Politics & Government

What's the Real Goal of New Shorewood Citizens Group?

Local Citizens for Responsible Government organization not part of conservative Milwaukee group, but some residents skeptical of its intentions.

You can't miss them.

Armed with video cameras and tripods, a new citizens group has been shaking up Village Board and School Board meetings recently in what its members say is an effort to encourage more community engagement.

The grassroots movement headed by residents Kelly O'Brien and Joe Peterlin is called the Shorewood Citizens for Responsible Government.

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Its name is similar to that of the Milwaukee-based group largely known for its involvement in a number of recall efforts against Milwaukee County Board and area school board members and state legislators. The conservative Citizens for a Responsible Government is best known for its 2002 recall effort against former Milwaukee County Executive Tom Ament during the county's employee pension scandal.

On its website, the Milwaukee-based CRG boasts about numerous state, county and local politicians who were ousted from office in part because of the group's efforts. And the group says one of its key goals is to "organize fiscal conservatives into the most influential political force in Wisconsin."

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But leaders of the Shorewood group say they are not affiliated with the Milwaukee group and are simply trying to get Shorewood residents more involved in the community and active in local government and school district affairs.

"We are trying to bridge the gap between our elected officials and residents," O'Brien said.

Group is getting help from CRG

Chris Kliesmet, executive administrator for the Milwaukee-based CRG, said his organization has been working directly with the Shorewood group and met as recent as a few weeks ago. That doesn't mean Shorewood group is under the auspices of his organization, Kliesmet added.

CRG is "primarily engaged in educating grassroots groups in how to deal with unresponsive government agencies and officials," Kliesmet noted from his group's website.

While the Milwaukee-based CRG wants to get fiscally conservative officials elected at all levels of government, Peterlin said he believes Shorewood school and village boards are very fiscally responsible.

He and O'Brien also stressed the local group is not affiliated with the Milwaukee one, other than using the templates and tools provided on CRG's website. One of the tools is an "Open Records Generator" that quickly enables users to write formal letters seeking documents from government officials.

"(CRG) is designed to help communities build their own community organization," O'Brien said. "They have tools out there that everybody can use — whether it is seeking open records requests or ideas on how to ask questions or get organized."

Shorewood's group isn't unique as there are CRG offshoots all over Wisconsin, most recently in North Fond du Lac, La Crosse and Walworth County, Kliesmet said. A CRG group formed in New Berlin as residents fought over a proposed workforce housing planned for their city center.

School referendum was impetus

The local group was sparked during the school district's push for passage its most recent , O'Brien said. He was concerned that residents were not getting all the facts, in particular about the district retiree benefits, excluding pensions (OPEB).

"If you walk done the street and ask people what the OPEB obligation is and what the future looks like, you going to get a lot blank stares... they'll ask what's OPEB," O'Brien said.

People also aren't aware the district is borrowing long-term to fund short-term expenses, Peterlin added.

With official paperwork filed with the state Government Accountability Board, the group is now hovering at about 30 members, all of whom simply hope to get more residents aware of what's happening at meetings and what their elected officials are up to, O'Brien said. The group hopes to grow to 1,200, he continued.

“In a community this size, the people that show up (to board meetings) should be a growing number of people concerned about what is happening in Shorewood,” O’Brien said. “I think if you talk to any of the board members, they would say there’s not enough community involvement. Well, here we are. We are involved.”

The School Board's willingness to work with the community on a new grievance policy and employee handbook is amazing and an example of bridging the gap, O'Brien said.

Village President Guy Johnson said he welcomes the new group, and is glad to see residents showing up to meetings and taking an interest in village government.

Some worried about group's intentions

The group’s presence in Shorewood has created anxiety among some residents. In an e-mail being sent around the village, residents worry the organization may be a covert movement aimed at taking back the village from progressives and, through recalls, forcing out key officials from local government seats to see fiscal conservatives elected.

Shorewood resident Linea Sundstrom said she doesn't know much about the group and it is too early to tell what its plans are. But, she said, if it is anything like the Milwaukee group, she has concerns.

"To have a vocal minority come in and try to wrestle with school officials is disturbing," she said.

O'Brien said he's disappointed by the reaction to his new organization.

"Assumptions are being made — and they are assumptions — about who we are and why we are doing this," he said. "Perhaps a little bit more research needs to be done on the part of the community. People are trying to define who we are and they are necessarily asking anyone of us."

Come election time, O'Brien said the CRG would like to host candidate forums similar to that held by organizations like the Shorewood Men's Club.

"We are not going to endorse anybody," O'Brien said. "We really just want to provide that service."

Shorewood CRG recently started a website, where it hopes to post the videos members record at board meetings. Peterlin said many school districts provide video of board meetings on their websites.

"As people see what we're doing in the community, people will want to join," O'Brien said. "We like it here, and we want to see Shorewood grow."


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