District 6 Candidate
Doug Weaver
Insurance Agent
1. Parents: Ed and MaryLou, Spouse: Renee. Children: Josh, Caleb, Laura, Ben
2. To advocate for wise financial decisions, self-reliance, and low taxes.
3. I will be elected by the voters of District 6 in Darlington and answer to them. Verbal and ideological conflict hurts no one so long as it remains orderly.
4. Our county was declared a Second Amendment Sanctuary, those voting yes demonstrated their oath to the constitution was made with sincerity and provided a good example to the State and Nation. Also, I believe the county is being proactive about aging infrastructure.
5. Businesses find their own way to places which have advantages for their basic needs of production, transport, and demand. With this understanding, I believe low taxes, which affect labor, overhead, and material expenses, takes first. Good highways will remain important. We are a small market so businesses here must transport to grow. Incentivize the installation of fast and reliable broadband as today’s modern superhighway for digital commerce. But keep the playing field level. Taxpayer money should not advantage select private companies but benefit the business here and the business to come, equally. And we certainly cannot gamble our retiree’s financial security on risky outlays for unreliable outcomes.
District 6 Candidate
Jeff Berget
Retired County Highway Department Worker/
Full time with Berget Farms
1. I am a divorced father of 2 grown children, Emma and Tyler
2. I am running for the county board because I feel I would bring common sense and a willingness to represent the will of the voters of my district.
3. I firmly believe that an elected official is in office to represent the will of the majority of the people who live in your district. You need to put aside your personal views or opinions. A person is not elected to office to make decisions for your constituents because you know more or are smarter than the people you represent. It is also your responsibility to educate the people that elect you on matters that are important to the county as a whole versus what they feel is important only to their community. Public service is a noble adventure that should be seen as an honor and not a privilege.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, just because your opinion is not the same as mine that doesn’t make you my enemy. I have seen that there is too much divisiveness in the past on the county board. I believe that you treat people as you want to be treated. There is no reason that as adults we can’t respectfully disagree with another person’s point of view and as an elected official you need to conduct yourself in a professional manner.
4. The 1 positive thing I have seen happen in the county in the last 5 years is the development of the “Wind” farms in the area.
5. I feel that we need to think outside the “box” when it comes to attracting business to the county. We need that employment opportunity that gives our amazing young people, who are born and raised in Lafayette County, a reason to come back to the county after their education or for someone to want to move to Lafayette County for a good paying job. We need to do economic development that builds a commercial tax base within our county borders. We need to break the stigma that no one here wants change.
District 8 Candidate
Gary Benson
Semi-retired small business owner
1. Father of 5; grandfather of 6.
2. As a 20-year resident of Lafayette County, I have long wanted to serve as a member in some political capacity, but my very long hours did not allow that. Now that I have a less hectic schedule, I am willing and able to answer the call of those who have asked me to serve.
3. If elected as County Supervisor, my primary responsibility is to identify and meet the needs of my constituents in District 10; wards 1, 2 and 3. This district is heavily agricultural in nature, while also populated with many single-family homes. This district is also more rural than other areas of the county that have larger towns. My goal is to help meet the needs my district is facing today while not losing the community that we cherish.
By doing this, the health and prosperity of my district will benefit the county as a whole. Just as a body is made up of many parts, in a similar way each constituent contributes to the health and prosperity of the whole county. My job is to make decisions that will help to maintain that balance.
Conflicts arise when people have strong and differing opinions on a particular situation. If both sides of the argument are not permitted to be openly aired, then one can legitimately claim that their view has not been considered and evaluated as something positive, or negative. It is then that emotions take over, division and bitterness result, and conflict arises.
Everyone’s opinion needs to be respectfully considered. All ideas or solutions should be carefully evaluated in order to understand both sides of the argument.
Compromise is not surrender. When people with opposing views are given respectful consideration, the conflict can usually be avoided and an equitable solution can be reached. I do believe that the direction of a community should not be dictated by the views of a small number of its members. Not every policy imported from other regions will be a good fit for our communities. Our conflicts need to be resolved based upon the needs of our county.
4. In your view, what has the county done well over last five years?
Quality of drinking water is something that affects everyone. While this may not be a topic that is always front and center, it is something that the county has addressed, improved and continually works to maintain.
The recent 2nd Amendment Sanctuary bill is another significant accomplishment for our county. This is supported by many of our private citizens and those who enjoy hunting in our county’s great outdoors.
Our county continues to support and respect the needs of our law enforcement community. Thanks to the brave men and women who serve and protect our county, we have a very low crime rate.
5. What steps should be taken to help the county attract businesses without a negative impact upon the quality of life for county citizens?
We are fortunate to have an individual who serves as the director of our county’s Economic Development and Tourism Bureau. This person is tasked with finding businesses that can support and thrive in our rural community.
We need to be in direct contact with the person in this position to offer our support, and especially guidance as to what our citizens in this county need. Impact studies are an important measure in determining what type of businesses would be a proper fit.
