Pierce Board candidates respond to questions

Talk about it

All 17 seats on the Pierce County Board of Supervisors are up for election April 3. There are races in seven of the districts.

Candidates in those seven districts were sent questionnaires. Printed below are the responses received.

Ruth Wood

Age: 66

Address: 503 E. Walnut St., River Falls

Occupation: Retired teacher, editor

Family: Married to David Wood

Prior elected office: First time running for political office

Clubs, civic involvement: League of Women Voters, National Council of Teachers of English

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

Like lots of communities in Wisconsin and around the country, we have grown mistrustful of the political process and shy away from healthy civic discourse. I’d like to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem on that issue and encourage open and forthright discussion at County Board meetings.

This board decides a lot about how funds are allocated in the county, and I want those decisions to be made on the basis of as much information and insight as all its members can bring to the process.

Rodney “Rod” Rommel

Age: 62

Address: 406 Parkview Lane, River Falls

Occupation: Retired financial business manager

Family: Spouse Judy; daughter Amy; son-in-law John; granddaughter Emily

Prior elected office: Pierce County Board of Supervisors, 2 terms

Civic involvement: River Falls Lions Club, active member; board member of St. Croix Valley Foundation, Wisconsin Lions Foundation, Twin Cities Shrine Hospital for Children

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

In my opinion the main challenger for Pierce County is continuing to work within the parameters of the Budget Repair Bill. It is becoming increasingly difficult for county taxpayers to sustain the growing needs of our citizens. Thirty years of managing a business and meeting payrolls provides me with the experience to work with my fellow supervisors and county staff in continuing to provide a high level of affordable services.

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Cecil Bjork

Age: 76

Address: 320 Church St., River Falls

Occupation: Retired

Family: Wife Marian

Prior elected office: River Falls city alderman, 3 terms; River Falls mayor, one term; served on various committees, including planning, utilities, park board and others since 1960

Civic involvement: Active in Pedal Power, Community Thanksgiving Dinner, many more programs or projects

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

It seems to me that Pierce County will face the problem of financing the services/ programs it currently provides. I don’t believe there will be any one quick fix to this dilemma of lower property values, mandated levy rates and lower state aids.

I do believe that my 45-plus years of experience in business management and prior government service will be helpful in developing solutions.

Ben Plunkett

Age: 38

Address: 709 Bartosh Lane, River Falls

Occupation:

Prior elected office: Pierce County Board, 3 terms

Civic involvement: Volunteer work with voter registration

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

Funding will be the main challenge facing the county in the next two years. Decisions made at the state level have cut spending by passing on the buck to local taxpayers. This has been a trend in Wisconsin for over 30 years as costs are paid more and more through property taxes and less through corporate taxes. Balancing the state budget on the backs of local taxpayers must stop.

Our jail facility is another need. The judge and district attorney have made important steps toward managing our use of jail space and exploring alternatives. I will continue to support their work and help provide funding for programs that save costs. We need to plan now for our future needs in this area.

If residents have any specific program questions or ideas for the county, they may contact me at 651-269-1274.

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Scott Bjork

Age: 47

Address: 188 Kinni Court, River Falls

Occupation: Self-employed, Scott’s Heating and Air Conditioning

Family: Wife Joanie; children Gina and Elly

Civic involvement: Beldenville Snowmobile Club, past; Pierce County Snowmobile Council, past

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

The largest challenge the county faces is its budgeting process. We are in an era of rising costs and shrinking tax dollars. I have a vested interest in our community, having been born here, married here and am raising my family here. My focus is preserving the community and things that make this area great. I intend to think about this so that I leave what I have today as an inheritance for my two daughters.

I am a very practical fellow. I’ve been successfully self-employed in the heating and air conditioning business for over 12 years. I’ve learned a thing or two about managing my incoming cash and outgoing cash along the way. I have made my voice known at many city, township and county meetings and am familiar with the process of government.

Ed Figi

Age: 54

Address: 135 Emory Drive, River Falls

Occupation: UW-River Falls student, starting graduate school in 2012; medically retired from Marine Corps

Family: Three grown children; two grandchildren

Prior elected office: None

Civic involvement: Paralyzed Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans, life member; member Special Operations Veterans, Force Recon Association (Marine Corps Special Operations)

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

The main challenge is surviving in this economic downturn. Everyone is seeing budget cuts, which result in less money to do the people’s business and less people to do the job, whether that’s not filling positions or extending part-time positions.

I think that having to operate in that kind of environment really pits people against one another from a partisan perspective. That doesn’t help anyone. Specifically the parties wind up pointing fingers at one another as to why we are in the situation we are in.

I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I’m an outsider. I’m independent. I hope to bring in the perspective of being the common man to get the job done rather than arguing about which party is at fault.

The people don’t want to see all the infighting, arguing or stress. They just want to see the business being done for the services they expect.

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Ramona Gunter

Age: 49

Address: N8246 975th St., River Falls

Occupation: Math lecturer, UW-River Falls

Family: Husband Eric Johnson; 7-year-old son

Prior elected office: None

Civic involvement: Volunteer at the River Falls Community Food Pantry; returned Peace Corps volunteer

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

As a member of the Pierce County Board, I will work to promote and support our local businesses and farms, and maintain and strengthen programs that support families in need. These are compatible goals (as several economists point out): When our neighbors are able to pay their bills and feed their families, our local economy benefits.

