Shawano Leader News

Only alderperson with opposition losesBy: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

There will be several new faces on the Clintonville Common Council as a result of Tuesday’s election, which drew about 27 percent of the eligible city voters. There were 615 votes cast.

In District 3, Amy Steenbock, the only incumbent on the ballot with opposition, lost to former Alderman Steve Kettenhoven. Steenbock was filling out the vacancy that occurred when Jerry Jorgenson resigned.

Three incumbents — Bill Zeinert in District 1, Phil Rath in District 2 and Mark Doornink in District 5 — decided not to seek re-election following a tumultuous year on the council. That left the door open for three political newcomers.

In District 5, Brad Rokus defeated Maggie Polzin Hintz, 94-59.

“The voters were telling me that they want cooperation and they want someone to listen to them. They want to put the turmoil behind,” Rokus said. “I want to begin to dig into the budget and solve the financial problems the city has.”

Rokus is a former wastewater utility manager in Clintonville.

In District 2, Julie Stumbris defeated former mayor Robert Gay, 85-72.

“I am happy the voters chose me, will do my best to represent them and am ready to get to work,” Stumbris said.

In District 1, where no one filed papers as a candidate, Darrell Teal, a former wastewater treatment plant city employee, was elected with 15 write-in votes.

In District 4, Lois Bressette was re-elected without opposition.

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6 seminars planned for 2-day eventBy: 

Leader Staff

Area residents will be able to meet contractors from multiple trades when the Wolf River Builders Association presents its 10th annual Home & Cottage Show on April 11-12.

Thirty-one vendors will participate in the show at the Crawford Center in Shawano to “provide consumers with remodeling, building and landscaping ideas,” show chairman Cap Wallrich said.

Wallrich said residents can find vendors at the show who specialize in windows, roofing, cabinetry, painting, concrete, insurance, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

“Getting to meet face-to-face with contractors and other builders is a great experience,” said Mark Flunker, WRBA president.

Flunker noted the show can provide consumers with a first-hand glimpse of new styles in the construction and building trades, and others, such as vinyl windows and siding, that have transcended time.

“You can always look at new trends and see what is fresh on the market,” he said. “But there are things that have stood the test of time and will always be interesting.”

Woodstock Hardwood Flooring of Wittenberg is the show sponsor for the third straight year.

In addition to the traditional lineup of vendors, Menominee Tribal Enterprises in Neopit will display its kitchen cabinetry and millwork at the show for the first time.

Diane Montour, executive director of WRBA, said vendors have always been pleased with the turnout.

“Our vendors are generally very happy with the quality of the leads that they receive from our show,” she said.

Apple Valley Nursery and Orchards of Bonduel returns as the seminar area sponsor for the fourth consecutive year.

One of the show’s six seminars will be a presentation by Ruth McGrath on repurposing furniture with organic paints.

“A lot of people would be interested in that because it is a new trend,” said Flunker, who also is executive director of Wolf River Habitat for Humanity.

“We get a lot of items that come in that need repurposing,” he said. “We are able to restore it, instead of junking it.”

Habitat for Humanity will present another of the seminars, “Building a Habitat Home: What We Do, How We Do It and How You Can Help.”

Apple Valley Nursery and Orchards will present two seminars, one on growing fruit trees and another on landscaping installation.

“(Attendees) will get some interesting tips … and landscaping advice, including pruning of trees,” Wallrich said.

Other seminar topics are spring cleaning tips and new painting ideas and techniques.

WRBA formed in 2003, representing builders in Shawano, Menominee and Oconto counties. The show was launched in 2006.

Admission for the event is either a $3 donation to Habitat for Humanity or three canned goods to the Shawano Area Food Pantry and Resource Center.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: Wolf River Builders Association Home & Cottage Show

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Crawford Center, 990 E. Green Bay St., Shawano

ADMISSION: $3 donation to Habitat for Humanity or three canned goods for the Shawano Area Food Pantry and Resource Center

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Shawano Police Department

April 6

Police logged 27 incidents, including the following:

Fire — The fire department responded to a trash bin fire at Aarrowcast, 2900 E. Richmond.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 100 block of Acorn Street.

Truancy — Police logged six truancy complaints from Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Theft — A purse was reported stolen in the 200 block of South Sawyer Street.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the parking lot at Pick ‘N Save, 190 Woodlawn Drive.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 500 block of South Cleveland Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the 2400 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 6

Deputies logged 40 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Old Keshena Road in Wescott.

Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on state Highway 22 in Belle Plaine.

Juvenile — Authorities logged two disorderly conduct complaints and two truancy complaints at Bonduel High/Middle School, 400 W. Green Bay St., Bonduel.

Sex assault — A sexual assault complaint in Maple Grove was under investigation.

Fraud — Authorities investigated an identity theft complaint on Rolling Hills Court in Belle Plaine.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a fraud complaint on Old Q Road in Aniwa.

Burglary — Authorities investigated a burglary on Lake Drive in Wescott.

Clintonville Police Department

April 5

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Two juveniles were cited for curfew violation on 13th Street.

Disturbance — A 30-year-old Clintonville man was arrested for domestic abuse-related disorderly conduct on South Madison Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a domestic disturbance on West Third Street.

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Several neighbors speak against proposed locationBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

Plans for a Shawano dog park were put on pause Monday after a lengthy discussion with neighbors objecting to the city’s proposed location.

