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Menomonee Falls residents allege years of harassment by neighbors during public comment
Summary
Two residents told trustees during public comment that neighbors identified as Richard and Carrie Schmidt have harassed and spied on their family and neighbors for years; speakers said they have police reports, photos and video but no citations have been issued.
During the public comment period at the March 3 meeting, two Menomonee Falls residents identified as Dan Newman and Felicia Newman told the Village Board of Trustees they have experienced years of alleged stalking, harassment and property intrusions by neighbors identified in their remarks as Richard and Carrie Schmidt.
Dan Newman said the family has filed multiple police reports and offered police reports, photos and video as evidence, but that many police reports were recorded as “unfounded” and cited no resulting citations in eight years. “They are having the police come over to our house for frivolous actions… making false accusations towards us,” Newman said, adding the Schmidts have driven near or alongside the family’s vehicle, used profanity at them and repeatedly observed and recorded activity on their property, according to his statement.
Felicia Newman described ongoing nighttime nuisance noise, loud speakers, chainsaw use near the property line and spotlights or cameras mounted in trees and on structures. She said an officer’s report documented a light trespass issue and that she had complained to village zoning staff, who told her the property did not show zoning violations and referred noise and light trespass matters to the police. “The stalking, harassment, and terrorizing that the Schmitz are doing to us… continues,” she said, and urged the board to help find a peaceful solution.
Both speakers said they possess documentation including police reports, photographs and video; they told trustees they believed the conduct has continued for years and asked for assistance. Village President opened the public comment period, received the two forms and heard both statements; no formal board action or staff response was provided during public comment at that meeting.
The residents’ remarks flagged overlapping enforcement pathways: zoning staff told the speakers zoning did not show violations, while speakers said police reports often led to “unfounded” case dispositions. The speakers requested that village government take action to resolve repeated neighborhood conflict; trustees did not respond during the public comment period, consistent with the board’s public‑comment rules that limit trustee responses during that segment of the agenda.
