Winnebago Voter. November / December Join Us Make a visible difference. November / December Calendar

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1 Winnebago Voter November / December 2010 November / December Calendar Tuesday, November 2 Election Day Polls Open 7 AM 8 PM Monday, November 8, 6:30 8:30 PM Winnebago County LWV Board Meeting 1202 Algoma Blvd. Wednesday, November 10 Noon Food for Thought Lunch Vitale s Italian Cuisine 215 W. Murdock Ave. Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge Barbara Key on Impartial Justice Thursday, November 11, 1-4 PM NeighborWorks East Side Walking Tour Convention Center Parking Lot Wednesday, December 8 Noon Food for Thought Lunch Vitale s Italian Cuisine 215 W. Murdock Ave. Scott Stein of Leonard and Finco, a public relations firm working with responsible companies doing the current cleanup of PCBs in the Fox River Monday, December 27, 5:00 7:00 PM LWV Holiday Party Cynthia Thorpe/Dennis Kavanaugh, hosts 1107 Merritt Ave. Spouses and friends welcome Join Us Make a visible difference I joined League many years ago because I was new to the community and wanted to learn about Oshkosh. I valued the wide variety of issues, the many points of view, and lively nonpartisan debate with other women and men who care about good policy. I even enjoyed learning about topics that were not my favorite. I met and mingled with community leaders through League activities and I learned how to encourage positive change. Like many Leaguers, I sought public office and was elected. League membership was my stepping stone. My interest and enthusiasm have not waned. League continues to educate, inform and influence the community. Each month top notch speakers engage us on a variety of important topics at our Food for Thought Lunch, open to the public. We stay informed. This winter we will evaluate county board size and committee structure in preparation for redistricting later in Neenah and Menasha members are doing a parks inventory to complement the Oshkosh Parks Report we issued in Oct We are following possible consolidation of county and city health departments. We stay actively involved in the community. Our candidate forums are a source of valuable, unbiased information for the community. What interests you? Add your topic to our list. Join us. Kathy Propp, President Add your voice to the work of the most respected and effective grassroots organization in this country. Check out these web addresses:

2 Allen Davis Presents Five Point Plan Allen Davis, Oshkosh Community Development Director, outlined a five point program for improving the city s Community Development department at the League s Food for Thought lunch on September 8. (Mr. Davis poses with the Riverwalk Master Plan.) Since his arrival in March, Mr. Davis has rearranged the Community Development Department. It now consists of planning and zoning, assessor s office, and the city inspection department. His primary goal is to improve the city s role to facilitate development in Oshkosh. He has set up a site plan review committee that covers 99 per cent of the issues that a developer needs to consider. This is done quickly and without delays. Previously a developer would need to take his plan to individual departments in City Hall, e.g., fire department, planning, and inspection departments. Now the review committee contains representatives of all city services that a developer needs to deal with. This turns what used to be a long, frustrating process into a much smoother operation. Davis has hired an architect to head the inspection services. His job is to find out what needs to be done to improve the process of development in the city. All of these changes are designed to change the negative attitudes and perceptions of developers to see that development can be done smoothly here. One way this will happen is with newly created performance measures for city staff and customers. Timeliness getting inspections done promptly is a goal. He is holding project debriefings to see if there are more ways to improve the city s role in development. He strives, he said, to eliminate the us against them attitude. He hopes in six months to show that positive changes have been made. A second goal is to create a neighborhood services program. The NeighborWorks* of Racine / Kenosha has approved making Oshkosh an affiliate. They will make an application with the national NeighborWorks in Washington, D. C.; Oshkosh will need some start-up funding. Davis hopes there will be City Council approval this winter to take advantage of the spring construction season. He explained that NeighborWorks creates the neighborhoods. Money for its projects comes from the national organization, local sales of property, block grants and donations. The city doesn t have long term plans for financially supporting NeighborWorks in Oshkosh. The third goal he outlined was the Riverwalk Master Plan. He brought along a large poster showing the Riverwalk and its features. One section is already under construction. A second part will be started soon on the north bank of the Fox River east of the Wisconsin Street Bridge. He wants the Riverwalk to coordinate with the downtown and the University. The fourth goal is to update the city s economic development plan. This will include more industrial and commercial development at the airport, a new and clearer Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) policy, and expansion of the southwest and northwest industrial parks. A fifth goal is to continue and improve collaboration with the surrounding townships: Algoma, Black Wolf, Nekimi and Oshkosh. Davis also mentioned the need for a north south arterial road linking highways 44 and 21. *NeighborWorks America is a national nonprofit organization created by Congress to provide financial support, technical assistance, and training for community-based revitalization efforts. Go to to learn more. NOTE: Oshkosh east side neighborhood walking tour and NeighborWorks workshop starts at 1:00 pm on Nov. 11 at the Convention Center parking lot. 2

