DAVID T. BOSSHARD
District 7 the Town of Dakota along with Wards 3 & 4 of the Town of Marion
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the County Board at this time?
Creating an environment that encourages people to be involved in their government: an environment where elected officials realize that their position is at the consent of the governed, and as such treat them with the dignity and respect that they deserve.
How do you believe the county can improve to retain employees?
There are areas that always need to be worked on to improve employee retention. First and foremost the process of retention needs to start with recruitment. Employee hiring and onboarding should ensure that hires are a good fit for the position they are being hired for, and that clear job descriptions, requirements, and expectations are laid out from the start. For existing employees, there must be a clearly defined system that allows for open and healthy communication of ideas, questions, and concerns to feel valued, satisfied, and to keep them motivated. Additionally, a culture of mutual respect must be fostered between supervisors and employees.
What areas of the county most interest you?
Waushara county has so many opportunities for business growth, employment opportunities, and recreational excellence.
What prompted you to run for County Board Supervisor?
The desire to represent the will of the people who reside within District 7 at the county level, advocating for responsible government and fiscal conservatism.
Have you attended County Board meetings in person or virtually?
I have attended County Board meetings online over the last year and have attended in person for the last several months.
Are you aware of the building project(s) underway?
I am aware of the building projects that have been approved. I have followed the process and know that these facilities will improve our government efficiency, employee workflow, emergency response, and make it easier for all residents to access county services.
What do you believe should be done with the present Courthouse once the Government Center is complete?
I believe that all options should be explored along with the input from the City of Wautoma on how we can encourage a utilization of the existing structure that will encourage and promote a more vibrant downtown experience.
What do you hope to accomplish in the two-year term if you are elected?
My priority is to serve those who reside within District 7, fostering an environment of open communication to the best of my ability.
What do you enjoy most about living in Waushara County?
There are so many things about Waushara County that I love which is why we chose to settle and raise our family here. If I had to chose one thing it would be the blessing of living in an area where so many people come to vacation.
DONNA KALATA
District 7
(Town of Dakota and part
of Town of Marion)
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the County Board at this time?
I feel there are several issues facing the Board. 1. Inflation is a big issue for the County as well as everyone else. We are all affected by rising gas prices, can you imagine the cost of keeping squad cars, highway trucks, ambulances, Commission on aging vehicles, and other vehicles used by the county on the road? 2) Recruitment and retention of employees. 3) The building project is another issue. 4) To be able to continue to provide the much-needed services to the citizens of Waushara County. 5) Covid 19 was a large issue for the county, I am very proud of the Waushara County Employees that stepped up and worked many hours to get a handle on Covid and get our citizens the PPE and vaccine that was needed. Our courthouse remained open throughout the pandemic because of the hard work of all departments in the county.
How do you believe the county can improve to retain employees?
Everywhere we look, we see “Help Wanted” signs, that makes it very difficult to hire people. There is also a housing shortage in our area and that makes it even more difficult to attract people. The county has set up a task force to work on the issues mentioned above. They are looking at wages, and benefits to try to make the county more competitive in the job market. One of the best ways to attract people is a good working environment and I believe we have that at the county and it will be even better when our buildings are completed
What areas of the county most interest you?
The areas in the county that most interest me are all of them. I have been on the County Board of Supervisors for over 20 years and I have been the Chair for over 10 years. While on the Board, I have been on most of the Committees at one time or another. My reasoning has been to know as much about the many departments that make up our county as I can so I can make sound, educated, decisions when needed. I have enjoyed the Committees I have been on and I have a good idea of all they do to assist the citizens of the County and the issues they encounter. There are a couple of committees I have not been on but I try to attend some of those meetings as well. I believe you can never stop learning and the people elected to the County Board have an obligation to represent the citizens to the best of their ability and I have always tried to do that.
What prompted you to run for County Board Supervisor?
Many years ago when I decided to run for the County Board, I felt I could represent the people of my district and keep our county moving forward. After I was on the board for a couple of terms, I realized it was not just my district but the entire county I was representing. It’s not about one district or another; we are all in this together and what helps one will help all.
Have you attended County Board meetings in person or virtually?
I have attended every County Board meeting and every Committee meeting held in the county in person. I have attended my out of county meetings such as East Central Planning, Wisconsin County Highway Association and Wisconsin County Association in person when available but virtually when that was all that was offered. I prefer in person meetings.
