27th Street committee chairman and Economic Development commissioner resigns; suddenly realizes his wife is a local real estate agent

27th Street committee chairman Ted Grintjes - he of the Boomgaard debacle - has resigned from positions on the Franklin Economic Development Commission and the Franklin Community Development Authority as well.

Why? "Because his wife, who is a real-estate agent, was approached recently by Franklin property owners with an interest in selling their property along South 27th Street."

It should be noted that his wife has had Franklin listings in the past which have evidently not prompted such concerns of conflict of interest.

The Franklin Economic Development Commission and the Franklin Community Development Authority (and the 27th Street Committee) occasionally have closed door meetings that you and I are not privy to. Oh to be a real estate agent with knowledge of the strategies and plans of these unelected bodies. It would be a great help in securing and selling, for example, a $5,500,000 "large executive home with many amenities includes 4 bedrooms, 3 fireplaces, a den/office, tennis courts and an indoor pool. The view overlooks the sparkling pool area."

Grintjes was also involved with the Franklin Citizens for Responsible Government, which is not a jewel on anyone's resume, to be sure. He was their spokesman in 2003 and is cited in a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel story thusly:

Though [the DA's civil charges] name only [Orville] Seymer and the citizen group as defendants, the complaint sheds light on how the organization's activities were financed, at least in part, by loans and contributions from local business interests, including Ted Grintjes and James Rhiner, longtime members of the city's Economic Development Commission and Community Development Authority.

Does that sound like the way things ought to be?

Time for new blood.

From FranklinNOW:

27th Street committee chairman resigns

Ted Grintjes resigned July 30 as chairman of the Franklin-Oak Creek Joint South 27th Street Steering Committee, as well as from the Franklin Economic Development Commission and the Franklin Community Development Authority.

Grintjes said he resigned because his wife, who is a real-estate agent, was approached recently by Franklin property owners with an interest in selling their property along South 27th Street.

He said he could have abstained on participation in matters relating to his wife's real-estate connections on 27th Street but he decided resignation would remove any possibility of a conflict of interest.

Grintjes had been chairman of the steering committee for about five years. He was a member of the EDC and a vice chairman of the CDA. All three positions he resigned from are voluntary.

Comments

[Fred Keller]

John,

Sounds to me like ‘good ol’ boy, sleaze-ball politics’ is alive, well, and flourishing in Franklin. FCRL; ‘Citizens For Responsible Leadership.’ There’s a hot one!

“… James Seymer could not be reached for comment Friday, and Rhiner, who is listed as the citizen group's current treasurer, did not return a telephone call.

Seymer's father, recall activist Orville Seymer - a founding member of both the Franklin group and the broader Citizens for Responsible Government - said any errors in filings were unintentional. Orville Seymer said his son had moved out of Milwaukee County but would not say where. …”

How’s that for ‘RESPONSIBLE?’ Can you say: “Spider-hole?”

[What the Duck]

How do you say "convenient" in Dutch?