3 OASD Superintendent Outlines Ambitious Plans at Meet & Greet I do love work! exclaimed Dr. Don Viegut as he began his remarks at the Meet and Greet co-sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library and the Winnebago County LWV on Thursday, September 23 at the library. (pictured l to r Karen Boehning, Dr. Viegut, Ann Marshall) He has loved every minute since he came to Oshkosh His first visit here was last winter when he sat in on a public meeting on the budget. (I m sure some League members were in attendance too.) Impressed by the how can I help attitude of the Oshkosh people, he applied only to Oshkosh school district as he looked for an open superintendent position. He knew there were challenges, but they were the ones he wanted to deal with. His can do attitude has led him to undertake four tasks. Dr. Viegut began by hiring 16 new administrators. And, he has instructed them to set goals, meet often with each other and him to discuss the progress they are making. His second task is finance short term and long term. The short term is the budget which needs to be set by late autumn. Just the previous evening (September 22) in a school board meeting that ran over eight hours, Dr. Viegut felt the board made an informed decision that will be good for the community. He complimented board Chairman John Lemberger and Vicechairman Tom McDermott on their demeanor and contribution to the discussion during that meeting. A long-term financial goal is to work toward fiscal strength. He repeatedly mentioned the 70 million in deferred maintenance. This includes technology upgrades in tech infrastructure as well as replacing failing boilers, single-pane windows, leaky roofs, etc. Oaklawn School needs to be addressed too. He wants a plan for capital improvements in two phases. He admits this will take a lot of planning and work. Third, Dr. Viegut sees a pressing need for long-term strategic plan. Currently the district lacks one. To create a long-term strategic plan, he envisions task forces of community people: UWO, CESA, parents, business people, etc. to meet in focus groups to help create a plan for Oshkosh. He sees this work as building not only a long-range strategic plan, but also creating a sense of community. Lastly is the area of governance. He has begun a series of governance retreats that will go on over the next 18 months. Information from these will lead to a handbook with vision, goals, actual steps and ground rules to make a well-functioning school district that provides the best for its students and, hence, the community. Dr. Viegut is the author of a book on assessment and is currently completing one on governance. He has traveled to India, China, Canada, as well as many European countries to spend time studying their school systems. Special thanks to Ann Marshall and Ellen Hofeldt for covering the meetings between the City of Oshkosh Health Department and the Winnebago County Health Department. The meetings center on consolidation of the two departments. 3

4 Winnebago County Parks Encompass Trails, Fairgrounds and Parks Have you ever heard of Mascoutin Valley State Recreational Trail or the Lasley Point Archeological site? Did you know that the lighthouse at Asylum Point Park has been restored? If you attended the Food for Thought lunch in October to hear Rob Way (pictured left), Winnebago County Parks Director, you learned about all of the above and more. The Parks Department is experiencing a budget crunch so it is currently not able to pursue additional land acquisition or embark on any major new projects. The focus now is on maintaining and improving existing services. The Parks Department is made up of five divisions: Administrative Division: Primarily oversees the Community Park. This park is 270 acres of which 23 are being developed as natural prairie areas. The park has 18 soccer fields, 2 fishing ponds, an archery range, an off-leash dog park, several shelters and playgrounds. Most of us did not know that there is a professionally designed Disc Golf Course being developed through private donations. There are now 27 holes with a goal of reaching 36 holes which will allow regional tournaments to be held there. Various events such as the large annual Hmong festival and Soccer Saturday bring many out of area visitors and are a boost to the local economy. Check out two other parks - Lake Winneconne Park and Asylum Point Park at the east end of Snell Road. Sunnyview Exposition Center and Fairgrounds: We are familiar with the County Fair which is held every August, but in addition there is the Lifefest event, auto racing and year round horse shows in the covered arena. The Expo Center has events going on almost every weekend of the year. Recreational Trails: The county has over 75 miles of trails. Most of us are familiar with the WIOUWASH trail that runs from within the City of Oshkosh to the north Winnebago County line and beyond. Less known is the Mascoutin Valley State Recreation Trail located in the southwest corner of the county. It is a 5 mile trail that passes through the Eldorado Marsh and west of the Rush Lake Marsh. It is great for bird watching. The trails are used for snowmobiling in the winter with grooming provided by private snowmobile clubs. Boat Landings: There are seven scattered around the county. The Parks Department is responsible for maintenance and upkeep. Permit fees provide funding for this service. Natural Areas: These are hidden treasures worth visiting. The Waukau Creek Nature Preserve and Shangri-La Point on Ryf Road are quiet peaceful spots. Lasley Point Archeological Site supports beautiful woods and has hiking trails. The fall season is the best time of year to walk through this site. (Article written and submitted by Ann Marshall) See you at the Holiday Party Cynthia Thorpe and Dennis Kavanaugh s house. Bring a plate of holiday goodies to share. 5 to 7 PM Monday December 27 Friends and spouses welcome 4

