddock Lake, a referendum to allow for the use of golf carts on roads passed 665-409.
In Salem, however, a similar referendum to allow for the use of ATVs on roads failed 2,013-1,539.
See Friday’s edition of the Westosha Report for full coverage of Tuesday’s election.
Correspondent Gail Peckler-Dziki contributed to this report.