About a dozen people attended a special meeting of the city’s finance committee to speak against putting a dog park on a 6-acre portion of city-owned property along Sunset Boulevard, between Pick ‘N Save and Channel Trace.

The Shawano Park and Recreation Commission recommended the plan last week.

Among the complaints was that residents who moved into the neighborhood say they were told the property would someday be an extension of the Woodlawn Cemetery across the street.

“Now we’re going to live with a bunch of barking dogs in the backyard?” Roger Williams said. “That’s not going to be pretty. I, for one, will probably try to sell my place if I can to get out of there.”

Williams said the dog park was better suited to the industrial park or some other area away from residential properties. He said the park would also attract additional vehicle traffic.

“People aren’t going to walk from all over town to the dog park. They’re going to take their cars over there,” he said.

The proximity of the dog park to the existing cemetery was also a problem for some.

Miriam Gaschke said the noise from barking dogs could be a disruption for funeral services and even lead to confrontations.

“That one particular time that you can never get back is those last moments standing there, and to me that would be just devastation,” she said.

Residents also took issue with the idea that dog owners would necessarily clean up after their animals.

Sandi Bocik said many would just sit on the bench with their iPhones and not pay any attention to where their dogs run.

“I’m sure they’re not going to search out their dog’s feces versus other dogs’ feces,” she said.

Bocik said she is not opposed to dogs, but the dog park would ruin the peace and quiet of a retirement area.

“We bought these homes in order to retire,” she said. “How good is retirement when you’re constantly listening to dogs barking? Would you want to live there? Would this be your ideal spot for retirement?”

Alderman Woody Davis read a letter from the Willow Shores Condo Association objecting to “a smelly dog park with a cyclone fence around it in our backyard.”

The association also maintained it would lower property values.

Matt Hendricks, city park and recreation director, said eight or nine city-owned sites were studied before the commission settled on the Sunset Boulevard location.

He said the intent was to minimize residential impact, though there would be residential properties affected at each of the sites considered.

Hendricks said the pedestrian access to the proposed dog park and infrastructure already in place were two of the advantages of the Sunset Boulevard location.

He said the proposed park was located as far as possible from neighboring residential properties, would be surrounded by a 6-foot fence and would have a vegetative landscape berm to provide a visual and acoustic barrier.

Though the property had been designated for a future cemetery expansion, Hendricks said it could be 50 years before additional space is needed.

Alderperson Sandy Steinke, a committee member, said she had gotten a lot of calls in opposition to the location.

“They think it could be used for a higher and better use,” she said.

The committee voted unanimously to send the park back to the commission for further review and consideration of possible options.

The Common Council, which convened immediately afterward, scratched the item from its agenda.

A survey seeking public input from residents on Shawano parks in 2013 cited a dog park as something many respondents wanted to see.

Dog park enthusiasts approached the Shawano County Board on two occasions in 2012 to establish the park at a clay borrows site on Rosebrook Road in the town of Belle Plaine. It was voted down twice over concerns about the proposed lease, the expense and what entity would be responsible for it.

The city included $50,000 in this year’s capital improvement projects budget for the park. The expected cost of the project at the Sunset Boulevard location was $49,794, with $28,793 of that going for a fence around the park.

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Shawano Police Department

April 5

Police logged 20 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.

Disturbance — Police responding to a report of a fight in progress at the Super 8, 211 Waukechon St., arrested a 38-year-old man for possession of heroin and cited a 28-year-old woman for possession of marijuana.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 600 block of East Schurz Street.

Disorderly — Police responded to an intoxicated person complaint at The Store, 404 E. Green Bay St.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 800 block of East Maurer Street.

Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen at Aarrowcast, 2900 E. Green Bay St.

April 4

Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:

Child Neglect — A child neglect complaint was under investigation.

Threatening — Police investigated a threatening complaint at Memorial Park, 909 S. Union St.

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 600 block of South Maiden Lane.

Sex Assault — A reported sex assault was under investigation.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 900 block of East Green Bay Street.

April 3

Police logged 25 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 45-year-old man was arrested on a warrant in the 1200 block of East Green Bay St.

Restraining Order — Police investigated a restraining order violation in the 700 block of South Union St.

Pedestrian Accident — A 65-year-old woman was struck by a vehicle in the parking lot at Perkins, 1398 E. Green Bay St. She said she was not injured and declined an ambulance.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the 800 block of South Main Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 5

Deputies logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen on state Highway 156 in Navarino.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on County Road Q in Aniwa.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 29 in Waukechon.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 47-55 in Wescott.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 29 in Hartland.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Uecker Street in the town of Grant.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 29 in Maple Grove.

Accidents — Authorities logged three deer-related crashes.

April 4

Deputies logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Charges of disorderly conduct and battery were referred against a 33-year-old Suamico woman after a disturbance on Lake Drive in Wescott.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on County Road A in Bartelme.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Lynwood Drive in Wescott.

Theft — An aluminum boat was reported stolen on Twin Creek Road in Hartland.

Burglary — Authorities investigated two burglary complaints on Moh He Con Nuck Road in Bowler.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Lake Drive in the town of Washington.

Accidents — Authorities logged two deer-related crashes.

April 3

Deputies logged 36 incidents, including the following:

Fleeing — A fleeing/pursuit incident on U.S. Highway 45 in Wittenberg was under investigation.

Burglary — Authorities investigated a burglary attempt on Old Keshena Road in Wescott.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a lewd and lascivious behavior complaint on Webb Street in Wittenberg.

