Shawano Leader News
District lowers proposed school levy
Lee Pulaski, [email protected]
Shawano School District officials might be backing away from a proposal to levy as much as they can under state law for the 2014-15 budget.
An earlier version of the proposed budget called for a $13.5 million tax levy, the maximum the district would be allowed to tax and about $600,000 more than this year’s levy of $12.9 million.
The district’s Finance Committee on July 23, however, discussed a tax levy of just over $12.9 million.
At a meeting Thursday at Shawano Community High School, district business manager Louise Fischer told an audience of almost 25 people that the tax rate would increase from $10.31 per $1,000 of equalized value in 2013-14 to $10.34 in 2014-15, according to the district’s most recent scenario, and an owner of a $100,000 house would pay $1,034 in taxes this year, as opposed to $1,031 in 2013.
The district’s estimate is based on no increase in district property values, which won’t be known until October.
If property values increase more than expected, it would mean a lower tax rate. If values decrease again, as they did last year, the tax rate could go higher.
Fischer said she received preliminary estimates from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue indicating a potential 2 percent decrease in property values. A 2 percent decrease would increase the tax rate to $10.55 per $1,000, she said.
In two previous community budget meetings, officials estimated the tax rate would increase to $10.81 per $1,000 if the district opted to levy the maximum and equalized property valuations stayed stagnant.
Fischer reiterated her stance Thursday that the district should levy the maximum, saying it could hurt the schools in the long run in terms of the state aid received. The district is estimated to receive $13.4 million from the state for 2014-15.
“In many instances, a school that is frugal and is not spending their entire budget or underlevying is penalized,” Fischer said. “Do you want the money to go here or to other school districts?”
Shawano resident Jane Hahn told district officials said she didn’t feel the district should raise taxes when the cost of living is going up. She recommended laying down gravel in parking lots instead of new asphalt.
“What we need to do here in Shawano is talk about needs, not wants, not what we can do in a long-range plan,” Hahn said. “All of us are cutting corners on everything. We don’t need our taxes raised.”
The School Board will meet on Monday to continue its budget discussions, including whether to exclude a budget presentation and levy vote from the district’s Aug. 18 annual meeting. The public, instead, could vote on the levy in September, Fischer said.
Fischer said the delay would be beneficial because the district hopes to have more solid budget numbers for the levy vote. Plus, she is scheduled to be on vacation the week of the annual meeting.
Final approval of the budget and levy will likely occur in October, when the board has final enrollment numbers and statewide equalization valuation results.
THE NEXT STEP
WHAT: Shawano School Board will meet to discuss budget and district annual meeting.
WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Monday
WHERE: Board Room, Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B, Shawano.
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Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of stories drawn from recent interviews with Shawano County sheriff candidates Randy Wright and Adam Bieber.
Both Republican candidates for Shawano County sheriff say they are conservatives who would like to avoid seeing taxes go up, but they differ slightly on what should happen if that goal conflicts with the resources the Sheriff’s Department needs to keep the county and its citizens safe.
“I consider myself a conservative,” incumbent Randy Wright said. “But if there’s needs like what I see, we need to have them done. I don’t want to see taxes go up, but I want to see what we need get done.”
Shawano police officer Adam Bieber, who is challenging Wright in the Aug. 12 primary, said the people he has talked to while campaigning have a different perspective.
“When I go door to door, they’re not telling me, ‘Hey, make me safe,’” he said. “They’re concerned about their dollar and what we’re doing with it, if it’s effective or not.”
Bieber said taxpayers want most to make sure the county is using their money wisely.
“I definitely want to make sure we have the tools to do what we are intended to do and that’s protect, but we also have to look at the other thing — are we being wise with the taxpayers’ money?” he said. “That’s very important to me, and I think it’s very important to the taxpayer.”
Wright said he is still standing by the same campaign promise he made in 2006.
“I know I can’t save the world, but I will try my best to keep people safe and secure,” Wright said. “Keeping (the deputies) safe, the public safe and everybody safe. That’s been my goal.”
Wright said that’s the reasoning behind plans for the department to obtain what has become a contentious flash-point in the campaign — a mine resistant armored personnel carrier, known in shorthand as MRAP.
The Sheriff’s Department would get the vehicle by paying an annual $500 membership fee to Wisconsin Emergency Management WEM, which will allow the department to obtain available military equipment.
The department has already been approved for the vehicle by WEM but also needs federal approval.
The department will also pay transportation costs to deliver the vehicle from Texas, and pay for outfitting the vehicle with radios and other equipment. The cost will be funded by asset forfeitures.
“This will keep our deputies much safer when on SWAT calls,” Wright said.
The department would pay an estimated $300 a year for maintenance, which would be done by the county Highway Department.
The Sheriff’s Department currently borrows similar armored vehicles when needed from Brown and Marathon counties.
According to Sheriff’s Department records, those vehicles have been borrowed five times so far this year.
Wright said the wait time for those vehicles to arrive on scene can be more than an hour.
Bieber said the MRAP is a misplaced priority.
“We haven’t had any issues with officers dying during raids and stuff,” he said. “I realize it may be a little more dangerous without that tool, but that is our job.”
Bieber said the “safety debate” should not be used for all department expenses.
“Most officers die from car accidents,” he said. “Why don’t we get a helicopter? Why don’t we get a drone? Why don’t we drive a MRAP for all of our squad cars? Because that’s where most of the officers are dying. If we’re going to use safety as an issue to just buy things, then why aren’t we doing all that? I don’t think it’s a valid point.”
Bieber said the Sheriff’s Department should instead be focused on getting the K9 unit into the budget, rather than relying on a private group to fundraise for it.
