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Page advocacy group urges Greendale trustees to condemn slurs and adopt a norms statement
Summary
Representatives of Page (People Advocating for Greendale Equity) urged the village board to issue a unanimous declaration condemning slurs and to require an apology and consequences if an elected official is found to have used a disability‑related slur at a prior meeting.
At the start of the meeting, Nick Godley, identifying himself as vice president of Page (People Advocating for Greendale Equity) and speaking from 5331 Millbank Road, addressed the board during public comment asking trustees to respond to allegations that a trustee used a disability‑related slur during a prior meeting.
Godley said Page expects any trustee who used an offensive slur to make a meaningful apology and face appropriate consequences, and he urged the board to adopt a unanimous declaration that slurs based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, physical or other disability "shall not be tolerated in village meetings". "This controversy ... provides the board and the village with an opportunity to clearly communicate norms of conduct and respect towards everyone in our community," Godley said.
Trustee Freckmeyer responded during public comment, saying he had reviewed the letter the group referenced and the meeting video and that the alleged slur was not used. He called the allegation an anonymous letter that did not match what he said and described the reported language as "a joke" in his comments to the board. Trustee responses emphasized that the board cannot conduct a back‑and‑forth during public comment but encouraged people to review the video recording to verify statements.
No formal board action or resolution on the matter was taken at this meeting; the item was raised as a public‑comment request for a board statement.