Assault — Authorities investigated an assault on state Highway 22 in Cecil.

Fraud — An identity theft complaint was reported on Augustine Street in Maple Grove.

Vandalism — Authorities investigated a vandalism complaint on County Road MM in Richmond.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on Main Street in Birnamwood.

Sex Assault — A sexual assault in Bonduel was under investigation.

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Fred Pape: Caring is his calling cardBy: 

Gary Seymour, Leader Correspondent

Photo by Curt Knoke Fred Pape is the recipient of the Shawano Area Community Foundation’s Heath Care Volunteer Award.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles profiling winners of the Celebration of Giving awards presented annually by Shawano Area Community Foundation Inc. for outstanding volunteerism. The winners will be honored at a gala April 14.

With priorities firmly in order, Fred Pape tells a waitress that it doesn’t matter whether she brings him orange juice or tomato juice.

“Either one, I don’t care,” he said. “I’ve been married for more than 50 years, so I’m easy to please.”

Juice preference notwithstanding, caring is actually his calling card. In matters of compassion and humanity, no one over the past six years has more steadfastly walked the walk than Pape, winner of the Shawano Area Community Foundation’s Heath Care Volunteer Award.

The number of rounds he has made at Maple Lane Health Care and Birch Hill Care Center since 2009 rival those of attending physicians.

“I’ll always stand outside the door and ask each patient if it’s OK that I come in and visit them,” he said. “I’ll start by telling them that I’m not a minister, and I’m not an insurance salesman. Elderly people are always getting calls from insurance salesmen.

“If they let me come in and visit, we’ll do small talk, or sing songs. If it’s Christmas time, we’ll sing Christmas carols. Music has no boundaries. Everyone can understand it, and everyone remembers certain songs.”

Scattering random kindness to those in the twilight of their earthly residence is an effortless affair, he said, because when you’re volunteering for a worthy cause, it is a reciprocal deal on the great karma scoreboard in the sky.

“All volunteers, in general — whether it’s shoveling somebody’s driveway or donating clothes — we think we are a blessing to those we’re helping,” he said. “And, we are. But those of us doing it, we get a much bigger blessing. When I leave those facilities I know how easily it could be me in one of those beds instead of walking out of there.”

The 78-year-old retired Coca-Cola salesman was called to volunteer life after an epiphany one morning during a church service.

“Hearing the words in a church setting, about feeding the hungry, clothing the poor and visiting the sick, it just got to me,” he said. “It was like, ‘Duh!’ Sometimes we’re so busy raising our families, doing our jobs, building our careers, that we don’t hear God speak to us audibly. But I heard Him there. And I wanted to represent Him, to do his work.”

So, with the support of his wife, Marian, Fred embarked on a personal mission that has given his life added inspiration.

“A nursing care facility is God’s waiting room,” he said. “They’re waiting to be called home. I’ve met with so many people who’ve lost their spouses. They feel like they don’t belong in society anymore. They want to reunite with their spouse. When they finally pass away, I go to their wake, but I won’t be sad. I’ll say, ‘You made it!’ You got your wish!’

“I’m not afraid to die, and I try to inspire those who are dying to not be afraid. There is no greater joy than to hold the hand of a person who’s dying.”

Pape acknowledges that hospitals are not the first choice for a vacation getaway, but that therein lies a beautiful paradox.

“It’s not a pleasant place to be,” he said. “It can be depressing. But when you walk through that door, you get this feeling over you that says that this is where you belong, this is where you belong. Helping people … that’s what we’re on Earth for.”

The Health Care Volunteer Award is sponsored by ThedaCare.

Pape will split his $1,000 award between the Wolf River Lutheran High School fund for a new school and the fundraising effort by VCY America, a Christian broadcasting station in Wittenberg, for a new transmitter.

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Pigeon Lake Wayside, Bucholtz Park mentioned as possible sitesBy: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

The Clintonville Common Council plans to discuss establishing a dog park in the city at its April 14 meeting.

City Park and Recreation Director Justin McCuly said this week he had researched potential sites for the park, which include the Pigeon Lake Wayside area off Eighth Street and Bucholtz Park, near the outdoor swimming pool.

Alderwoman Gloria Dunlavy said she favored the Pigeon Lake location because it was near a walking trail in Pickerel Point. People could take their dogs for a walk and for a free run in the park nearby, she said.

“This is an area in the city that is not being used for anything now,” Dunlavy said.

Alderman Jim Krause, however, expressed concerns that the Pigeon Lake area is a hot spot for blastomycosis, an illness that has affected dogs, cats, and humans in the area. He also questioned whether the area would be easily accessible for users.

Commission member Don Jirschele favored the Bucholtz Park location. He said people could take their dogs to the fenced park while family members enjoy the park’s other amenities.

Interim City Administrator Chuck Kell said having dogs so near ball games or other activities in the park could be problematic. Barking dogs also could be a disturbance, he said.

McCuly said a student at Fox Valley Technical College had volunteered to help with fund raising for the project, which he said likely would take a couple of years.

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Shawano Police Department

April 2

Police logged 20 incidents, including the following:

Fraud — Police responded to a telephone scam complaint in the 100 block of East Center Street.

Hit and Run — Police responded to a property damage hit-and-run in the 500 block of South Main Street.

Theft — Police responded to a property theft complaint in the 300 block of Lakeland Road.