Are you aware of the building projects underway?
I am very aware of our building projects. I look forward to the opening of the new Government Center, it will be a “one stop shop” so people needing services can come to the Government Center and get the assistance they need all in one building. We are also building two new EMS stations, one in Wautoma and one in Poy Sippi. The building in Poy Sippi will also have a Senior Dining Site attached. This has been a long time coming and a much-needed addition to the services provided to the Poy Sippi Community. Our Highway Department has outgrown their current buildings. They continue to take on more and more work and in turn need additional vehicles and space to park them and additional space to do the maintenance on the vehicles. We will also build a garage for the Sheriff’s vehicles, Emergency Management vehicles, it will include evidence storage. An Emergency Operations Center will be added to the Law Enforcement Center. I try to stay as involved in the project as possible.
What do you believe should be done with the present Courthouse once the Government Center is complete?
The county is willing to put a committee together with the City of Wautoma to repurpose the Courthouse. I hope to see someone buy it and make it into apartments or maybe shops (this is what they did in Green Lake Co with their former Courthouse). If that doesn’t happen, that space would make a beautiful park.
What do you hope to accomplish in the two-year term if you are elected?
I would like to see the completion of our Building project. I would like to continue to work on the recruitment and retention of employees. I believe it is important to continue to provide services for our citizens in Waushara County. I currently am on committees outside of the county too. We work with other counties in many areas and I believe it’s important to share ideas with them and to share their ideas with our County Board.
What do you enjoy most about living in Waushara County?
This is an easy question; I like the people in Waushara County. We have so many good citizens in our county who look out for one another, always ready to volunteer their time to help others. I think Waushara County is a great place to work and live, we have great schools, beautiful parks and lakes, and many things to offer people that come to our county. Be it summer or winter there is always something to do here.
JESSE URBAN
District 10:
Plainfield, Oasis, and Rose
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the County Board at this time?
The County Board has broken ground on the Government Center and has the highway shop, Wautoma EMS Station and the Poy Sippi EMS/Senior Dining Center coming up, all part of the $60 million approved in April 2021. This is a big investment which needs to be managed and accounted well.
How do you believe the county can improve to retain employees?
An area requiring continuous improvement is creating and maintaining strong hiring systems. By coupling personality typology and concise job descriptions with an understanding of the ideal fit for the position, there is less misfit candidates from the very first round of applications. Based on the existing team and character traits that the ideal candidate must possess, we can set our Department Managers up to win by identifying and understanding the talents our current teams possess, praising those, and pulling in candidates with talents that add greatest value to the team. This kind of understanding builds a culture where employees feel known and valued, known and valued employees tend to stick around.
Staying out of employee’s personal medical decisions is a good idea too.
What areas of the county most interest you?
Zoning and Land Conservation as well as the UW-Extension. I estimate I can bring the most value to the Board of Supervisors by bettering my understanding and education in these areas.
What prompted you to run for County Board Supervisor?
I was contacted by a couple individuals who made me aware that Jerry Lauer filed non-candidacy papers, leaving an open seat in my district and they thought I should run. I had recently completed a course presented by Patriot Academy called Biblical Citizenship in Modern America and had been praying about how to better serve the community I live in. I have experience with creating and maintaining Capex budgets and project management which I estimate will bring value to the projects underway. I am a student of the United States Constitution and Wisconsin Constitution, I like that the Supervisor position is non-partisan and held to account by these documents and the people of the district represented.
Have you attended County Board meetings in person or virtually?
I have attended County Board meetings in person, though not religiously. I am always impressed by how quickly they can make it through the agenda! One certainly must have a good understanding of agenda items prior to the meeting!
Are you aware of the building project(s) underway?
Yes, I am aware of the four building projects approved by the Board of Supervisors in April of 2021.
What do you believe should be done with the present Courthouse once the Government Center is complete?
I am aware that the building needs wide-ranging updates and repairs which weighed heavily on the decision to build a new Government Building. I estimate any long-term tenant will most likely be one that is able to access State or Federal funding, or a foundation grant to aid in the expense of improvements. I plan to get up-to-speed on past recommendations and discussions surrounding this and look forward to being involved in finding the right solution for the building.
What do you hope to accomplish in the two-year term if you are elected?