“Down the road, once we get our priorities in line and if a MRAP is available for cheap, I’m not against it,” Bieber said. I’m not totally against it at all, but that K9 is a priority to me.”
Wright said his department has taken a number of steps to save taxpayer money, including the establishment of a forensic lab funded entirely through grant money; changes made to squad car equipment that allowed for broader use without upgrading technology; and the use of part-time deputies to cut down on the cost of overtime.
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Convicted felons released into the Shawano community will continue to be placed at the New Era House until a new facility can be found.
The state Department of Corrections’ contract with the New Era House, 105 E. Richmond St., officially expired Thursday after a one-month extension.
The DOC earlier this year contracted with ATTIC Correctional Services for an eight-bed facility at 227 E. Richmond St. in Shawano, which would replace the New Era House. The contract called for ATTIC to provide transitional housing services for convicted felons that are under the DOC’s supervision, including recently released sex offenders.
The Shawano Plan Commission last month refused to allow a special exception to the zoning ordinance for the new facility.
The decision left things in limbo for not only recently released offenders, but also for New Era House owner and operator Ruth Paterick, who said Thursday she doesn’t know what the DOC’s plans are.
“I don’t know what they’re doing or what I’m supposed to do,” she said.
Paterick said she will continue to house the DOC residents in the meantime.
“I’m not going to switch off their monitors and turn them loose into the community,” she said.
Paterick has previously said she was willing to continue her contract with the DOC, but was not given an opportunity to bid when it came up for renewal.
Joy Staab, director of public affairs for the DOC, responded Thursday to questions from the Leader with an e-mail statement: “ATTIC was awarded the bid and is continuing to search for an approved site. DOC will use alternate approved housing options until a new site is secured.”
Paterick said she has had little contact with the DOC since the Plan Commission decision and the extension of her contract through July.
She was informed on Thursday that another DOC resident, a convicted sex offender, would be placed there Aug. 12. She was also told two others were pending.
All three placements depend on approval from the city’s Sexual Predator Ordinance Committee.
Paterick also said she is also unsure how the DOC will handle payment for residents under their supervision now that there is no contract in place.
“I’m waiting to hear,” she said.
The DOC has “pay as you go” options that can be used for living arrangements that are not contracted.
Paterick also said some of the New Era House residents have obtained jobs since their release and are able to pay for themselves.
Still, the payment issue raises questions for Paterick about how long she can continue to operate.
“Every day it crosses my mind,” she said.
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Shawano Police Department
July 30
Police logged 17 incidents, including the following:
Theft — Two bikes were reported stolen from a garage in the 300 block of South Andrew Street.
Reckless Driving — Police responded to a reckless driving complaint at Richmond and Evergreen streets.
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 800 block of South Franklin Street.
Fire — Police and Shawano Area Fire Department responded to a mattress fire at a residence on Military Road.
Threatening — Police investigated a complaint of juveniles threatening another juvenile with a baseball bat in the 1000 block of South Bartlett Street.
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
July 30
Deputies logged 39 incidents, including the following:
Bail Jumping — Authorities investigated a bail jumping complaint at the North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, Bowler.
Vandalism — Light poles and electrical boxes were reported vandalized on Moh He Con Nuck Road in Bowler.
Theft — A chainsaw was reported stolen on Range Line Road in Pella.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Railway Street in Green Valley.
Drug Offense — North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, Bowler, reported finding a marijuana pipe.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Hemlock Road in Wittenberg.
Accidents — Authorities logged two deer-related crashes.
Clintonville Police Department
July 30
Police logged eight incidents, including the following:
Fraud — Police investigated a worthless check complaint.
Disturbance — Police responded to a family disturbance on Flora Way.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetState Supreme Court upholds 2011 union law
The Associated Press
The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the 2011 law that effectively ended collective bargaining for most public workers, sparked massive protests and led to Republican Gov. Scott Walker's recall election and rise to national prominence.
The 5-2 ruling upholds the signature policy achievement of Walker in its entirety and is a major victory for the potential 2016 GOP presidential candidate, who is seeking re-election this year.
The ruling also marks the end of the three-year legal fight over the union rights law, which prohibits public worker unions for collectively bargaining for anything beyond base wage increases based on inflation. A federal appeals court twice upheld the law as constitutional.
"No matter the limitations or 'burdens' a legislative enactment places on the collective bargaining process, collective bargaining remains a creation of legislative grace and not constitutional obligation," Justice Michael Gableman wrote for the majority.
The high court ruled in a lawsuit filed by the Madison teachers union and a union representing Milwaukee public workers. They had argued that the law, which came to be known as Act 10, violated workers' constitutional rights to free assembly and equal protection.
The court also issued the following rulings:
- Upheld a requirement that voters show photo identification at the polls, but the law remains blocked in federal court. For the law to take effect, a federal appeals court would have to overturn a federal judge's decision in April that struck down the law.
- Upheld a 2009 law creating a domestic partner registry that provides limited benefits to same-sex couples, saying in a unanimous decision that it does not violate the state's ban on gay marriages. The ruling keeps the registry active but is likely to be overshadowed by a pending gay marriage case. A federal judge declared Wisconsin's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional last month, and the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals plans to hear arguments in the state's appeal on Aug. 26.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetEvidence storage an issue in sheriff's race
Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of stories drawn from recent interviews with Shawano County sheriff candidates Randy Wright and Adam Bieber.
An evidence storage room called “grossly inadequate” by a consultant in 2005 is still an issue nine years later in the race for Shawano County sheriff.
Incumbent Randy Wright, who has pushed for an evidence storage building since taking office in 2007, is seeking another four-year term. He is being challenged in the Aug. 12 Republican primary by Shawano police officer Adam Bieber, who has questioned the need for expanded storage space.