Theft — Police responded to a property theft complaint on Briarwood Lane.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 1000 block of South Lutz Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 2

Deputies logged 49 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities arrested a 22-year-old man on charges of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct after a disturbance on Maple Road in Aniwa.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on state Highway 29 in Hartland.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on County Road M in Wittenberg.

Fire — Authorities responded to grass fires on state Highway 156 in Maple Grove and Mader Street in Gresham.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Lakeview Road in the town of Washington.

OWI — A 59-year-old Wausau woman was arrested for operating while intoxicated on state Highway 29 in Wittenberg.

Accidents — Authorities logged four accidents, including an injury accident on County Road MMM in Richmond and three deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

April 2

Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Thefts from vehicles were reported on Garfield Avenue and 15th Street.

Suspicious — A suspicious incident was reported on Robert Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a family disturbance on Auto Street.

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Staszak, Wussow answer Leader’s questionsBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

Editor’s note: Village Trustee Sharon Wussow and past village president Grant Staszak will face off in Tuesday’s election for village president in Bonduel. The Shawano Leader posed several questions to them.

Why are you running?

Staszak: I’ve served the village as president in the past and would be honored to do that again if the residents want that. Some of the issues we faced then are the same and we’re at a crossroads when it comes to economic development. I look forward to the opportunity to address those issues.

Wussow: I feel that now is the time for me to use my strengths to the benefit of the village of Bonduel. I have lived all my life in the Bonduel area and care deeply about the success of the village. I have had several of the board members and also some village residents ask me to run for village president. I want to keep village residents informed of what is happening in the village and I would like to get some more activities that would help our local retail businesses.

Why should voters choose you over your opponent?

Staszak: The key thing is I was village president in the past. I have experience in the public sector. I was chief of staff in Green Bay and was appointed by the governor to the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. The main issue is economic development, and there are general issues. I’ve dealt with those issues in Green Bay.

Wussow: I have had many years of experience dealing with a diverse group of people. I enjoy working with people with honesty and integrity. I will work with employees and board members to come up with the best solutions to any problems or situations that may arise while keeping the best interest of the village in mind. I will strive to treat employees/board member/village residents with respect and will value their opinion and input.

Utility bills were an issue during the primary. What can you do to lower them?

Staszak: Utility bills need to be researched. Anything we do would need to go through the Public Service Commission. We need to look at the terms of the loan on the sewer pipeline and review the budget and salary and wages and see if we can be more efficient. There are also fire protection charges and garbage charges included in that, and we need to review those to see if there is anything we can do different.

Wussow: I have checked into them somewhat already. The PSC determines what the water and the fire protection fee will be so that we cannot change, but I will look into the sewer and refuse rates to see if they can be changed and if not, I will let the public know why. Our current president and my opponent both have had the opportunity to do something about the utility bills and they have not. I will consult with the village financial advisers to see if we possibly can refinance or what can be done.

What are some of the village’s pressing needs and how do you propose to address them?

Staszak: The main issues are sewer and water bills and economic development. We also need to do a general review of government operations to see whether we’re providing adequate services and whether we’re overstaffed or understaffed. I’d stress collaboration with our neighbors — the school district, town of Hartland, Shawano County. We’re the largest village in Shawano County. We need better marketing to attract businesses and residents. We need to strengthen our collaboration with civic organizations that serve the Bonduel community.

Wussow: I feel that all board members have not been kept abreast of things that are happening in the village. I plan on keeping the board informed on everything that I will be doing in the capacity of village president. Another need is to fill our empty buildings and to have the village residents purchase locally to help the economy here first. We need to market our village that it is a nice place to live, work and to raise a family. I want people to be able to approach the board and question what is happening and that we will answer them promptly or shortly thereafter. I also want to get younger people involved in government activities by serving on committees or even on the board.

MEET THE CANDIDATES

Bonduel Village President

GRANT STASZAK

Age: 39

Address: 211 N. First St.

Family: Wife and two children

Experience: Past village president; two years Shawano County supervisor; chief of staff in Green Bay; appointed to the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents

Education: Graduate of Bonduel High School; bachelor’s degree, UW-River Falls, agriculture business and political science

Community involvement: St. Paul Lutheran Church; Bonduel High School Scholarship Development Committee

SHARON WUSSOW

Age: 57

Address: 124 N. Adams St. Bonduel

Family: Husband, Bob; son, Adam; and three stepsons with families

Education: Graduate of Bonduel High School, graduate of the Dale Carnegie Course and have taken a variety of classes offered through NWTC

Experience: Bonduel Village Board for 12 years; chair of the public safety committee; secretary of the library board; Village of Bonduel/Town of Hartland Fire Commission; worked at Carver Yacht Corporation for 14 years as maintenance coordinator; served four years as the Section VIII representative to the State FFA Alumni Council; two years on the WI FFA Foundation Sponsorship Board; auction committee for the National FFA Alumni Auction held in Kansas City.

Community Involvement: Lifetime member of the Bonduel FFA Alumni; cemetery committee at Zion United Methodist Church; auction chairperson for the Bonduel High School Scholarship Development Committee; ad hoc committee for Bonduel Founder’s Day; member of the St. Paul Lutheran Choir; official scorekeeper at Bonduel High School for volleyball and boys and girls basketball; organized two auctions for the Bonduel FFA Alumni to help raise funds for the greenhouse at the Bonduel High School.

