Primary in Oconto County town of Morgan recall election set for July 12

Kent Tempus, Green Bay Press-Gazette
·2 min read
An opponent of the proposed solar farm in the town of Morgan speaks Sept. 15 during an informational meeting on the project at Oconto Falls High School.
An opponent of the proposed solar farm in the town of Morgan speaks Sept. 15 during an informational meeting on the project at Oconto Falls High School.

OCONTO FALLS – The town of Morgan recall election set for July 12 will be a primary election.

Two candidates filed to run for the chairperson and supervisor seats held by Fran Wranosky and Leonard Wahl, respectively.

Challenging Wranosky are Rob Berg and Matthew Gaulke.

Gaulke is also vying to oust Wahl, along with Jeff Folts.

The top two vote-getters will then advance to an election set for Aug. 9, the same day as the Wisconsin partisan primary.

About 220 people signed two petitions that forced the recall of Wranosky and Wahl, citing biased representation, misrepresentation, conflict of interest and lack of transparency as the reasons.

Those relate to the disclosure early last year that a Florida utility company was eyeing a site in the town for a 150-megawatt solar power array, which caused an uproar in the rural community.

Opponents say Wranosky and Wahl haven’t been open and honest with residents about the proposed project.

The two officials, who acknowledged they have signed contracts with the company to enroll their land in the project, say that’s not true, and that they have no further information beyond what the company has shared in two public meetings.

They also denied any conflict of interest, saying they entered into the contracts as private citizens.

Folts, who said he moved from Little Suamico to Morgan four years ago, previously told the OCR that the issue is less about the utility company and more about the town board’s lack of responsiveness to public's concerns over it.

“They’re not working for us,” he said.

Calls and messages to Berg and Gaulke were not returned.

Wranowsky served six years as a supervisor and more than 11 years as chair. Wahl has been on the town board for 15 years.

The other town supervisor, Ron Korzeniewski, was not recalled.

RELATED: Rift over solar array leads to recall vote in town of Morgan

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Contact Kent Tempus at (920) 431-8226 or ktempus@gannett.com. 

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Primary in Oconto County town of Morgan recall election is July 12