Having grown up in Pierce County, I will bring to this position a long-standing knowledge of our county. I will also bring a broad range of knowledge and experience. I have degrees in math, physics, anthropology and educational policy. My work experience includes teacher, researcher, counselor (with people who have physical and cognitive disabilities), waitress and factory worker. My broad work and education background speaks to my ability to make practical, well-reasoned decisions while keeping in mind the needs of people and our environment.

Dean Bergseng

Age: 74

Occupation: Dairy farm owner

Family: Wife Mary; four children

Prior elected office: River Falls Town Board, 12 years; River Falls Town Board chairman, 6 years

Civic involvement: Pierce County Farm Bureau, vice-chairman; Pierce County Dairy Promotion Committee, director; member, Fletcher-Pechacek American Legion

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

The main challenge I see Pierce County facing is the financial challenge of responsibly using our tax dollars to continue to make our government as effective and efficient as possible. We need to work at maintaining and improving what we already have.

Better communication between the county and the townships is an area I feel could be improved. I have had 18 years of town board experience, six as the town chairman, plus owning and operating our family dairy farm for 40 plus years, and feel these experiences give me a good background in understanding the problems and helping find ways to work at resolving them.

I am interested in all areas of county government/ departments, with a special interest in Highway Department, parks, county fair and land use.

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Dale Auckland

Age: 62

Occupation: Retired Real Estate appraiser; owner of Harringtons Greenhouse

Family: Wife Beth Auckland; five children

Prior elected office: No answer

Civic involvement: Member of Knights of Columbus

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

Improve communication. Everyone’s busy so not everyone can make a town meeting, but knowing what’s going on is something many have shared is important.

Working to help small business thrive in our community.

James E. Peterson

Address: 200 N. Northview, Ellsworth

Questions: No reply received

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Dan Reis

Age: 66

Address: N5945 1000th St., Ellsworth

Occupation: Retired educator/ farmer

Family: Three grown children

Prior elected office: Former town treasurer; District 13 Pierce County supervisor, 6 years; chairman of county human services and building committees; member fair, parks and finance and personnel committees

Civic involvement: Executive committee, Farm Technology Days in Pierce County

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

The number one problem facing Pierce County and the country is economics ($). Everyone has needs. Some just have more or more crucial ones.

Here there lies a balancing act that we all must address (needs verses wants). Example: If the roads and the buildings are in need of repair, when do we repair them? These decisions at times can be painful when compared to the needs of human services and law enforcement.

The Board of Supervisors needs to make all of these decisions with some input from the public and need to hear from (you) the public. I've six years of experience on the board and believe we are making progress with the help of an excellent staff, meeting the needs of Pierce County. Please get out and vote.

Glenn Spiczak

Age: 47

Address: N6088 1000th St., Ellsworth

Occupation: Professor, astrophysics, UWRF Physics Department

Family: Divorced; two children

Prior elected office: Vice-President, United Falcons-AFT for UWRF for past year

Civic involvement: Big Ring Flyers (cycling club); We Bike River Falls, founding member; Society of Physics Students, member; Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, UWRF institutional representative

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

I believe the main challenge facing Pierce County is ensuring that essential services are provided to those who most need them while at least adequate services are provided for others. Unfortunately, providing top-notch services in key areas deemed most important may be a luxury that we cannot currently afford, though we should not lose sight of this longer-term goal.

All of this must be done while keeping property taxes and public fees at an affordable level for the escalating number of residents struggling to keep themselves and their families afloat. People’s needs are increasing while resources are dwindling, which is not sustainable.

I do not have any magic solution, as real life issues are complex, but I will look into all options, even “crazy” ones, to come up with and implement the best ideas possible.

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Mel Pittman

Age: 57

Address: W950 270th Ave., Plum City

Occupation: Dairy farmer

Family: Wife Patricia; three grown children; two grandchildren

Prior elected office: Pierce County Board, 8 years; Wisconsin Association County Extension Committee district president, 4 years; WACEC, state board treasurer, 2 years; dairy co-op board of directors, 12 years

Civic involvement: Hiawatha Valley 205 Toastmasters; Pierce County Farm Bureau (past president, 3 years); Farm Technology Days 2010, executive chairman; Ag Advisory Committee, UW-RF CAFES, 5 years

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

The main challenge is to operate within a balanced budget for the next two years. The expenses for the county will rise faster than our tax revenue because of our slow economy and probable reductions from our state and federal partners.

The County Board needs to continue to control expenses in the future by scrutinizing programs, yet maintaining necessary services to Pierce County residents. So far our county has been able to accomplish this with no employee layoffs (unemployment).

With my experience as a successful businessman, I know the county must live within its means. My knowledge of the county business and my ability to address and deal with the tough issues will result in good decisions for Pierce County.

Oake C. Gregory

Age: 38

Address: 221 Main St., Plum City

Occupation: Elder and convalescent care provider

Prior elected office: None

Civic involvement: Offering service and volunteering are important aspects of my life. Examples include working with challenged youth, orphans and environmental issues.

What do you see as the main challenge facing the county at this time, and what help can you offer?

I understand the three main challenges our county faces to be: Meeting the need for greater fiscal and budgetary foresight and constraint; overcoming hurdles to community involvement in our county’s governance; exercising wisdom and long-term thinking in county decisions.

My three priorities are: (1) To see that the county wisely uses its resources, spending within its means. Our county should not increase its budget and tax levy while decreasing services when people in the county are having to tighten their belts and get by with less. (2) To see the County Board meeting moved to a site which accommodates community involvement. County residents should feel free to comfortably participate in our county’s governance and decision making. (3) To plan for our county’s future. With wise planning we can look forward to a future in which our county has a stronger economy with more good jobs, less crime, greater health and stronger communities.

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