5 League Sponsors Candidates Forums for Fall Elections Two candidates forums were held in Oshkosh to prepare voters for the Fall Election. The Winnebago County LWV along with the Ripon Area LWV and Oshkosh Media Services held a candidates forum for the Sixth Congressional District at the Oshkosh City Hall City Council Chambers on October 20. Both incumbent Representative Tom Petri and challenger Joe Kallas discussed a range of issues including health care, taxes, budget cuts, rapid transit, and education. Moderators were Kathy Propp of the Winnebago County League and Pam Nelson- Icenogle of the Ripon League Pictured below: Joe Kallas on the left, Representative Petri on the right. The two candidates for the 54 th Assembly District of Wisconsin met in a forum on Monday, September 27 at City Hall. This forum was also co-sponsored by the Oshkosh Media Services and the Winnebago County LWV. The moderators for the forum were John Nichols and Tom Fotjik. Both forums were telecast on CitiCable 10 many times prior to the election and via video stream at Pictured below l to r: Rep. Gordon Hintz, challenger Jonathan Krause, John Nichols and Tom Fotjik. 5

6 Winnebago County League Members Participate in State Events Six LWV Winnebago County members attended the LWV Wisconsin Issues Briefing and 90 th Anniversary Luncheon at Monona Terrace Convention Center, Madison on October 2 nd. Peggy Cox, Elsie Johnson, Carol Codner and Fran Garb participated in a concurrent Membership Recruitment Initiative Training sponsored by the LWV US. Our league is one of six in Wisconsin to receive special training and assistance for membership this year. Carolyn Blassingame and Kathy Propp attended the Issue Briefing. Bob Lang, Legislative Fiscal Bureau Director, gave the keynote address on the mysteries of the state budget and provided several handouts. Wisconsin State Budget Overview is a concise 7-page summary of the state budget revenue and expenditures that all Leaguers should have. Michael Jacob and Jon Peacock, WI Council on Children and Families spoke about BadgerCare and the Implementation of Health Care Reform in Wisconsin. For copies of these handouts, contact Kathy Propp. Dues Renewal Reminder Dues Renewal Reminder If you haven t yet paid your dues, please do so as soon as possible. Our fiscal year is from July 1 to June 30. Dues categories are: Basic Dues: $50.00 Household Dues (two members): $75.00 Student Dues: $10.00 Limited Income Dues $25.00 Sustaining Membership $ Centennial Membership $ Make your check payable to: LWV of Winnebago County. Send your check to: Karen Boehning 1202 Algoma Blvd. Oshkosh, WI Your membership makes an important statement about your values. Joining League means you value good public policy and process. Help the cause by continuing your membership. Additional donations to LWV Winnebago County or to LWV US Education Fund (separate check, tax deductible) are welcome. If you have renewal questions, please contact Karen Boehning at , or boehningk@gmail.com 6