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By: 

Leader Staff

Several contested races around the county will be decided Tuesday, along with several referenda and a statewide judicial contest.

Incumbents in most communities, including the city of Shawano, are running unopposed in Tuesday’s spring election.

Voters in the village of Bonduel will choose between two candidates to determine who will fill the president’s seat for the next two years.

Trustee Sharon Wussow and past president Grant Staszak are both vying for the seat. Incumbent Melvin Wendland was defeated in the primary.

In the town of Hartland, incumbent Chairman Robert Woldt Sr. is facing a challenge from Peter Schmidt.

Hartland Town Clerk Marlin Noffke is also facing a challenge from Susan Krull.

The incumbent town clerk in Seneca, Kiley Pingel, is facing competition from R. Raymond Rigsby.

Also in Seneca, Harvey Stefl and Chuck Zimdars are competing for an open supervisor’s seat.

In the town of Angelica, three candidates are running for two supervisor seats. Incumbents Wilbert Lewis and Greg Van Asten are on the ballot, along with challenger Elmer Kraning.

In Bowler, incumbent Colleen Cortright is being challenged by Kerry Breitrick for village treasurer.

In Menominee County, James Lowery and Annmarie Johnson are both running for the Ward 5 seat.

In the Gresham School District, there are races for two at-large seats on the Gresham School Board. Candidates are Jeremy Bennett, David Boucher, Grace Schwefel and Andy Schmidt.

Statewide races include a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, where incumbent Justice Ann Walsh Bradley is being challenged by James Daley, a Rock County circuit judge, and a constitutional amendment that decides how the state Supreme Court’s chief justice is chosen, whether by seniority or selection by their peers.

Voters will also be asked whether Northeast Wisconsin Technical College should borrow up to $66.5 million for capital projects that include constructing new buildings and facilities and upgrading, remodeling, and improving existing buildings.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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Committee, council to review Sunset Boulevard planBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

Shawano officials will vote Monday on whether to designate a dog park in the city when the finance committee and Common Council meet for back-to-back special meetings.

The park and recreation committee on Wednesday recommended a 6-acre portion of city-owned property along Sunset Boulevard, between Pick ‘N Save and Channel Trace.

The property had been used as farm land and will need to be developed as a dog park, which will include cultivation and seeding that would get underway this year if approved.

The park could be open for canine recreation by spring of next year.

The expected cost of the project is $49,794, with $28,793 of that going for a fence around the park.

The resolution on the table Monday includes accepting a bid from Fortress Fence, of Green Bay, for that part of the project.

The city had included $50,000 in this year’s capital improvement projects budget for the park.

Shawano Park and Recreation Director Matt Hendricks and Public Works Coordinator Eddie Sheppard had been looking at possible dog park locations for the last several months. About seven or eight city-owned sites were analyzed before settling on the location that will be voted on Monday.

A survey seeking public input from residents on Shawano parks in 2013 cited a dog park as something many respondents wanted to see.

Dog park enthusiasts approached the Shawano County Board on two occasions in 2012 to establish the park at a clay borrows site on Rosebrook Road in the town of Belle Plaine. It was voted down twice over concerns about the proposed lease, the expense and what entity would be responsible for it.

The finance committee will consider the dog park among other agenda items at 8 a.m. Monday at City Hall, 127 S. Sawyer St. The council will convene immediately after.

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Officer, bystanders pull man from Washington LakeBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

A dive team rescue on Washington Lake in Wescott on Wednesday underscores the hazards of venturing out onto potentially thin ice that has been deteriorating with the early spring weather.

“People are still out there fishing,” said Capt. Tom Tuma of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.

“They have to realize that a lot of the water around here is moving water,” he said. “We have a lot of spring-fed lakes. You may walk out in the morning on what is seemingly safe ice and by the time you get prepared to come in, it may be gone or it may be significantly deteriorated to the point where you’re going to go through.”

The Sheriff’s Department Dive Team, Shawano Ambulance Service and the Shawano police and fire departments responded about 4:46 p.m. Wednesday to several 911 calls about a man who had fallen through the ice.

The 66-year-old was chest-deep in the water and clinging to an ice shelf, Tuma said.

The man had been ice fishing most of the day before falling through.

There were already two bystanders on scene when the first sheriff’s deputy arrived.

“There was a civilian on scene trying to throw him a rope,” Tuma said, and a second bystander with what was described as a type of kayak. “They tied the rope to one end and got it out to him. The officer and the civilians pulled him out.”

The man had reportedly been in the water about 30 minutes.

Tuma said he was very lucky.

“Within the first eight to 10 minutes, you’re losing function of your extremities,” he said. “Very shortly after that, your cognitive ability begins to become impaired. It’s not getting the oxygen, everything is cooling down, your core temperature. So you’re not thinking as clearly as you were when you went into the water.”

The man refused medical attention after the incident.

“Everybody at the scene did a great job,” Tuma said, “and much thanks to the individuals that helped the responding officer get him out.”

Tuma said this has been a relatively quiet year for the dive team, with a winter season marked by unusual weather.

“We went from really bad ice because of the extended warm weather to getting very cold and making very good ice,” he said. “Now we’re seeing the ice receding from the shoreline.”

Ice shacks were supposed to be off the ice weeks ago, but some people are still making their way across the open water to the ice that’s left.

“We will never say the ice is safe,” Tuma said. “I’m suspect of that ice. I don’t care what time of year it is.”

