Police chief resigns
Village of Edgar will likely advertise for new top cop
The Edgar Village Board on Monday approved a resignation agreement with former Police Chief Jeanette Stankowski.
In the agreement, the village agrees to pay Stankowski her salary through Feb. 28, provide her 90 hours of vacation pay and give her with a neutral letter of reference if the resigned chief agrees to release the village from future liability, including claims that could be brought under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act or the Americand with Disabilities Act.
Stankowski, who submitted a letter of resignation on Jan. 29, has 21 days to sign the resignation agreement.
Village administrator Jennifer Lopez said the village board is expected to post the police chief job with an updated job description as part of next Monday’s regular meeting.
Lopez said the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department has to date been “very, very helpful” in patrolling the village following Stankowski’s resignation.
The department, she said, has also offered to help the village interview candidates for the Edgar police chief job.
The administrator reported that two part-time officers, Adam Wig- stadt and Nicholas Rudolph, also resigned when Stankowski did. A third officer Matt Krembs continues to work for the village. “He is very positive working with us,” she said.
Lopez said the Village of Marathon City has offered Edgar assistance during a transition period where the village will hire a new chief. The neighboring village also has suggested the Marathon City and Edgar police departments merge, she said.
Lopez indicated that the Edgar Village Board did not seem interested in a merger at this time.
“The village board wants to keep the identity of the Edgar Police Department,” she said. “We believe it is an important component of the village government.”
Lopez reported that Stankowski was paid $45,000 a year and had been passed up for routine raises.
She said the village will likely need to spend more money to hire a police chief in the price range of what is paid in other area villages.
“I think the competitive rates are between $50,000 and $70,000,” she said. “We will need to do some budget adjusting.”
Stankowski announced her resignation in a letter sent to the village last week Wednesday.
“I appreciate the department’s support over the course of my employment with them,” wrote Stankowski. “I truly value the experience and knowledge I gained over my time here. It has been a pleasure working with all of the officers of the Edgar Police Department.”