Ron Lefebre of consulting firm Virchow, Krause and Co. delivered a report to the County Board in October 2005 in which he raised alarms over potential liability issues for the county because criminal evidence could be compromised by the space limitations.
The most recent attempt to address the problem was last year, when the County Board approved a $710,000 evidence storage facility that was to be constructed next to the Huber Work Release Center.
“Everyone on the board acknowledged that building was needed,” Wright said. “The building was approved. The funding wasn’t.”
The project was expected to impact the tax rate by 3 to 3½ cents per $1,000 of equalized valuation. However, the county had made its last payment on the Shawano County Fairgrounds grandstand and the Huber Work Release Center, so the tax rate was expected to drop as much as 11 cents before any new borrowing.
Borrowing was approved by the Public Property Committee and rejected by the Finance Committee.
The County Board in April 2013 failed to get the required three-fourths supermajority of 21 supervisors, and borrowing was rejected by a vote of 13-13.
Wright said the department is doing what it can to work with what it has until evidence storage needs are addressed.
“The evidence technician is in daily contact with the court and DA to make whatever room we can,” he said. “We’re purging when possible to make a little space.”
Wright said the department has no discretion over how long it has to hold evidence. He said it’s dependent on state statutes and the status of cases that have been referred to the district attorney’s office for prosecution.
“We have to keep evidence till the DA tells you what’s going to happen with that,” he said.
Though the Sheriff’s Department collects a wide range of evidence, rules dictating the amount of marijuana plants needed for prosecution in grow cases has been perhaps the greatest burden on evidence storage space.
State statutes require at least four plants for a Class I or Class H felony, 20 plants for a Class G felony, 50 plants for Class F and 200 or more for a Class E.
“At any time a defense attorney can walk in and say, ‘I want to see that,’” Wright said.
Evidence also has to be stored until the appeal process has been resolved.
The statute of limitations allows for six years to begin a prosecution of most felonies in the event a suspect is ever identified. Sometimes prosecutions can be started even without an identified suspect.
“If you find DNA on an item that’s been used by a suspect, you can process and enter a John Doe warrant on a DNA profile,” Wright said. “It will sit there in the system until somebody gets entered into the system matches that DNA.”
Evidence storage needs were exacerbated in 2009, with the discovery of 15 separate marijuana grows in the Navarino Wildlife Area. More than 200 plants were put into storage for each grow, along with other items from the operations, including sheeting material and heating/cooling systems.
“I don’t think we need to store all that,” Bieber said, “especially when you don’t have people in custody, no suspects. We don’t have anyone in custody for those grows that we have.”
The Navarino grows were part of a federal case and were linked to other grows found in Oconto County. Multiple parties were prosecuted in federal court in connection with the Oconto County grows.
Wright said it was up to federal authorities to decide how long the Navarino plants should be stored because of the link to the Oconto County cases.
Wright said federal authorities informed the Sheriff’s Department early this spring that the plants were no longer needed. They have since been destroyed.
Wright also said there was no DNA evidence collected from the Navarino grow due to the limited space the department has for drying and processing.
“We were using a shower stall to dry it piece by piece,” he said. “We couldn’t get it dried in time.”
Wright said there are misunderstandings that persist about evidence storage needs. Among them is the handling of vehicles involved in criminal cases such as vehicular homicide, which, Wright said, need to be stored out of the elements.
“We hear a lot of supervisors say, ‘Just park them outside,’” Wright said. “You can’t.”
Wright said an evidence building would need to have a structure that will withstand such things as tornadoes and fires.
“That’s evidence you can’t lose,” he said.
Wright also said the debate over evidence storage and processing has been too focused on marijuana plants.
Bieber said he has been told marijuana storage and processing are the main reasons for the facility.
“I think we have to look into the future and see if this is really wise that we’re going to build a big building just for marijuana plants,” Bieber said. “It is very likely marijuana may be legalized. Not that I’m for that, but you have to look into the future, whether you agree with it or not.”
Bieber said he has not seen the evidence storage area and doesn’t know whether the storage space is adequate.
“I’d have to make a decision on that once I get in there,” he said. “I really can’t say right now whether it’s adequate or not. I think all options should be looked at. Maybe Randy’s right, maybe we do need an evidence storage building.”
Bieber said he isn’t totally against the evidence storage building.
“But if we’re going to do it, we better be sure we’re cooperating with at least the Shawano Police Department,” he said. “Can we talk to them first and say, ‘Hey, what needs do you have? Let’s do something together.’”
According to Wright, there were discussions with former Shawano Police Chief Ed Whealon about the city’s possible participation in an evidence storage building, but the idea never moved forward at the city level.
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Does the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department need a conference room?
Sheriff candidate Adam Bieber isn’t sure, and it’s one of the questions he has thrown out in his campaign against incumbent Randy Wright.
Bieber thinks it’s not just the department’s evidence storage needs that should be re-evaluated but all department space.
“I think the Sheriff’s Department itself, the space itself should be looked at,” Bieber said. “I know they have a big conference room in there. There’s conference rooms right across the street (at the courthouse).”
The conference room at the Sheriff’s Department, also known as the James Stoltenow Training Room, is also the department’s emergency operations center.
According to the department, the room has been used 98 times this year for such things as division and staff meetings, briefings on search warrants, and special tactical detail and command staff meetings. The county’s Public Safety Committee also uses the room for its regular monthly meetings.
It also serves as a backup for additional dispatch staff.
Security and space needs at both the Sheriff’s Department and courthouse were studied by Virchow, Krause and Co. in 2005.
A justice center proposed to address those problems was voted down in 2009.