It’s particularly treacherous this time of year.

“Certainly at this point in the season, when you get anything above freezing with winds, it will deteriorate ice rapidly,” he said. “Any rain will rapidly deteriorate it. Just the sunshine alone if it’s above 32 is going to cause what may have been firm in the morning to turn to slush very quickly.”

Tuma said people also have to realize it’s not just themselves they are putting at risk when venturing out onto uncertain ice.

“Any time we send emergency responders, we’re doing so at a risk to those responders,” he said.

The cost of the response will also be billed back to the victim.

“We’re very fortunate throughout the county to have fire, police and various agencies that are kind of spread out that can respond to the scene,” Tuma said.

For those who insist on venturing out onto the ice, Tuma recommended having someone they can check in with periodically who knows their expected time of return.

He also suggested people check with their local bait shops first about the current ice conditions.

Also, Tuma said, “at this time of year, I’d recommend a life jacket.”

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Diane Rusch has worked for county since 1993By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

Shawano County Finance Director Diane Rusch will retire next month after more than two decades with the county.

The county’s Administrative Committee will discuss refilling her position at a meeting Monday.

“It’s time to leave,” Rusch said.

Rusch said she has been looking to retire for the past couple of years, but wanted to see several finance department projects through to completion while staff changes and turnover sometimes left the department short-handed.

“I really didn’t want to leave these guys in a lurch,” Rusch said.

Rusch said the decision came with some anxiety.

“I really like what I’m doing,” she said. “I look at all the opportunities that the county has really given me to grow, to go and get more education, and to be able to do the job. So, it’s been pretty much mostly good. But the time comes.”

Rusch started with the county in June 1993 as comptroller, when finance was still part of the county clerk’s office.

“We created the finance department, which was a challenge,” Rusch said. “I enjoyed doing that,”

Finance became its own department in December 1994, providing services to each of the county’s other departments.

“We look at the departments as our customers, to do whatever we can with them, because their area of expertise is in their programs, but there’s still that financial piece of it that they need to do,” Rusch said. “I think that’s what I’m most proud of, what we’ve done in creating the finance department and our service to the departments.”

Rusch said her husband has already been retired for quite a few years and there are things they want to do, such as going to warmer climes for the winter, and catching up on the golfing and reading Rusch hasn’t always had the time for.

First will come a little rest.

“I’m just really tired right now,” Rusch said. “I always tell everybody, ‘The first thing I’m going to do is sleep ‘til I’m done.’”

Rusch will retire effective May 7.

Her current salary is “in the low-80s, about mid-range in the pay scale,” she said.

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Menominee County gap largest in stateBy: 

Leader Staff

The income gap between the wealthiest and poorest residents in Menominee County is the largest in the state, according to the County Health Rankings released last week.

The rankings, compiled annually by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Health Institute, also showed Menominee County was the least healthiest in the state, ranking 72nd for the sixth consecutive year.

This was the first time since 2010 that the rankings included an income inequality statistic.

“This measure looks at income distribution or relative disadvantage in a county,” the County Health Rankings website explained.

Utilizing wage surveys from 2009 to 2013, the group compared the 20th percentile of household income to the 80th percentile to find a ratio of how much higher income families were making compared with lower income ones.

In Menominee County, 20 percent of households were making $13,560 or less (lowest 20th percentile household income in the state) while the top 80 percent were making $71,389 or more (second lowest 80th percent household income in the state).

That meant the 80th percentile of households makes 5.5 times more than the 20th percentile, as compared to a state average income inequality ratio of 4.3.

The income ratio in Milwaukee County, the county with the second largest gap, was 5.0, with a $17,600 income level for the 20th percentile and $87,200 for the 80th percentile.

Income inequality counted for 2.5 percent of a county’s overall score for health factors, which also took into account rates for smoking, obesity, drinking, medical care availability, education and other statistics related to health.

The County Health Rankings website said the disparity statistic is worth looking at, however, because researchers “identified at least modest relationships between income inequality and health at all levels.”

According to the latest U.S. Census information, 31 percent of Menominee County residents live below the poverty line.

“From my perspective, poverty has an impact on health,” said Jerry Waukau, health administrator at the Menominee Tribal Clinic. “For those people who face the disparity, their health has also struggled.”

About 4,000 of the 4,200 county residents are Menominee tribal members, Waukau noted.

Waukau said addressing the county’s health issues will require a collaborative effort among multiple local, state and federal agencies.

“If we are going to combat it, we have to combat it a lot of different ways by improving the community and improving the jobs,” Waukau said. “Health is one component of it. We have to look at it from a big picture standpoint.

“We can’t do this on our own, so we need other partners to take part in our journey. We need the schools, we need the (College of Menominee Nation), we need the county. We need all of these levels to be on the same page.”

Local residents also must do their part.

“It is self-management, trying to get diabetics to come in and take ownership into their diabetic care,” Waukau said. “We want to create empowerment among our people to get to their appointments. … People not getting to their appointments makes it difficult to manage their care.”

While noting that the county and tribe have made improvements in some of the areas since the health rankings started — graduation rates, for example, increased from 68 percent in 2010 to 93 percent this year — Waukau said some issues can take years to overcome.

“We are running a marathon. We can’t sprint in this effort,” he said.

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Election follows year of controversyBy: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

Clintonville voters will have decisions to make in Tuesday’s spring election, which includes three contested races for Common Council seats and one district with no declared candidates.

