Kronenwetter Village Hall. MWC file photo.
KRONENWETTER, WI (WSAU) – The village of Kronenwetter will be without a village administrator once again, as Peter Kampfer has announced his resignation from the village after just two months on the job.
According to a resignation letter obtained by WSAU’s Meg Ellefson, Kampfer decided to resign following Thursday night’s APC meeting after village Fire Chief Theresa O’Brien had threatened her immediate resignation during a prior meeting on July 11th, which would’ve also resulted in the resignation of several other firefighters on staff due to the possibility that a new village ambulance service could fail to be approved pending the results of a proposed 18-month study on the matter.
Kampfer described in the letter an alleged instance where Chief O’Brian confronted Village President Chris Voll and Village Trustee Chris Eiden in the Village Hall parking lot, where she issued explicit demands or ultimatums concerning the proposed new village ambulance service, leading Kampfer to criticize her, saying, “From my observation, O’Brien seems to have no professional municipal boundaries. Her intense focus on the ambulance service is so extreme that she is willing to compromise the safety of our community by potentially diminishing our fire protection. The potential consequences of her not getting her way are severe and could have significant implications for our community.”
“World-class fire protection and ambulance service for the communities I have represented has always been my utmost professional priority, and it pains me to see this community division unfold. I certainly hope the village pursues a professional community ambulance feasibility study. Therefore, I am resigning from my position as your administrator, effective immediately,” Kampfer continued.
Kampfer, a Wausau native who took over the position in early June, was initially named to the position back in September 2023 but delayed his start date on two different occasions, which eventually led to the two sides parting ways after conversations between Kampfer and the village fell apart due to personal reasons. Several people have held the interim administrator position since former Administrator Richard Downey’s departure and the hiring of Peter Kampfer, including Police Chief Terry McHugh, former Plover Administrator Dan Mahoney, and Duane Gau.
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