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Shawano Police Department
July 29
Police logged 17 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Police investigated a domestic disturbance involving an intoxicated male in the 400 block of South Smalley Street.
Harassment — Police investigated a complaint of a male stalking a female in the 200 block of East Center Street.
Property — Police received a report of property damage to a vehicle at Richmond and Waukechon streets.
Animal — Police investigated a complaint of an animal locked inside an enclosed vehicle at the Walmart parking lot, 1244 E. Green Bay St.
Assault — A sexual assault complaint was under investigation.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance between two females in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.
Accidents — Police responded to two accidents. The first was at Goodwill Industries, 300 Lakeland Road, and the second was at the intersection of South Airport Drive and County Road B.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
July 29
Deputies logged 35 incidents, including the following:
Threatening — Authorities responded to a complaint of threatening behavior in the 700 block of Fourth Street in Mattoon.
Pedestrian — Authorities responded to an allegedly intoxicated male wandering the roadway near the state Highway 22 Shell Station in Belle Plaine.
Accident — Authorities responded to a two-vehicle accident in the parking lot of Ho-Chunk Casino, N7214 U.S. Highway 45, Wittenberg.
Accident — Authorities responded to a two-vehicle accident at Cecil and Legion streets in Bonduel.
Harassment — Authorities responded to a complaint of harassing behavior on Malueg Road in Pella.
Theft — A utility trailer was reported stolen on Green Valley Road in Maple Grove.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person attempting to break into a property at Main Street and Little Road in Gresham.
Assist — Deputies assisted the Washington County Sheriff Department in delivering an OWI citation on Highland Drive.
Burglary — A bicycle was reported stolen out of a garage on Range Line Road in Pella.
Civil — Authorities responded to a civil disturbance on Murphy’s Road in Bowler.
Clintonville Police Department
July 29
Police logged eight incidents, including the following:
Theft — Police received a theft report on South Main Street.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetBieber targets take-home squads to pay for K9 unit
Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of stories drawn from recent interviews with Shawano County sheriff candidates Randy Wright and Adam Bieber.
Both candidates for Shawano County sheriff believe the department’s K9 unit should be funded by the county rather than a private group, but only one of them is vowing to make it a budgeted item even if he has to make cuts elsewhere.
“If we’re not fully funding the K9 unit, we’re not doing our number one job,” said Adam Bieber, who is challenging incumbent Randy Wright in the Aug. 12 Republican primary.
He said the K9 unit is law enforcement’s top tool for drug detection and search and rescue and shouldn’t be left to a private group to pay for it, with deputies often involved in fundraising efforts.
“I don’t like it that they’re out doing bake sales, dunk tanks, golf outings,” he said. “That’s one thing I’m going to fight for is money to be budgeted for the K9.”
Wright agrees the K9 unit should be in the budget, if the Sheriff’s Department could find the money to pay for it.
“You’ve got 89 percent of your budget that you’ve got little or no control over such as wages, benefits, heat, gas, water, utilities. You’ve got 11 percent to work with,” he said.
“I could probably say, ‘Let’s put them into the budget,’ but then that $20,000 to $30,000 a year that would go toward that — what other program is going to suffer because that’s going to be going there?” Wright said. “It’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
Supporters of Shawano K9 Inc., a nonprofit, community-run organization, have been raising funds for the unit for six years.
President John LaShua said he would love to see funding for the K9 unit taken out of the group’s hands and put into the Sheriff’s Department budget.
“That’s where it belongs,” he said.
LaShua said he has gone before the county’s Public Safety Committee on two occasions, most recently early last year, to ask for additional money for the Sheriff’s Department to fund the K9 unit.
“Both times they said no,” LaShua said.
LaShua said he was joined by Wright on both occasions.
“He’s one of our major contributors,” LaShua said, adding that Wright also participates in fundraising events. “He would fully like to see it funded (by the county).”
Bieber said if he can’t get the additional funding from the County Board he would look at other places in the budget to cut, with an eye first on Sheriff’s Department squads.
“I’m going to take a look at take-home squad cars,” he said.
Bieber said he sees the reason why deputies living outside the city might need take-home squads, but he is skeptical of the need for those living within the city, as well as for those in administration.
He said the sheriff and chief deputy don’t need take-home squads.
“Those two guys right there are not doing traffic stops,” Bieber said, adding the same applies to the captain.
“Every now and then they’ll go to a call,” Bieber said. “Can they go to a call with their personal vehicle? Yes. If the K9 isn’t funded, I’ll be the first one to give up my squad car.”
Wright called those the comments of someone who doesn’t realize what the job entails.
“To me that’s somebody talking who’s just not experienced,” he said.
“I do go on calls. I do make traffic stops,” Wright said, adding that the same applied to the chief deputy and captain. “We have to have quick response.”
According to information provided by the Sheriff’s Department, Wright responded to 81 service calls and made three traffic stops between Jan. 1, 2013, and June 30 of this year.
Chief Deputy John Gutho responded to 29 service calls and made one traffic stop during that same time frame, while Capt. Tom Tuma responded to 94 calls and made one traffic stop.
Wright said the numbers are actually higher because he, Gutho and Tuma often assist on calls, assist motorists and make stops without calling dispatch.
Also, according to the Sheriff’s Department, Wright and three deputies are the only four out of 10 living in the city that have take-home squads.
“This is a contracted issued,” Wright said. “Those who want a take-home have to live in a (designated) living area. Those who do not, drive into the office to pick up a squad.”
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetMeeting on new farm machinery laws scheduled
Farmers, agriculturists and local town officials are invited to a meeting next week to discuss recently enacted Wisconsin legislation that updates state laws regarding farm machinery operating on state roadways.