District 8 Candidate
Kriss Marion (I)
Business owner
1. I’m a mom of four, a grandma of two, and married for 34 years to my college sweetheart, Shannon. I’m a communications specialist for an ag non-profit. We raise sheep and run Circle M Market Farm BnB out on County H in Blanchard Township. We just won Wisconsin Hipcamp of the Year for 2022, and we’re pretty thrilled about that – especially because the award has brought more attention to this region as a tourism destination.
2. I’ve been District 8 Supervisor for 3 terms. I ran at first because I was concerned about the number of polluted wells in Lafayette. Getting it done was the biggest battle of my life, but I’m proud that Lafayette partnered with Iowa and Grant Counties for the SWIGG (Southwest Wisconsin Groundwater and Geology) study of well contamination. The study continues this spring with helicopters – the United States Geological Survey is doing radar “soil borings,” analyzing bedrock and how it influences water quality.
3. The County partnered with the Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance and Pecatonica Pride Watershed Association to fund the study, and we have already seen a dramatic increase in conservation practices like cover crops, grassed waterways and managed grazing. Our SWIGG study is now being copied by other counties across the state. Clean water is fast becoming the most valuable commodity on earth, and making clean water a priority is the best way to attract businesses, invite tourists, support farmers, and protect the quality of life for all of our residents.
4. I have served on 14 different County committees, but I also work hard to build relationships with state leaders to keep the needs of the County on their minds. Most recently I attended the Governor’s State of the State Address as his guest. Though I’m very active in Blanchardville as a small business owner and Chamber volunteer, I also spend a lot of time in other Lafayette communities. The best way for a Supervisor to balance the needs of their district and the county as a whole is to travel and get to know the other villages and cities.
5. Lafayette County is rich in both natural beauty and friendly people, and if we work together we can build a bright future here for ourselves, our elders, our kids and grandkids. To do that we should:
a. Protect water quality
b. Promote Lafayette as a great place to live, work and play. Repairing roads and making them safe for ATV/UTVs is a big part of welcoming tourists as well as a priority for residents.
c. Get fast internet to every home and farm so we can attract and retain residents and businesses
d. Professionalize county processes so we can work smarter for constituents, retain employees, and keep taxes down
e. Build affordable housing so we can keep more young families and seniors here
District 3 Candidate
Nick Metz
Small business owner
1. My family has been in Lafayette County for multiple generations with farming playing a part in the history as it does with so many that are from here. I’ve lived in Darlington for just about all of my life. I wouldn’t be the first Metz on the county board as my Great Uncle Jim was a county board supervisor. I have a residential construction and design business. Also operate a farm to table beef sales in a partnership with my girlfriend, Tracy.
2. I’ve been interested in running for county board for a while now. It goes back to even before the time I was a county employee, which is contrary to what Jack and others try to make it seem like. The number one reason I am running again is because of Jack.
One of the reasons we lost our finance director is because of him having one of his moments.
We taxpayers became EMS business owners because Jack is emotional obsessed (to coin Eaton’s phrase) over a single EMS member that happened to be police chief of a department that gave him a ticket for one of his moments.
Jack also believes the county citizens are not informed enough to make a decision via a referendum on a new hospital.
Jack says we also don’t need policy and procedures documented for the county board — it’s because he doesn’t want to follow the rules that are on the book already, such as bonus payments that required board approval that he alone signed off on and was paid out before the board knew.
I’m running because we deserve to have better than this.
3. Representing the district majority comes first, but as supervisor you are an ambassador of the entire county during your term. If there is a difference between the majority view of the district and the county’s overall goal, one should vote the way of their district I feel. If you’re doing your job well as a representative you should have a pulse on the citizen’s views.
There is being direct then there is doing what Jack does to people during his moments, the later isn’t the way you deal with conflicts as an elected official. I am not going to put up with another board member being rude to other board members, county employees, or those in the audience. I will be direct in calling out anyone that is — as they need to be recognized as doing such. I want our local government to be the firewall on the incivility that permeates our state and federal government.
4. -Economic Development Department securing federal grants.
-Health Department was thrown through the wringer and accomplished what they needed to.
-Investing in IT infrastructure. So much is done electronically anymore and it causes so many issues with letting equipment lapse way beyond its lifespan.
5. Fiber optic internet service is the top item on my list to attract businesses / people. The last two years many businesses figured out how to have staff operate remotely from home. Many of these businesses are going to continue offering some form of that to employees. This means that people can live where cost of living is a little cheaper and the traffic is a lot better and have that job in Dane County still. We have to take advantage of that.
District 3 Candidate
Jack Sauer (I)
Farmer
1. I am running for county board because I care deeply about what happens in Lafayette County Government. I like being able to help people whether it is a zoning issue, highway issue, hospital, manor or any other issues. I also like to see our county facilities run smoothly with a few tax payer dollars as possible. I am also running because we have a lot of supervisors on the board with limited experience in county government because of the short time on the board. I believe I provide good leadership and direction because of my many years of experience.
2. A supervisor on the county board should look out for the best interest of their district, but they also need to realize that things that happen in any part of the county usually helps the county out as a whole. As the County Board Chairman, my job has been to try to help all districts of the county move forward while also looking out of the best interest of District 3.
