MONROE - Green County Highway Commissioner Jeff Wunschel and General Superintendent Pete Koch were asked to resign at the end of May as two county committees indicated "a different direction" was needed in the highway department.
Almost two weeks later, that direction for the highway department remains to be specified. Ray Francois, chairman of the highway committee, said further discussion would likely take place during a committee meeting on Monday.
"There's no specific direction as of right this minute," Francois said. "We just wanted to change. We felt a change was in order."
Francois did, however, indicate turnover has been a problem in the department. Both Wunschel and Koch concede that since the passage of Act 10 in 2011, in which county workers lost benefits including overtime, a number of highway department employees have retired or left for better options.
Despite this, Koch said the request for their resignations during a joint meeting of the Highway Committee and Personnel and Labor Relations Committee was surprising.
"You could've picked my jaw up off the floor," Koch said.
Wunschel echoed the sentiment.
"I was stunned," he said.
Both Wunschel and Koch said there had not been previous reprimands, discussion or warnings before being called in, one-by-one by the committees and asked to resign on May 24. Koch said the request really "wasn't much of an option" since he could either leave his job voluntarily or fight the proposal, but regardless of his decision, he would not be allowed to return to work the next day. Termination would require action by the full Green County Board.
Francois, who is also a member of the personnel committee, said Koch and Wunschel "were doing a good job" and added that he didn't "know positively why" the two resigned.
"This was quite a surprise actually," Francois added.
Upon request for comment by The Monroe Times, Green County Corporation Counsel Brian Buchholz sent a statement via legal secretary Tammy Naramore.
"It was a difficult decision, but the County decided it needed to go in a different direction at the Highway Department," Buchholz's statement read. "Jeff (Wunschel) and Pete (Koch) submitted their resignations effective as of May 25. We wish them both the best and thank them for their years of service."
Wunschel began with the Green County Highway Department as a laborer in 1982, working his way up to commissioner in 2011. Koch started out as an engineering technician. He became the general superintendent when Wunschel was promoted to head of the department.
Koch said after nearly 17 years, he is not ready to retire and is currently seeking employment. Wunschel is unsure what he'll do after 35 years with Green County but believes his faith will lead him, whether to another job or retirement.
"I felt like I still had a few good years left in me," Wunschel said. "I didn't want to walk away. Don't forget that I wasn't the only one who was asked to resign, and that's really unfortunate."
During the meeting, Wunschel said the turnover rate was mentioned as well as a few negative comments by exiting employees over the last 18 months. But, Wunschel said, the content had already been reviewed with the Highway Committee and everything had been resolved.
"It's unprecedented, the turnover we've seen, and a lot of it's because of Act 10, because of the reduction in benefits," Wunschel said. "Gradually, the guys who are older have retired in the last two, three, four years, and now recently some younger people who had been hired just two or three years ago are finding employment in ... private business or other counties where they can make more money."
Personnel and Labor Relations Committee Chair Art Carter declined to comment and deferred all questions to Buchholz.
Wendy Holmes, the department's confidential administrative assistant, is currently overseeing daily operations in the department.
Francois said he has faith in the managers overseeing the work that needs to be done despite the removal of two longtime employees. He added that the county plans to hire new people to fill the vacant positions.
"I'm thankful for my years at the county and I do want to stress there are a lot of dedicated and hard-working employees there," Wunschel said. "I hope things can work out, but I don't understand (the committees') thinking."
Wunschel said he believes the actions will be "damaging" to a department of roughly 40 employees and a budget of $10 million. He said it will likely affect the towns and villages that Green County aids with road work each year. He added that he was happy with the record of safety while he served as commissioner.
"I thought (Wunschel) was doing a really good job under the circumstances," Koch said. "I enjoyed my time working there. Now this is going to be a new chapter in my life."
Almost two weeks later, that direction for the highway department remains to be specified. Ray Francois, chairman of the highway committee, said further discussion would likely take place during a committee meeting on Monday.
"There's no specific direction as of right this minute," Francois said. "We just wanted to change. We felt a change was in order."
Francois did, however, indicate turnover has been a problem in the department. Both Wunschel and Koch concede that since the passage of Act 10 in 2011, in which county workers lost benefits including overtime, a number of highway department employees have retired or left for better options.
Despite this, Koch said the request for their resignations during a joint meeting of the Highway Committee and Personnel and Labor Relations Committee was surprising.
"You could've picked my jaw up off the floor," Koch said.
Wunschel echoed the sentiment.
"I was stunned," he said.
Both Wunschel and Koch said there had not been previous reprimands, discussion or warnings before being called in, one-by-one by the committees and asked to resign on May 24. Koch said the request really "wasn't much of an option" since he could either leave his job voluntarily or fight the proposal, but regardless of his decision, he would not be allowed to return to work the next day. Termination would require action by the full Green County Board.
Francois, who is also a member of the personnel committee, said Koch and Wunschel "were doing a good job" and added that he didn't "know positively why" the two resigned.
"This was quite a surprise actually," Francois added.
Upon request for comment by The Monroe Times, Green County Corporation Counsel Brian Buchholz sent a statement via legal secretary Tammy Naramore.
"It was a difficult decision, but the County decided it needed to go in a different direction at the Highway Department," Buchholz's statement read. "Jeff (Wunschel) and Pete (Koch) submitted their resignations effective as of May 25. We wish them both the best and thank them for their years of service."
Wunschel began with the Green County Highway Department as a laborer in 1982, working his way up to commissioner in 2011. Koch started out as an engineering technician. He became the general superintendent when Wunschel was promoted to head of the department.
Koch said after nearly 17 years, he is not ready to retire and is currently seeking employment. Wunschel is unsure what he'll do after 35 years with Green County but believes his faith will lead him, whether to another job or retirement.
"I felt like I still had a few good years left in me," Wunschel said. "I didn't want to walk away. Don't forget that I wasn't the only one who was asked to resign, and that's really unfortunate."
During the meeting, Wunschel said the turnover rate was mentioned as well as a few negative comments by exiting employees over the last 18 months. But, Wunschel said, the content had already been reviewed with the Highway Committee and everything had been resolved.
"It's unprecedented, the turnover we've seen, and a lot of it's because of Act 10, because of the reduction in benefits," Wunschel said. "Gradually, the guys who are older have retired in the last two, three, four years, and now recently some younger people who had been hired just two or three years ago are finding employment in ... private business or other counties where they can make more money."
Personnel and Labor Relations Committee Chair Art Carter declined to comment and deferred all questions to Buchholz.
Wendy Holmes, the department's confidential administrative assistant, is currently overseeing daily operations in the department.
Francois said he has faith in the managers overseeing the work that needs to be done despite the removal of two longtime employees. He added that the county plans to hire new people to fill the vacant positions.
"I'm thankful for my years at the county and I do want to stress there are a lot of dedicated and hard-working employees there," Wunschel said. "I hope things can work out, but I don't understand (the committees') thinking."
Wunschel said he believes the actions will be "damaging" to a department of roughly 40 employees and a budget of $10 million. He said it will likely affect the towns and villages that Green County aids with road work each year. He added that he was happy with the record of safety while he served as commissioner.
"I thought (Wunschel) was doing a really good job under the circumstances," Koch said. "I enjoyed my time working there. Now this is going to be a new chapter in my life."