The meeting will be held from 7:30-10 p.m. Tuesday at the Hartland Town Hall, W3454 County Road BE, and is presented by the University of Wisconsin-Extension Shawano County along with the Shawano County Farm Bureau.
The new legislation, which was signed into law in April as Wisconsin Act 377, updates the definition of implements of husbandry, creates a definition for an agricultural commercial motor vehicle, provides an additional weight allowance from a maximum single axle weight of 20,000 pounds to 23,000, and increases the maximum gross vehicle weight from 80,000 to 92,000 pounds.
Other components of the law address length and width limits, safety concerns, including lighting and marking, and rules of the road. The legislation requires farmers and large equipment operators to secure a 12-month permit from their local town, county or state unit of government, depending on where the equipment will be operated.
Speakers at the meeting will include Rob Richard, senior director of government relations for Wisconsin Farm Bureau; Cheryl Skjolaas, University of Wisconsin-Extension agriculture safety specialist; Lt. Michael Klingenberg, Wisconsin State Patrol; and Rick Stadelman, executive director of the Wisconsin Towns Association.
They will discuss how the new laws and practices will affect the agriculture industry, as well as how these laws and practices will be enforced.
There is no cost for this program. Pre-registration is recommended by calling 715-526-6136.
Shawano County Farm Bureau is sponsoring free ice cream sundaes after the meeting.
For more information, contact Jamie Patton, UW-Extension agriculture agent for Shawano County, at 715-526-6136 or [email protected].
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Shawano Police Department
July 28
Police logged 33 incidents, including the following:
OAR — A 26-year-old woman was cited for operating after revocation at Main and Prairie streets.
Disturbance — A 16-year-old male was taken into custody on charges of domestic violence and disorderly conduct in the 300 block of East Richmond Street.
OAR — A 28-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation in the 2300 block of East Richmond Street.
Vandalism — Buildings were reported spray-painted in the 600 block of South Main Street and the 200 block of East Richmond Street.
Burglary — Police investigated a burglary to a storage unit in the 1000 block of Waukechon Street.
Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 400 block of South Washington Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
July 28
Deputies logged 39 incidents, including the following:
Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on County Road G in Red Springs.
Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Hemlock Road in Wittenberg.
Assault — Authorities investigated an assault on Pine Street in Navarino.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Laney Road in Maple Grove.
Accidents — Authorities logged an injury accident on state Highway 29 in Richmond and three deer-related crashes.
Clintonville Police Department
July 28
Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:
Theft — Two separate theft complaints were reported on South Main Street.
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Shawano Police Department
July 27
Police logged 17 incidents, including the following:
OWI — A 32-year-old man was arrested for operating while intoxicated at Woodlawn Drive and Green Bay Street.
Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 1000 block of South Cleveland Street.
Shoplifting — Family Dollar, 413 S. Main St., reported a shoplifting incident.
Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 200 block of North Bartlett Street.
July 26
Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:
Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the 100 block of South Washington Street.
Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 100 block of River Heights.
Fraud — Police investigated a forgery complaint in the 700 block of South Lincoln Street.
Shoplifting — Goodwill Industries, 300 Lakeland Road, reported a shoplifting incident.
Assault — A sexual assault complaint was under investigation.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance on Alpine Court.
July 25
Police logged 33 incidents, including the following:
Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident at Maurer and Andrews streets.
Theft - An iPod was reported stolen in the 1100 block of South Lafayette Street.
Shoplifting — JC Penney, 128 Woodlawn Drive, reported a shoplifting incident.
Disorderly — Police responded to an intoxicated person complaint in the 500 block of South Smalley Street
Drug Offense — A drug complaint in the 700 block of East Maurer Street was determined to be unfounded.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
July 27
Deputies logged 35 incidents, including the following:
Fraud — North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A in Gresham, reported a counterfeit bill.
Juvenile — Authorities investigated an underage drinking complaint on Balsam Row Road in Wescott.
Vandalism — Vehicles were reported spray-painted on Park Avenue in Mattoon.
Disorderly — Charges of criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct were referred against a 25-year-old Wausau man in the 400 block of North Main Street in Shawano.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on County Road A in Bowler.
July 26
Deputies logged 58 incidents, including the following:
Warrant — A female subject was taken into custody on a warrant on Cecil Street in Bonduel.
Theft — A jacket, car keys and cell phone were reported stolen at the North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A in Gresham.
OWI — A 44-year-old Shawano man was cited for operating while intoxicated on Highway 29 in Wittenberg.
Theft — A license plate was reported stolen on Gumaer Road in Wescott.
Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Frailing Road in Wescott.
Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on County Road E in the town of Washington.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on County Road J in Tigerton.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Cedar Court in Wescott.
July 25
Deputies logged 46 incidents, including the following:
Drug Offense — An inmate at the Shawano County Work Release Center, 1240 Engel Drive, was found to be in possession of drugs.
Fraud — Authorities investigated a fraud complaint on Country Court in Wescott.
Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on Highway 45 in Tigerton.
Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on County Road Y in the town of Belle Plaine.
Theft — A trailer was reported stolen on Lake Drive in Wescott.
Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Webb Street in Wittenberg.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetSheriff sees election as referendum on board
Editor’s note: The Shawano Leader sat down for interviews Friday with Republican sheriff’s candidates Randy Wright and Adam Bieber. This is the first of a series of stories from those interviews.
As far as incumbent Randy Wright is concerned, the race for Shawano County sheriff is as much about the Shawano County Board as it is about the sheriff’s office.
“That’s not just what I’m feeling, that’s what I’m hearing from people out there as I’m going door to door,” Wright said. “People are fed up with the board being stalled by a handful of people. That’s comments I’ve been hearing throughout this county.”