Three incumbents — Bill Zeinert in District 1, Phil Rath in District 2 and Mark Doornink in District 5 — decided not to seek re-election following a tumultuous year on the council.

In District 1, no one filed papers as a candidate, so an alderman could be elected on a write-in vote. If there are no write-ins, the council will need to appoint someone to the seat.

In District 2, former Alderman and Mayor Robert Gay, retired president of Wisconsin Gas Co., is running against Julie Stumbris, a logistics specialist and wife of Peter Stumbris, a former alderman.

In District 3, Amy Steenbock is seeking election to her first full term in office after being appointed last year to fill out the term of Jerry Jorgenson, who resigned. She is employed at Premier Community Bank. She is opposed by former Alderman Steve Kettenhoven, who works for Cabela’s.

In District 5, Brad Rokus faces Maggie Hintz-Polzin. Both are seeking their first elective office. Rokus is a water filtration plant manager in Oshkosh and resides in Clintonville, where he worked as waste water utility manager. Polzin is a sustainability coordinator at ThedaCare.

In District 4, incumbent Lois Bressette is running unopposed. She defeated Greg Rose in a recall election last fall.

The council’s annual reorganizational meeting will be held April 28. The newly elected council members will be sworn into office, and Mayor Judith Magee will make committee appointments.

The council’s controversies within the last year include the investigation of former City Administrator Lisa Kotter, ultimately spending more than $100,000 on the probe and subsequent departure agreement absolving her of any wrongdoing; a no-confidence vote against Magee and a probe into her actions; replacement of the former city attorney with a relative of two council members; and the first recall election in city history, successfully ousting Rose.

At one point, Magee took a mental health leave of absence, which she said was needed because of conflicts with council members.

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Shawano Police Department

April 1

Police logged 23 incidents, including the following:

Assist — Police assisted with a dive team call on Stark Road in Wescott.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at the Skateboard Park, 107 E. Elizabeth St.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 200 block of South Washington Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 200 block of South Washington Street.

Theft — A bike was reported stolen at Charlie’s County Market, 521 S. Main St.

Disturbance — Police responded to two separate disturbances at the Wisconsin House, 216 E. Green Bay St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 1

Deputies logged 46 incidents, including the following:

Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Washington Lake Road in Wescott.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Church Road in Aniwa.

Dive Team — Authorities responded to a man who had fallen through the ice near Stark Road in Wescott. He was rescued and declined medical treatment.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on state Highway 32 in Green Valley.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Hemlock Road in Wittenberg.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on U.S. Highway 45 in Tigerton.

Accidents — Authorities logged four accidents, including three deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

April 1

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Drug Offense — A juvenile was cited for possession of marijuana and warned for curfew on North 12th Street.

Suspicious — A warning was issued for lewd and lascivious behavior after an officer checked on a suspicious vehicle on East 14th Street.

Disturbance — A neighbor dispute was reported on Seventh Street.

Theft — Police were investigating four thefts from a vehicle complaints on Robert and Hughes streets, West Green Tree Road and Lincoln Avenue.

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Chamber merges programs to bring business people togetherBy: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Tammy Brzeczkowski, far right, co-owner for Dynamic Designs Unlimited, explains how her business operates during the first Coffee Connections facilitated by the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. Listening to Brzeczkowski’s pitch are, from left, Scott Parson and Stacy Eggelston, of Thrivent Financial, Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. executive director Dennis Heling and chamber executive director Nancy Smith.
Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Kristy Hesse, left, human resources manager for Krueger International’s Bonduel operation, talks about her business during Coffee Connections on Wednesday while Donna Hobscheid, a real estate agent with Hilgenberg Realty, takes notes.

The Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce has tried many ways to bring local business people together, but its latest road builder is paved with caffeine.

The chamber held its first Coffee Connections on Wednesday morning at Glas Coffeehouse, merging two existing programs into one in an effort to get businesses to network and find out what services are available in the area.

“It’s just an informal little breakfast get-together where people introduce themselves and tell about what’s going on with their business,” said Lisa Meisner, who works at Orthopedic and Spine Therapy and helped organize the Coffee Connections. “We’ve got an agenda that we can or cannot follow, if folks have other ideas.”

The new program combines the chamber’s Speed Networking, where business owners got together and gave one-on-one elevator pitches about their businesses to 20 or more people in the course of an hour, and Breakfast Connections, which included breakfast and a presentation on a business topic.

As in Speed Networking, the new Coffee Connections format still requires short pitches, but now the business owners give one pitch to the whole group.

“We thought it would be a good idea to merge the two groups and get more bang for our buck, so to speak,” said Nancy Smith, chamber executive director.

The Coffee Connections can provide information on new trends and activities. On Wednesday, Matt Melotte, a physical therapist, discussed a new method of therapy called dry needling.

“It’s kind of a focus on muscular pain, and it’s still new in the field,” Melotte said, noting he will get his final certification on the technique in May. “It has really brought us up a step in our care.”

The informal gatherings also provide some new facts and statistics. Scott Parson, financial consultant with Thrivent Financial-Wolf River Associates, noted that most people spend more time planning for family vacations than they do for their financial futures.

“About 93 percent of people spend more time in a year planning for their vacation than they do their entire life for their retirement,” Parson said. “In one year, you’ll plan to go somewhere for a week or two weeks for a vacation, but your retirement that you could be in for 30 or 40 years, you spend less time planning.”