A successful term would see the existing building projects come in on-time and under-budget. I hope to advance getting high speed internet run to even the most rural residents. I would also like to expand the use of solar energy in farming; working with local businesses and farm owners, presenting Federal and State incentives to do so. I have history securing large Focus on Energy grants toward innovative equipment upgrades.
What do you enjoy most about living in Waushara County?
Living in Plainfield, I love that I can get the best fish fry and prime rib around without driving more than 10 minutes from my house. I love that the business owners live in the community and our kids go to the same school. I love that my family has access to beautiful lakes and camping options without leaving the county. We’re a community that works hard, plays hard and most importantly has each other’s backs when one of ours is weathering a hard season in life.
RANDY THURLEY
District 10:
Plainfield, Oasis, and Rose
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the County Board at this time?
I believe that Economic Development is the most pressing thing that the County Board should be looking at. By working to bring businesses into Waushara County, we are investing in the youth of our communities. When a business comes into the community, they not only provide a tax base, but they also provide jobs and opportunity for the members of our communities to keep the younger generations in our county. Waushara County has always been known as a vacation destination away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities being in the center of the state. That is great and important to each community and business in our county. However, if we could bring industry into the county that would mean the business’s that currently exist in the county may not have to depend solely on summertime revenue to keep their businesses afloat. The more people we have working and living in Waushara County, the more we will have patronized our already established business’s.
How do you believe the county can improve to retain employees?
I personally feel that keeping and maintaining employees working for Waushara County is another very important issue. I know personally that it costs the county thousands of dollars to invest in the hiring of each employee that works for the county from the initial advertising for the position, to the review process and interviews, not to mention the onboarding and training of each employee no matter what position or department they have been hired for. Yes, there are going to be employees that are hired and during their probation period it is determined that it is just not working out. As a former employee of Waushara County, I personally have seen this happen and been involved in some of those decisions to terminate an employee’s employment. However, those were in extreme circumstances.
When it comes to employees no matter where it is, an employee always thinks they are worth more than they are getting paid. That is human nature, and we have all been there. With that being said, I know the county hires a consultant to do evaluations and comparable wage formats on the surrounding counties. That works well as long as the information you get out of that consulting firm is used in the appropriate manner. There are going to be counties that pay very high wages and then there are going to counties that wages are lower than Waushara County. Use all that data and don’t just look at the smaller and least populated counties as the comparable. I know the county has had many employees that have left going to other counties that are
smaller than our because the wage base is is hire than ours. In today’s day and age, employees are looking at their finances and trying to make ends meat and support their families the best they can. This can be accomplished in baby steps for the county so that the tax burden does not hit the residents of the county. I have worked with county budgets and seen the ability to make adjustments in steps by department and I have seen it work.
Also, I think every employee should be treated with respect and dignity no matter what the circumstances may be. Everyone has a different personality and it is up to each and every department head to get to know their employees and work with them to make them comfortable in the position that they were hired for. Remember the TEAM concept, Together Everyone Achieves More!
What areas of the county most interest you?
When the question is asked about what area of the county interests me the most, I can honestly state that there is no particular area more interesting more than any other area. Having grown up in Waushara County and being a former employee of the county, each and every aspect and community in Waushara County not only interests me and is just as important as the other. I currently am a member of the Tri-County School Board and in total I have been on the board for 10 years and I have also been a member of the Village of Plainfield Board of Trustees. I was once told when I was starting my process for the School Board that if I was going into that position with a specific agenda that I should not run for the position. I agree with that statement 100 percent. I didn’t have agenda other than to look out for every student equally that walked in the front doors of the school, which I have done and continue to do. Therefore, I feel as a member of the County Board there should be no personal agendas no matter what community you are representing. We should look out for not only the district and communities that we are representing, but for every citizen that is a member of our wonderful county community.
What prompted you to run for County Board Supervisor?
I am running for county board because I feel that representation by someone that not only wants to be on the board, but also wants to make a difference in our community. Like I have stated before I do not have a personal agenda and I want to represent District 10 to the best of my ability. I want to hear from the residents of the district on issues that are important to them and relay those issues to the county board to work together to see if we can make a change for the better. I look forward to representing the citizens of the district in the event I get elected.
Have you attended County Board meetings in person or virtually?