3. There are always conflicts to deal with on the county board. I think we usually always have conflicts when we try to change things or move forward on many of our projects. We try to do what is in the best interest of the majority of the people. The county also from time to time has conflicts between employees and I try to moderate any that come to me by talking to both sides and come to a workable compromise.
4. I will go back a little more than five years and start without hospital buying three outlying clinics and hiring our doctors and other providers as our employees. This purchase has allowed us to have unprecedented growth at both the hospital and clinics. We have also been able to hire more providers to serve the people. We have replaced the Argyle Clinic with a new facility and we were able to pay for it with cash on hand. The county has also purchased the former Farm Credit Building on County K and remodeled the downstairs to house Human Services and ADRC. The 20 year lease was up with the city which was costing over $65,000 per year and the county has been receiving on average $40,000 rent per year from the State of Wisconsin for half of the upstairs. With the purchase price and the remodeling cost figured in plus operating cost we are getting a return of over 8% on the money we spent. The building will be paid off in about 5 more years. The county also had built the Multipurpose Building. So now the Highway Department can house all of its equipment plus we now have the room to house the Commission on Aging buses. Storage of office furniture, supplies and overstock from departments has been built in as well. A 40x80 meeting room that has allowed social distancing during COVID-19 was very useful for almost every meeting during the last two years. The County Board also decided to state Lafayette County EMS to replace the former Rural Medical Service. This is a paramedic level service and is a great addition for the City of Darlington and the Townships is serves. I believe it will become a model for a lot of small counties in the state to follow. Lastly, in January the County Board voted to build a new hospital facility to replace the 70 year old building the hospital now uses. We were assured by our auditors this new facility will pay for itself without taxpayer money. With the payroll of over 15 million dollars, the hospital is an important part of Lafayette County. We’ve also received a 4 million dollar grant from the State of Wisconsin for an in-house MRI and a $4 million grant for the building project from the federal government. We’re still hoping to receive another grant form the State for $4 million for the project.
By the time this paper is printed, we have been informed the USDA Loan Payers will be in the board’s hands to sign and accept the terms and interest rate of the loan. The County Board has been very conservative under my leadership and has also accumulated over $8 million of reserve funds over the last several years.
5. I believe we should be looking for businesses that provide a living wage as well as health insurance that improves the quality of life for our residents. It usually takes money from the State to attract these types of businesses. The State has been very helpful when Wisconsin Whey was starting up and when it was added onto. The State of Wisconsin has also been very helpful thus far with the hospital project.
In closing, remember the elections have consequences. Be careful whom you vote for.
District 10 candidate
Nancy Fisker
I am a Lafayette County Board Supervisor – Elected; Retired Small Business Owner & Registered Nurse.
I was born and raised in Lafayette County. The first premature baby to use a new incubator at MHLC. It saved my life. My father was the Chiropractor in Darlington for 36 years and my mother was a Mom involved in the community. We were brought up in this Christian community learning the difference between right and wrong and the importance of loving thy neighbor. The police are respected. The church is a spiritual connection. Friends and family mean everything.
I hope to be re-elected to the Lafayette County Board as Supervisor in District 10 (Ward 1 – Wiota / Ward 2 – Lamont / Ward 3 – Argyle)
We need leadership. We need decision makers who will listen to us and create a future that inspires our youth to stay. That future must have sufficient updated housing. That future must provide economic opportunities for all ages and that future must ensure we have clean, safe water. I am running for re-election to the Lafayette County Board because I see the progress that we have made in my first term and am excited to continue this good work.
Communication is important, as a liaison between the County and the Municipalities in District 10. Providing as many facts as possible to all affected boards is my duty. What they decide to do with those facts is up to them. An example is the re-districting this year. Through thoughtful negotiation and communication, the end result was a district 10 map that we could all live with. It was and is important to involve the stakeholders in big decisions to resolve conflict.
By consolidating and centralizing the Human Resource basic functions we are putting processes into place that will create better pay equity, higher job satisfaction, less turnover, and improved accountability. I see this as a big win for the County.
Much research and deliberation has gone into the potential replacement hospital project. I have supported the investigation and application process. USDA approval is pending. This is necessary for financing a successful project. If denied, then I will encourage the use of a recent State grant of $4,000,000.00 to bring the infrastructure of the existing hospital up to date. The bottom line is that we need to keep our critical access hospital operating as it has since 1952. Remember, my life was saved by the cutting-edge technology MHLC had in 1953. I fully support our hospital.
In support of Lafayette County Tourism – An ATV/UTV Ordinance was revised in August of 2020 to include lettered county roads to be opened up to ATV/UTV traffic. A study of trail use in 2012 revealed a $15,000,000 economic impact. It is already estimated that the tourism impact from the ATV/UTV/Snowmobile trails in Lafayette County has doubled or some say, tripled since that study was done. We are looking to verify these numbers in the future.
My hope is that the water study (SWIGG) will give us some good data to start looking at solutions for keeping our water clean. I think we can all agree that clean water is our lifeline to a healthy future.
I appreciate your vote on April 5th, 2022 re-electing me to the County Board. My commitment to Lafayette County is true.