Some of the business operators injected humor as they spoke with colleagues. Kristi Hesse, human resources manager with Krueger International in Bonduel, a furniture building company, elicited a few laughs.

“As soon as you all leave, I’ll have to look under the tables to see if these are ours,” Hesse said.

The Coffee Connections will be held on the first Wednesday of each month at Glas Coffehouse, 511 N. Main St., Shawano.

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Forum scheduled April 7 in ShawanoBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Residents of Shawano and Menominee counties will be able to choose between two managed-care organizations selected to help bring the Family Care program to Northeast Wisconsin.

Information about both organizations and Family Care will be presented at a forum from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at the Shawano Lake County Park pavilion.

Family Care offers a variety of programs through Medicaid for long-term care for the disabled and elderly, helping to keep them out of nursing homes and institutions by providing care in their homes and communities.

The program assumes some of the responsibilities now provided by the Shawano County Human Services Department.

“We will be out of the long-term support business completely, and Family Care will take over,” said Rick Kane, county human services director.

Gov. Scott Walker announced in 2014 the Family Care program would expand to Shawano, Menominee, Oconto, Marinette, Brown, Door and Kewaunee counties. About 4,000 people are expected to qualify.

The expansion is expected to include 2,434 people who use similar county-based care programs, 977 people on waiting lists for county services, and anyone else who resides in the seven counties and meets the eligibility requirements.

The program currently serves about 48,000 people in 57 counties.

State officials selected two organizations — Madison-based Care Wisconsin, which has been offering Family Care since 2008, and Lakeland Care District, which started in Fond du Lac in 2000 — to provide the program in this region.

The Aging and Disability Resource Center of the Wolf River Region, also a component of the Family Care program, will provide pre-enrollment counseling to residents from May until Sept. 1, when both organizations will begin accepting applicants.

“We will not place them,” said Kimmery Weber, operated services manager for Shawano County Human Services. “The participants, the guardians or family members will help them choose.”

The organizations are tasked with providing cost-effective, comprehensive and flexible long-term care that will foster Family Care participants’ independence and quality of life, while recognizing the need for interdependence and support.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services describes the program’s specific goals as providing clients with better choices about where they live and what kinds of services and supports they get to meet their needs; improving their access to services; improving their quality of life through a focus on health and social outcomes; and creating a cost-effective system.

Each Family Care member will have support from a team that consists of, at least, a social worker/care manager and a registered nurse. Other professionals will participate as needed.

MCOs receive a monthly per person payment to manage and purchase care for their members, who may be living in their own homes, group living situations or nursing facilities.

“The expansion of this program allows more people to stay in their homes, where they prefer to be,” Walker said in a statement in April. “By extending Family Care services, they can have a better quality of life, more independence, and they can avoid the expense of moving into a nursing home before it’s necessary.”

It’s unclear when DHS would start moving to expand Family Care into the remaining eight counties: Adams, Dane, Forest, Florence, Oneida, Rock, Taylor and Vilas.

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By: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Implementation of the Family Care program in Shawano and Menominee counties also will affect Lakeland Industries, 504 Lakeland Road, a county-funded facility specializing in pre-vocational training for adults with disabilities.

Lakeland Industries provides training to about 75 people in aluminum recycling, woodworking and production assembly to give them skills needed by area businesses. The facility is open Monday through Thursday.

Fourteen area businesses provide jobs for Lakeland clients. They are Arrowcast Inc., J & R Machine, Fellman Center, Mod Tech, CA Lawton, Bayland Veener, Woodport Doors, Shawano County Highway Department, Fastenal, Owen Flooring, North States Wood Gates, Shawano County Finance Department, LJ Sperberg, and Town & County Cleaners.

First Presbyterian Church, Boarders Inn and Suites, and Goodwill Industries also serve as training sites.

Kimmery Weber, operated services manager for Shawano County Human Services, said the firms managing Family Care might want more diverse job opportunities for the clients.

Some clients spend an entire day at the Lakeland facility but due to Family Care’s focus of community integration, the program will need to recruit more businesses partners, Weber said.

“We are hoping to develop more community-based employment options for individuals at Lakeland or volunteer sites instead of having everything in-house,” she said. “We are hoping to get people out, even for part of their day, so that they have more experience in integration.”

Depending on a client’s ability they could spend a two hour portion of their day working at an area business and return to Lakeland for more vocational training.

Weber said Lakeland Industries participants can become valuable assets to businesses.

“We are hoping to partner with other local businesses to help meet their ‘unmet need’ to help expand the capacity of their staff,” she said.

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Keith Marquardt, Shawano County parks director, was recently certified as a park and recreation professional by the National Certification Board and the National Recreation and Park Association.

The certification is granted to individuals employed in the recreation, park resources and leisure services professions who meet the eligibility requirements — including a combination of higher education and/or work experience — and who successfully complete the national CPRP examination. The examination tests knowledge in all aspects of general administration, programming and operations management for parks and recreation.

CPRP certifications are valid for two years, and professionals who wish to re-apply are required to complete continuing education requirements or equivalent academic course work.

Marquardt has been the Shawano County parks director since April 2009. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a major in recreation and parks administration. He has been a resident of Shawano for the majority of his life.

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of 20,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, recreation initiatives and conservation of natural and cultural resources.

For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrec-magazine.org.

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