I have attended several board and committee meetings in the past however nothing recently. I have kept up to date with issues regarding board and committee meetings by going to the counties website and reading the minutes that are posted from each meeting.
Are you aware of the building project(s) underway?
I am aware of the new building project that is going on for the new Government Building.
What do you believe should be done with the present Courthouse once the Government Center is complete?
When asked the question what to do with the old Courthouse once the new Government Center is built is a difficult one. I personally, most likely like a lot of others, have a personal attachment to the old Courthouse. I remember as a child playing on the front steps at night and on the weekends with my brother and sister seeing as though we lived above the old jail which is now the museum growing up. So, there is a sentimental attachment. With that being said, I do not believe the taxpayers can afford to maintain a building that is going to sit vacant. The Courthouse is in disrepair just due to it’s age. I do feel that the county needs to take any personal attachments to the building and look at all options in making this decision. This is going to be a tough decision for a lot of people but the decision has to be made based on information and what is best for all community members not just those that live in the Wautoma area or have worked in the Courthouse for what could be decades. I would look forward to a lot of discussion and adequate information from the board to make the right decision for everyone involved in our communities.
What do you hope to accomplish in the two-year term if you are elected?
If elected to the board, obviously there will be a learning curve initially. This should be an easy process with my working knowledge of the board along with knowing a lot of the members of the board. I want to accomplish being an active and informed member of the board making sure that the communities I represent, get the representation they have entrusted me with. The one thing I can state is that I am not a yes man when it comes to decision making. I will listen to all the facts, research information and make the best decision for our district taxpayers.
What do you enjoy most about living in Waushara County?
I enjoy everything about Waushara County and what we as community members represent. I was born and raised in Waushara County, working for the communities of the county a majority of my adult life. We have seen struggles through the years with natural disasters hitting our communities and to see all of the communities pull together in those times of need makes me proud to be from Waushara County.
LUKE JOSEPH
District 11
(Hancock/Coloma area)
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the County Board at this time?
We need to establish long term plans and goals that include focusing on live-local ideologies. We as a county and state/country need to find ways to do a better job growing and strengthening our small local businesses. We should also work closely with our neighboring counties. Instead of shopping at big box stores including big ebox stores like Amazon where the percentage of their products are increasingly coming from foreign countries and not our own, we need more of a live-local mindset such as ‘you see the cow, you eat the cow.’ If a portion of the locals can’t live without delivery service similar to that of Amazon then we need to include focusing on growing local business deliveries. The more local we get, the higher the percentage of USA products we will use. I believe with this mindset more people will likely want to stay and deepen their roots. The more local we go the more we can develop relationships with our neighbors which will also give us more pride and love for our community. If we do not live locally then eventually our independence will erode away and big box stores (including dollar store franchises) will take over with 99 percent of products being from other countries such as China.
How do you believe the county can improve to retain employees?
We should always ask without getting too personal why former employees leave. Each individual has different reasons to leave and we may not have a solution for each one but perhaps we can find a common theme and plan accordingly. As always we can consider raising wages or increasing benefits.
What areas of the county most interest you?
Although I have interest in all facets of county government and hope to better myself in as much of it as possible I do tend to lean towards a couple areas that have been on my heart longer than most. As a former national guardsmen and knowing many family members and friends who were or are currently in the military, I have an added interest in taking care of our veterans and their families. I also have an interest in making sure every needy person is helped, whether that means through government assistance or giving room for missions work (religious or not) that are not related to the government. One of my favorite pieces of scripture is James 1: 27 “ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Another area that interests me is planning and zoning. My childhood dream job was to become a city planner one day. I have a degree in geographic information systems, and have never stopped dreaming of using my interest in planning and business analysis to help my community.
What prompted you to run for County Board Supervisor?
I have always had an interest in serving my community and country in some way. I had served faithfully in the Army National Guard. After I was done I continued my oath as a lifelong oath to continue to serve my country and protect our constitution. Eventually I ran for state assembly in 2016 but was not elected. After I moved to Waushara County I looked for opportunities to serve again. Now is the time I believe is best for me to serve and grow in my passions. As a passionate believer in the Constitution I saw many laws being violated via Covid 19 actions. We can not afford to buy into such a narrative again and run the same or similar course and shut down our businesses or heavily restrict them again. We need to realize all workers and businesses are essential and not only some. This was the final straw for me. I must do my part in restoring our rights that others fought and bled for.
