Crivitz flag issue update: pole stolen, cops do nothing

From the owner of the flag in Crivitz:
This is my version of what happened in Crivitz. I'm certain you will hear other stories but this is as I said "what really happened"!
After returning from Iraq I wanted to purchase a restaurant tavern in Wisconsin, commonly reffered to as a supperclub. I have had a home in Wisconsin since 1995, and this is where I wanted to live. The work as a union electrician in Illinois was sporatic at best so it seemed the best option for my family and myself. I began looking in 2007, I found a tavern in Wausaukee, WI for sale that I thought I could add on to and make it a nice family dining place. That place was the Chippewa bar. Money was put down but the final agreement between the owner and my wife and I could not be worked out, so that one fell through. In 2008 I landed a job in Illinois with the union that lasted from Feb. to May, all the while still looking for a place to buy. I found another place in Marinette, WI called Pub and Suds, this was a shoe in. The place was going into foreclosure and the bank just wanted someone to take it over with some money down and the knowledge and experience to make it work. Negotiations went flawlessly. While driving up to put the money down on the new place my realtor from Crivitz called me and told me of a building for sale in Crivitz that would make a great supper club with some work, because it already had a kitchen. This was the old Pelkins grocery store. So I called the owner of the supper club in Marinette and put him off for the weekend. During that time called and e-mailed the Village of Crivitz Clerk and asked if there was a liquor license available. Her reply was yes there was but it was the reserve license with a price of $10,000. I said that's fine, I want to apply. Then I received an e-mail from the Village President John Deschane asking my intentions. We sat down in another supper club in Crivitz and I explained that I wanted to remodel the grocery store and make it a supper club. I was told to go to the finance comittee to seek approval. They liked the idea. Now I need to go to the committe of the whole that is the full Board. They mostly liked the idea except for two members one is a deputy sheriff who held a liquor license and the other I had denied use of poker machines in my previous business. He also had a liquor license. At this time I was told I would get the license as long as I did not have a felony conviction in accordance with the state statute. My wife went on with the construction phase of the building preparing for the license and opening immediately after. The board put off the final approval until a court case I had going on was complete. I did get a misdemeaner, not a felony. The board then denied my license In June of '08. I then inverted the flag On June 16th 2008. to show my property was now in danger of foreclosure because of not being allowed to open for the purpose my wife and I built it. The night before the 4th of July parade the Village board members met at the Grapevine another supperclub in town to figure out how to get my flag off my pole. They sent the local police with two of their trainees to take it without a warrant or even a call. When my nieghbor asked what they were doing they threatened him with arrest. When I tried to file a complaint, the sheriff's department would not even call me back nor would the Village police. I appealed the denial decision to Marinette Court as the law states to do. The Judge told the Village attorney that I was promised the license I meet the standards and to tell the board to do what is rigt. The board then used the excuse that I was not a resident of WI for 90 days, that I needed to get another person to act as agent. I did as they instructed and made my future manager the agent sent the board the apl. & money. I received a letter back stating they are not accepting any furtheer applications until they revamp the existing liquor ordinances.
There you have it in a nut shell

Thanks for your side of the story Vito. it sounds like another case of corrupt small town politics to me.

its easy to see how big government screws things up and becomes corrupt, so sometimes i overlook how the same problems can exist at lower levels because of people being petty, greedy, and unfair. situations like this then get blown way out of porportion and you get people rallying to the issue of the flag without understanding the reasoning behind it.

i wish you good luck with your future buisness and i hope you get everything worked out.

reply to post by Barbara T


And how does one that cares about United States of America Flag, the nation and the community driven spirit you indeed have go from all that to writting an vandictive and hate-filled editorial against one man. I found it disturbing and frightening to read. How do you rationale the advocating of stealing and destroying of this man's property?. And why don't you just go do your own dirty work? Now for your son (Nick Guarniere). As a parent also, I can understand the protective nature you feel for your son. In the eyes of the law Nick is a child. In my eyes I see a teen who decided to put his big boy on that night. In his possession he had an explosive fireworks and willfully and intentionally set off (cowardly) in the dead of night to cause trouble. He succeded in damaging the bathroom next to Playscape park but this time he was caught. A village citizen caught him and not like the officers Frievalt an Kasten want you to believe. How did Nick get ahold of bottle rocks. WI. State Statue is clear. No minors can possess and or get a permit to obtain an explosive. Bottle rockets are explosives. Nick needs to step up an issue an apology straight from his lips to all the village citizens. Lastly. I care about Vito's United States of America flag. I'v had the privilege of seeing the original United States Constitution at the National Archives in Washington D.C. Perhaps one day you and your son's will one day also.