New public works director is hired

By MITCH MAERSCH

Ozaukee Press staff

After a month-long search, the Village of Fredonia found a new public works director in its own backyard.

Eric Paulus of Fredonia was appointed by the Village Board on Nov. 17.

Paulus is the lead wastewater operator for the Village of Kewaskum and had worked as a utility operator for the Village of Saukville.

He is a firefighter/emergency medical technician with the Fredonia Fire Department, was named Ozaukee High School girls’ head soccer coach last month, is a U14 coach for the Waubedonia Soccer Club and has been a soccer official for 23 years.

Paulus lives in Fredonia with his wife and three children.

“I am looking forward to the challenge and opportunity with this new position for the village. I’m excited to serve the community I live in and work under the new governmental structure being implemented by the Village Board of Trustees and Administrator (Christophe) Jenkins,” Paulus said in a release.

Paulus will lead a team of four crew members.

“My top priorities starting off are to ensure that the wastewater treatment plant is updated and operational, hire an additional crew member and make sure that we are prepared for our first big snowstorm,” he said.

Paulus succeeds Roger Strohm, who went to work in his own community as well.

Strohm, a Port Washington resident, had worked for Fredonia for more than 10 years.

Strohm said he enjoyed getting to do a little bit of everything in a small community — working in operational, planning and administrative roles ­— and said he would miss the people of Fredonia.

He left to become city engineer for the City of Port Washington.

Strohm said he was looking forward to walking or biking to work.

He resigned in September.