7 Lake Michigan League of Women Voters Holds Annual Meeting (The following is an edited press release from the Lake Michigan LWV about its annual meeting on October 8 & 9) The Lake Michigan LWV held its annual meeting in Manitowoc on October 8-9. The activities included tours of Point Beach Energy Center located next to the Two Rivers Nuclear Power plant; the Woodland Dunes and Nature Center, 1200 acres of forested ridges and habitat; and Wisconsin Maritime Museum. The keynote speaker was Dr. Philip Moy, Invasive Species Specialist with the UW Sea Grant Institute. He was the Fisheries Biologist for the Chicago District Army Corps of Engineers and remains Co-Chair of the Dispersal Barrier Advisory Panel. He presented the history of the invasive movement of the Asian Carp, the Chicago River electric barrier systems, the recent Rotenone poisoning techniques, and current DNA sampling. Dr. Moy spoke of the need for permanent, long-term solutions to the problems of invasive species in the Great Lakes. A faster identification-system of DNA sampling and an ecological separation of the Calumet Rivers and the storm and wastewater are challenging issues. Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels, a member of the Great Lakes Mayor Council, explained the Lake Michigan issues that Manitowoc faces: the need to clean polluted areas from the city s industrial sites located close to rivers and lakes, the updating of city waste disposal due to the new phosphorus regulation, and the emergency plans for toxic spills or nuclear accidents. The closing speaker, Jim Knickelbine, Executive Director of Woodland dunes and Nature Center in Two Rivers, is primarily responsible for the management of the 1200 acre nature preserve. He noted the sponge effect of wetlands removed 60% of metal, 90% of nitrogen and 50% of phosphorus from the water. He pointed out that cattails are excellent plants for wetlands, and one acre of wetland flooded with a foot of water contains 330,000 gallons of water. Good Government Forum Raises Questions on Campaign Finance and Redistricting What Ever Happened to Good Government in Wisconsin? And How Can We Fix It? was the title of a public forum topic at Lawrence University on October 25, Panelists included State Representatives Penny Bernard Schaber (D-Appleton) and Dean Kaufert (R- Neenah), Andrea Kaminski- Executive Director, LWV WI, Executive Director Jay Heck of Common Cause in WI and Professor David Gerard of Lawrence University, moderator. Many topics were covered in the forum including public financing of all state elections, special interest spending disclosure, redistricting and the budget process. Jay Heck pointed out that the 2010 governor campaign is the most expensive and negative campaign in Wisconsin; close to $50 million has been spent and only about $20 million was raised by candidates themselves. Special interest groups have spent the rest. Because of nondisclosure, it is difficult to know whether the money came from in state, out of state or even out of the country. Representative Kaufert believes in a disclosure bill. In January 2010 the state Senate Bill on Disclosure was approved and went to the Assembly but the majority party never took it up for passage. His budget items ideas include: 1) no fund raising during budget, 2) no policy items should be included in the state budget process 3) no earmarks Representative Schaber, a political newcomer, tries to improve communication between parties. She believes the Campaign Finance and Disclosure bills need to be moved ahead and that the state needs a partisan redistricting plan. Andrea Kaminski, Executive Director of LWVWI, pointed out how expensive it is to have redistricting go to the courts and suggested the state have open source software to draw lines and maps. Traditionally redistricting is done behind closed doors, it should be brought out into the open and made transparent. 7

8 The Winnebago Voter 1936 Hazel St. Oshkosh WI LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MISSION The League of Women Voters, a non-partisan political organization of men and women, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit Members receive the bi-monthly Winnebago Voter, Forward from LWV-WI. Meetings are open to the public. Those interested in government and public policy issues will find their intellectual home League Membership: $50 ($75 for two in household), $10 for students Winnebago County Voter Subscription only: $ Dues payable to: LWV Winnebago County, 1202 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh President Barack Obama President@whitehouse.gov Senator Feingold russel_feingold@feingold.senate.gov Senator Kohl Rep. Tom Petri Gov. James Doyle Senator_kohl@kohl.senate.gov tompetri@mail.house wisgov@mail.state.wi.us Sen. Randy Hopper (18 th Dist) Sen.hopper@legis.wisconsin.gov Sen. Michael Ellis (19 th Dist) Sen.ellis@legis.wisconsin.gov Rep. Gordon Hintz (54 th Dist) Rep.Hintz@legis.wisconsin.gov Rep. Dick Spanbauer (53 rd Dist) Rep.Spanbauer@legis.wisconsin.gov Rep. Dean Kaufert (55 th Dist) Rep.Kaufert@legis.wisconsin.gov Wisconsin Legislative Hotline: Capitol Hill switchboard (202)