Wright, who is seeking another four-year term as sheriff, is being challenged in the Aug. 12 Republican primary by Shawano police officer Adam Bieber.
Bieber has raised the strained relations between Wright and the County Board as an election issue.
“I don’t take things personal and I think that’s the difference between me and Randy,” Bieber said.
Bieber believes he can do a better job of dealing with the County Board. But, he said, that doesn’t mean he’ll be a puppet for the board.
“Anybody that knows me knows if I have an opinion I’ll express it,” he said. “I’m definitely my own man and I don’t fit in anybody’s box.”
Wright said he thinks if Bieber is elected he would face the same problems he has faced since he was elected in 2006.
“I don’t care who it would be that comes in, if there’s anything to do with some change or financial borrowing or whatever, whoever it would be, they’re still going to be given the same problem,” Wright said. “I think if they would get in, they would have a little of what they call a honeymoon period, but I think it would be a very short honeymoon period.”
Wright said there is a faction of the County Board that has held up progress in the county.
“There are 27 people on the County Board. Out of that 27, I would say there is probably eight or nine that will not listen one way or the other,” Wright said. “The rest I can sit down with. I can have discussions with them. Granted, they’re not going to agree on everything, but I can at least discuss things with them.”
Wright said that faction controls the county’s top committees, including the Administrative, Public Safety and Finance.
They also make up enough of the board to block the super-majority needed for borrowing, he said.
At least one county supervisor has publicly stated he would never vote to borrow money; a stance that both Wright and Bieber say is wrong.
“It’s unrealistic,” Wright said. “How do you plan and maintain and keep up with what’s happening? Somewhere along the line you have to borrow.”
Bieber said he didn’t think it was a reasonable position.
“If they’ve never borrowed money in their personal life, if they’ve never borrowed for their house or their car, and they take that rule to the County Board, that’s not right,” he said.
Wright said he expects the sheriff’s election will eventually influence the next round of County Board elections.
“I think you’re going to see people starting to scrutinize that County Board very closely as to certain people on there,” he said. “Not only just the public, but I believe you’re going to see the good ones that are on that County Board that have before not said too much start telling the naysayers, ‘Let’s get things moving.’”
Bieber said he would fight for what he believes the Sheriff’s Department needs even if it’s something the County Board has said no to, but he wouldn’t fight against the board.
“What I’m going to do is educate the people,” he said. “If it’s something that I believe in, I’m going to educate the people and tell them why they need it. I’m not going to preach to the County Board.”
Bieber said he would take his case to the paper and social media.
“I will use whatever tools I have to educate the people and say, ‘Hey, people we need this. Call your supervisors, call your board member.’”
Bieber said it would be up to a county supervisor’s constituents to decide who was right.
“Once I educate the people and those obstructions on the County Board are still there, that’s the people’s choice, but I will be preaching it to the people,” Bieber said.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetAbsentee voting interest seems high
In-office absentee voting for the Aug. 12 primary starts Monday and, if the votes cast this week at area nursing homes is any indication, municipal clerks can look forward to a busy election season.
Special voting deputies collected ballots Friday at the Birch Hill Health Care Center, 1475 Birch Hill Lane, in Shawano and took in a higher number than usual.
“Absentee voting for the nursing homes has far exceeded what it has in the past,” Shawano Deputy Clerk Lesley Nemetz said. “Typically we have three to four, sometimes up to 10 at a facility that will vote. The one today had 22.”
Nemetz said the county sheriff’s race seems to be the big draw.
“I think that one race in particular is getting a lot of people’s attention,” she said.
The city has also mailed out more than 100 absentee ballots to voters who won’t be in town Aug. 12., which Nemetz said is higher than normal.
Nursing home voting started Monday, while absentee voting for those who want to come in to City Hall starts this Monday.
The nursing home response “makes me think this is going to be a bigger election than we were even anticipating,” Nemetz said.
Voters can cast their ballots from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting Monday through the Friday before election day, when ballots will be taken until 5 p.m.
One change enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature cut those hours back a bit, preventing anyone from voting before 8 a.m.
“That’s one change. Those people who tried to quick get in before work, we can’t do it till 8 a.m.,” Nemetz said.
Nemetz said those registering to vote will have to show proof of residence, such as a driver’s license, utility bill or bank statement.
Nemetz said because this is a partisan primary, the ballots are a little tricky.
“You have to pick a party and stick in that party,” she said.
Nemetz also said many voters might not be aware that they don’t need a reason to vote absentee.
“I think a lot of people maybe still have the impression that you need to have a reason to absentee vote,” she said, such as expectations of being out of town on election day.
“If you don’t want to be here with the big crowds and that’s what’s going to make you not want to vote, then come and see us for absentee voting,” she said. “It’s just you all by yourself, no big crowds and if that’s more your style or that’s going to make you more comfortable or make you want to vote, then do that, because you don’t have to have a reason other than you want to vote.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Absentee voting in the city of Shawano
Aug. 12 primary election
100: absentee ballots mailed out as of July 25
47: ballots cast at nursing homes
April 1 general election
181: absentee ballots mailed
21: ballots cast at nursing homes
10: ballots cast at clerk’s office
Aug. 14, 2012, primary election
131: absentee ballots mailed
44: ballots cast at nursing homes
39: ballots cast at clerk’s office
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetRecall effort targets Clintonville alderman
Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
The controversy surrounding the Clintonville Common Council took another turn recently when a recall effort was launched against Fourth District Alderman Greg Rose, who was elected to a two-year term in April 2013.