Have you attended County Board meetings in person or virtually?
I have attempted to physically attend meetings twice recently and was kicked out the first time and was arrested the second time for not wearing a face covering. I was peaceful both times. I have also watched some meetings virtually.
Are you aware of the building project (s) underway?
I am aware of the new Government Center. I was there at the ground breaking ceremony to participate in honoring what it means. The meaning is that we as a county still value law and justice, proving it through a new courthouse facility. In my heart I was promising to myself, to the best of my ability, to support the law in Waushara County during the ceremony.
What do you believe should be done with the present Courthouse once the Government Center is complete?
I believe we should consider as many options as we can. One option could be to sell to businessmen and developers. In order to do that we need to be open to the public about the concerns of the facility and the cost to maintain it. Personally I have been told the estimate was around 20 million dollars. If that is correct, then we need to consider whether tearing it down and starting from scratch would be more feasible. We could consider reaching out to organizations/ministries (religious or not) and seeing if they would be interested. We can also explore the idea to sell or rent rooms out as “suites” to different organizations or businesses.
What do you hope to accomplish in the two-year term if you are elected?
I hope to help reestablish trust between the government and its citizens. I want to plant seeds into as many citizens as possible to start desiring more interaction between them and their elected officials and perhaps a desire for them to also want to run for offices some day. I also want to help start live local plans or programs.
What do you enjoy most about living in Waushara County?
The simplicity of life. Typically I believe life is a little richer when there are no big cities involved. I enjoy hiking and fishing with my wife and kids at our beautiful public parks.
MARK KERSCHNER
District 11 – Village of Coloma, Town of Coloma, Village of Hancock, Town of Hancock, and a portion of Town of Richford
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the county board at this time?
Building Project – it is very important to have new buildings and we won’t be putting money in the present structures that needed considerable repair and the HVAC in the entire building was insufficient. We could have put over $20 million into the present courthouse and still would not be sufficient and efficient. The new Government Center will have all services under one roof and provide Waushara County Citizens easy access to all departments. The new Highway Department Shop will be more efficient for storing equipment, doing repairs, storing salt etc. The Poy Sippi Dining and EMS Center will be an asset for the east end of the county and will be safe and accessible for the Senior Citizens in Poy Sippi area. The EMS will have their equipment and staff housed in one area and provide for much better response time. This building project will take Waushara County into the next 30-40 years and beyond.
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing the County Board at this time?
Better working environment – working conditions at the present buildings have people on top of people with lack of rooms. Having all employees and departments in one area will make for better working conditions. I believe we need to look at better pay along with the better working conditions. We have good department heads and leadership which is a plus.
What areas of the county most interest you?
The entire county - all of Waushara County and what it offers – to me Waushara County is a good place to live. I have lived in Waushara County for 69 years. I have been in Kerschner Gas in Coloma for 51 years. I enjoy serving on the public safety committee, enjoy working with EMS and Sheriff’s Dept., Highway and Parks. I have been vice chair on the County Board for 10 years and have served one year with George Sorenson, 10 years with Norm Weiss and the balance with Donna Kalata. I have been on the county board 21 years.
What prompted you to run for County Board supervisor?
I want to see the building project through and being on the building and grounds committee I have been with the project since its inception. I am business owner and I want to give back to the county.
Have you attended County Board meetings in person or virtually.
I have attended in person, never been virtual. I have only missed one or two Board of Supervisors meetings in my 21 years.
Are you aware of the building project(s) underway?
I have been involved in the Building Project and chair the Building and Grounds Committee. While this project is underway I want to keep Waushara County residents informed every step of the way.
What do you believe should be done with the present Courthouse one the Government Center is complete?
The present courthouse could involve different avenues and I would like to work with the City of Wautoma to see what they would like to see done with it.
What do you hope to accomplish in the two-year term if you are elected?
I want to see the building project complete.
What do you enjoy most about living in Waushara County?
I enjoy living in the county –especially the people – I enjoy working with people. I love Waushara County all it offers – we have a great County Parks system, good fishing and hunting, bicycle routes, snowmobile trails, ATV trails, campgrounds, and so much more. I go to many other counties and this is a great place to live and for sure our lakes and tourism are a plus.
