Sloane unseated in Fifield recall election

FIFIELD — Town of Fifield Board Supervisor Ann Sloane was unseated by a lone challenger in a recall election on Aug. 27, according to the unofficial results posted by the Price County Clerk.

John Schroeder defeated Sloane by a vote of 189 to 81. The vote in Ward 1 was 101 to 23 in favor of Schroeder, who also won in Ward 2 by a vote of 88 to 58. Schroeder will now complete the term that Sloane started in April 2023.

Schroeder was a candidate in the 2023 spring election when he received 180 votes in a second place finish to Sloane who received 212 votes. A third candidate, Donald Simon Jr., received 36 votes.

The recall election was the result of a petition filed by residents with the required number of signatures. The reason for the recall stated “loss of confidence in her ability to perform her duties including unethical behavior and abuse of power.” The petition was filed in May by David Ebert, who alleges that Sloane has created tension on the board.

Sloane sent a complaint to the Wisconsin Elections Commission with a request to review the recall petition and an added complaint against town clerk Crystal Cowling, alleging the information for the recall was not sufficient. Cowling stated later that a first petition was denied for lack of an attached registration statement, but the petition was allowed to be refiled with a second registration statement and all community signatures were signed again.

Ebert said at the time of the filing that the purpose of the filing dates back to 2023 when unpermitted buoys were placed in Round Lake. A town board ordinance was amended to require no wake speeds 100 feet before and after each buoy, which when enforced, resulted in people receiving permit violations and presented a legal risk to the township and Price County.

The buoy issue led to an incident in which Sloane’s husband, Mike Sloane, who serves as an emergency medical responder with Fifield Fire Department No. 2 at Pike Lake along with Ann Sloane. A verbal altercation with other residents, according to town board discussion, led to Mike Sloane making remarks that resulted in a six month suspension from the fire department.

Ebert said that Ann Sloane did not appear to recuse herself from executive sessions regarding her husband’s disciplinary actions. This is when the recall effort started, he said.

Ebert, a state employee for 24 years, said he was reluctant to pursue a recall election but that it is less risky for the town than not acting as the town board meetings have become dysfunctional with so many angry people present.

Prior to the election Sloane maintained that she and her husband have been harassed by a group of people which is what created the problems with the fire department and the town board. She said the recall was part of that effort.