Wm. Van Daalwyk filed a statement of intent to circulate a petition to recall Rose with the city clerk’s office on July 17. Van Daalwyk said Rose’s actions have proved to be hostile to business and industry in Clintonville, and have incited divisiveness within the community. He also said Rose breached his fiduciary duty by voting to replace a competent municipal attorney with an inexperienced relative of two council members.
“I feel this is a knee-jerk reaction to the investigation leveled at the city administrator, and one has to be in office a year before you can be recalled,” Rose said. “The other aldermen involved are new and not eligible for a recall.”
To recall Rose, Van Daalwyk has 60 days to collect signatures equal to at least 25 percent of the votes cast in the district in the last gubernatorial election. That number was not available Friday. The city clerk’s office then has 31 days to determine whether signatures on the petition are valid. Rose would have 10 days to challenge the decision.
If all requirements are determined to have been met, a recall election would be held six weeks after the clerk certifies and files the petition with the state Government Accountability Board.
The recall effort is the latest in a series of conflicts within the council since the April election, when three incumbents were defeated.
• In April, the new council rejected Mayor Judith Magee’s reappointment of Tim Schmid to the city attorney position and instead one month later hired April Dunlavy, daughter of Alderwoman Gloria Dunlavy and niece of Alderwoman Jeanne Schley.
• The council on May 13 voted to suspend City Administrator Lisa Kotter, with pay, pending an investigation into alleged misconduct.
• An attorney was hired to investigate the allegations against Kotter and later made a presentation to the council in closed session, but the allegations have not been discussed publicly. The council also has not discussed the allegations with Kotter, refusing her request to meet with council members.
• The council voted 6-4 on May 27 to extend Kotter’s suspension and refer allegations of misconduct to the city’s labor attorney.
• Magee vetoed the council’s May 27 vote on June 2, and Kotter returned to work.
• On June 10, the council, with a 6-4 vote, failed to override Magee’s veto, falling one vote short of the required supermajority and prompting the disgruntled council members to pass a no-confidence vote against Magee.
• On July 8, the council voted 7-3 Tuesday to indefinitely place Lisa Kotter on administrative leave, with pay.
Many city residents spoke in support of Kotter and Magee at the council’s June meeting, which had to be moved from City Hall to the Community Center because of the overflow crowd, and again at the July meeting.
Rose’s wife, Tricia, ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign for mayor in the April election after failing to file her nomination papers on time.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetClintonville public works manager retires
Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
Photo by Grace Kirchner Mike McCord wore a variety of hats while working for the city of Clintonville the past 25 years. It was a job he appreciated, but he is now enjoying retirement with plans to spend some of the time in the beautiful backyard at his home.
On a nice summer day, you will likely find Mike McCord with a cup of coffee in his backyard, recovering from recent surgeries.
McCord recently retired after 25 years as superintendent of the Clintonville Public Works Department.
“This is a great city,” McCord said. “I consider Clintonville my home.”
“I am very appreciative for what he has done for the city for 25 years,” Mayor Judith Magee said. “He was an excellent employee.”
McCord grew up in Waukesha, graduated from high school when he was 17, worked for several years and then attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, earning a degree in civil engineering and surveying.
Cord accepted the position as Clintonville public works superintendent in June 1990.
“I saw an ad for the job. I had driven through Clintonville on my way up north so I knew the town,” recalled McCord, who sent in his resume and was one of four people interviewed. “They offered me the job. There was something about my resume.”
In addition to working with good people, McCord said the highlight of his job here was when the city collected $30,000 and allowed him and five others to travel to Gulf Port, Mississippi, to help with hurricane relief efforts after Katrina struck.
“We got down there and they put us to work,” McCord said. “We stayed in a building with only part of a roof. … We worked 15-hour days. We received no over time and no one ever asked for it. It was definitely amazing. I was so proud of Clintonville. The city really stepped up.”
One of the biggest projects to be undertaken while McCord was the Public Works superintendent was the rebuilding of South Main Street. He worked to educate the community and help the businesses survive during the reconstruction.
McCord said development of the North Industrial Park, which did not exist when he arrived, and the South Industrial Park were also important changes during his tenure.
The city got out of the garbage pick up under McCord’s leadership.
“It was a big step,” he said. “Our landfill was closed and garbage was hauled to Bowers landfill in the town of Dupont.”
The city still offers brush and leaf pickup, however.
“We saved money by buying a street sweeper and leaf vacuum,” McCord said. “There used to be four men for leaf pickup and now there is one.”
McCord said he also is “real proud of the snow plowing” plan he devised.
His department had 12 employees when McCord was hired. It now has six.
“With new technology and efficiency of the machinery, the equipment replaced men. It was too drastic, and I blame myself,” he said.
Over the years, due to tight budgets, McCord also assumed the duties of city health inspector, airport manager and, for a time, utility manager.
“One of the highlights for me was to watch the airport grow,” he said. “It is a model for a city of 5,000 or less. … I am probably the only airport manager that doesn’t fly.”
During his retirement, McCord said he might continue to be involved with Wisconsin Partners for Nicaragua. Boaco, Nicaragua is a Sister City with Clintonville and he has spent time there.
McCord and his wife, Kathy, have two daughters and one grandchild.
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Shawano Police Department
July 24
Police logged 38 incidents, including the following:
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 500 block of South Main Street.
Juvenile — Two juveniles were cited for curfew violation in the 500 block of South Main Street.
Theft — Shawano City-County Library, 128 S. Sawyer St., reported eight theft complaints involving unreturned library materials.
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the 1300 block of Valley Lane.
Disturbance — Police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 1200 block of South Prospect Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
July 24
Deputies logged 47 incidents, including the following:
Theft — Firewood was reported stolen on Schabow Street in Gresham.
Fraud — Authorities investigated a forgery complaint at Henke’s Sentry Foods, 110 S. Mission St. in Wittenberg.
Warrant — A 49-year-old woman was taken into custody on a warrant on state Highway 29 in Hartland.
Theft — Patio bricks were reported stolen from a backyard on U.S. Highway 45 in Birnamwood.
OWL — A 26-year-old man was cited for operating without a license at Elm Street and Railroad Avenue in Birnamwood.
Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on U.S. Highway 45 in Birnamwood.
Prowler — Authorities responded to a complaint of a prowler on County Road E in the town of Washington.
Accidents — Authorities logged five accidents, including an injury accident in Wescott and two deer-related crashes.
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Property owners along East Green Bay Street will soon be eligible to apply for low-interest loans and other incentives aimed at encouraging development along that corridor of the city.
A Joint Review Board made up of the city and other taxing entities gave its final approval Thursday to a new tax increment finance (TIF) district that will stretch from mid-block between Sawyer and Andrews streets east to roughly midway between Airport Drive and Rusch Road.
TIF districts are areas where municipalities invest in infrastructure, such as sewer and water, to attract development where it might not otherwise occur, or to make improvements, such as eliminating blight.
Whatever increase in tax revenue that results from development in those districts goes to paying back the debt the municipality incurred from making improvements to the district.
The district would have no effect on taxes unless improvements are made to a property that raise that property’s assessed value.
Other taxing entities have to approve of the plan because they would not share in any additional revenue from new development in the district until the improvements are paid off.
The Joint Review Board consists of representatives from the city, Shawano County, the Shawano School District, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and one at-large member.
The school district representative and at-large member were not present for Thursday’s meeting, but the remaining quorum gave final approval to the plan.
City Administrator Brian Knapp said the school district had not raised any objections to the plan at previous Joint Review Board meetings.
The district will encompass more than 100 properties, but would zigzag around those properties that are sufficiently developed, including a major detour around the Shawano County Fairgrounds.
The goal is to include properties that need improvement or assistance toward making improvements, Knapp said.
The plan envisions spending about $8.6 million, including $4 million in infrastructure improvements, such as road work and sewer and water utilities, and $1.5 million in incentives to property owners.
However, those numbers are flexible and, Knapp said, the city would prefer to spend more on incentives to property owners.
The city’s Industrial and Commercial Development Commission will meet Wednesday to discuss the establishment of an incentives program for property owners, Knapp said.
The commission will determine the criteria necessary to provide grants and low-interest loans to property owners.
Knapp said he expects funds to be available within a month or two.
Shawano has one TIF district already paid off and four active TIF districts: Raasch Industrial Park; a residential area targeted for blight elimination from Main Street east to Lincoln street and Zingler Avenue south to Pearl Avenue; a downtown TIF district running from the Main Street bridge south to Sunset Avenue; and the Bay Lakes Industrial Park.
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Tom Beschta, [email protected]
Cecil residents opted to maintain their post office with reduced hours after a community survey was tallied at Village Hall on Thursday.
Of the 397 U.S. Postal Service surveys that were returned, 83 percent were in favor of realigning hours.
“Based on that 83 percent, that is what (Cecil) is going to do,” Postal Service spokesman Sean Hargadon said. “Basically you go by what the input is from the community.”
Cecil residents were asked to choose from four options for their office: reducing hours of operation by two per day, providing a delivery service using rural carriers or highway contract routes, establishing a Village Post Office in a local business or government facility, and merging with a nearby office.
The survey was mailed in June and closed July 9.
Current office hours are 7:45 a.m to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8-10 a.m. Saturday.
According to information provided by the Cecil post office, the new hours likely will be 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 7:30-9:30 a.m. Saturday.
Access to post office boxes will not change as a result of the changes.
Hargadon said the changes are scheduled to take effect in January. He said a 30-day notice will be posted at the Cecil office when an exact date is determined.
The post office is one of 13,000 rural offices being reviewed under the Postal Services’s 2011 realignment program.
The realignment plan was initiated in response to a 50 percent decline in Postal Service revenue since 2004. Postal officials initially planned to close 3,700 of the 13,000 offices in 2011, but most of the closings have been postponed twice in the last three years.
There have been no recent closures of any post offices in Wisconsin under the plan.
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Shawano Police Department
July 23
Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 600 block of South Union Street.
Arrest — A 41-year-old Cecil man was taken into custody at the Probation and Parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.
Accident — A woman sustained minor injuries in a vehicle versus tree accident in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 300 block of South Sawyer Street.
Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported a male shoplifter had fled the store.
OAR — A 26-year-old Neopit man was cited for operating after revocation at Waukechon and Elizabeth streets.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
July 23
Deputies logged 32 incidents, including the following:
Theft — The village of Tigerton reported brass fittings stolen from a construction site at the corner of Swanke and Date streets.
Vandalism — A truck was reported keyed on Main Street in Tigerton.
Shoplifting — Ho Chunk North, N7214 U.S. Highway 45, in Wittenberg reported a theft of cigarettes and gas.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Cedar Street in Tigerton.
Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen on Potch He Chee Road in Birnamwood.
Clintonville Police Department
July 23
Police logged 16 incidents, including the following:
Theft — A theft was reported on South Main Street.
Disturbance — A warning was issued for an unwanted subject at a Main Street residence.
Obstruction — A 17-year-old male was cited for obstructing on Lens Court.
Disturbance — Officers responded for a report of a fight in progress and upon arrival a male subject was taken into custody for domestic abuse and disorderly conduct on Ginger Court.
Disturbance — Police responded to a family disturbance on Morning Glory Drive.
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