News

Editor’s note: The Banner gave the candidates for Walworth County Sheriff an opportunity to provide a final statement before Tuesday’s primary election. The submissions are printed below. Since there are no candidates for the office on the Democratic ballot the winner of this election will be installed as the next sheriff. The candidates are listed in alphabetical order by surname.

Editor’s note update: Due to concerns expressed on behalf of both candidates, the Banner has reviewed this post in accordance with our policies. We have concluded that there were some errors in judgment in the drafting of our original article, in that some comments that were received after the deadline were added. Consequently we are now publishing the submissions that were received from both campaigns by the deadline that was communicated to them. We regret this error and the resulting confusion.

Dave Gerber for Walworth County Sheriff

With 27 years of experience in law enforcement and my current position as Undersheriff, I am confident that I can continue to serve the people of Walworth County with integrity, professionalism, and compassion. I have been promoted through the ranks in my career.  I have served on many specialty teams such as SWAT, Dive Team, and Honor Guard. I am endorsed by the current Sheriff, past Sheriff, surrounding County Sheriffs, Walworth County District Attorney, many local current and retired police chiefs, and many others.  I have been rated consistently as a “high level performer” on annual evaluations throughout my career, by many supervisors.  I will continue that strong work ethic as your next Sheriff.  I possess immediate readiness to serve as your next Sheriff.  I have the required education, advanced training, experience, and references required to be a Police Chief and Sheriff.  My opponent does not.  This is what sets me apart from my opponent.

My selection for Undersheriff is Tom Hausner who has over 40 years of law enforcement experience.  He is the Commander of the Geneva Lake Police Department, retired Sergeant with the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, and a United States Marine Corps veteran.  Tom served 24 years on the SWAT team, 12 years as SWAT commander. Tom has spent his career at the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office as a respected leader and understands our entire operation including Jail Operations and 911 dispatch. His lifelong history with the department and proven ability as a leader were paramount in my decision to select Tom. Tom has executive level experience leading the Geneva Lake Law Enforcement Agency as Commander/Chief and in the private sector for 24 years as Director of Security and Operations at Alpine Valley Music Theatre.  Tom is a graduate of the FBI – National Academy and numerous other state and national law enforcement schools.  He and I possess immediate readiness to lead the Sheriff’s Office into the future.  This inherent knowledge of the Sheriff Office is what sets Tom apart from my opponent’s selection as Undersheriff who does not possess any knowledge of Sheriff’s Office operations and has never worked for our agency. 

Some of my endorsements include:

Sheriff Kurt Picknell – Walworth County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff David Graves – Walworth County Sheriff’s Office (retired)

Zeke Weidenfeld – Walworth County District Attorney

Sheriff David Beth – Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Christopher Schmaling – Racine County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Troy Knudson – Rock County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Eric Severson – Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Cory Roeseler – Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office

David Bretl –Walworth County Administrator (retired)

Nancy Russell – Chair – Walworth County Board of Supervisors (retired)

Rick Stacey – Chair – Walworth County Board of Supervisors

Chief Jeremy Swendrowski – Village of East Troy Police Department

Chief James Hansen – Delavan/Darien Police Department

Chief Joel Christensen – City of Elkhorn Police Department

Chief Brad Buchholz – Village of Sharon Police Department

Chief Joseph Balog – Village of Genoa City Police Department

Chief Jeff Cates – Village of Fontana Police Department

Chief Matthew Kiederlen – UW Whitewater Police Department

Chief Steve Cole – Bloomfield Police Department

Commander Thomas Hausner – Geneva Lake Police Department

John Marra –Chief of Police Genoa City Police Department (retried)

Jim Kimpinski – Police Chief Twin Lakes Police Department (retired)

Tom Whowell – President Village of Fontana (retired)

Alan Boyes – Chief of Police Village of East Troy Police (retired)

Father Lucien Gaudrault – Retired Chaplain Walworth Co Sheriff’s Office

Brother Desales Wisnewski – Retired Chaplain Walworth Co Sheriff’s Office

Mel Niewenhouse – retired Mayor – City of Delavan

Kristy Secord – Walworth County Clerk of Courts

Michelle Jacobs – Walworth County Register of Deeds

Valerie Etzel – Walworth County Treasurer

Walworth County Sheriff Kurt Picknell states “Undersheriff Dave Gerber is the most qualified in every way to be the next Sheriff of Walworth County. He has the education, experience and dedication serving and protecting others. Dave has a highly distinguished law enforcement career ready to lead the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office.”

Walworth County Sheriff David Graves (retired) states “Undersheriff Dave Gerber is running to be the next Walworth County Sheriff. Undersheriff Gerber has the education, administrative experience, and moral compass to move seamlessly into the top position as the next Sheriff of Walworth County. As a 42-year veteran of Walworth County law enforcement which includes 14 as Walworth County Sheriff, I had the opportunity to watch many deputies grow within the profession.  Undersheriff Gerber rose through the ranks, accepting more responsibility with every new assignment and promotion. I came to admire his ability to interact with other employees as well as our outside law enforcement partners. Undersheriff Gerber is dedicated to keeping our county a safe place for all of its residents and visitors.  Undersheriff Dave Gerber is the best choice for Walworth County Sheriff. Please join me in endorsing and voting for Undersheriff Dave Gerber for Walworth County Sheriff.  You’ll be glad you did!”

As your Sheriff, I will continue to uphold the 183-year tradition of integrity, excellence, professionalism, and compassion.  My number one priority will be the Safety, Security, and Service to the Citizens of Walworth County.  Walworth County has a low crime rate and I intend to keep it that way. I will honor my oath to support the Constitutional rights of all our citizens and hold criminals accountable by continuing a strong partnership with all Law Enforcement agencies in Walworth County, along with our District Attorney’s Office and the Circuit Courts. I will always support all first responders for their hard work and dedication to the citizens we serve.  We will enhance interoperability among all first responders in Walworth County in terms of communication and records management.  I will continue to ensure fiscal responsibility within our annual budget.  I will ensure all employees continue to receive the highest level of training in order to provide the highest level of service to the citizens of Walworth County.  I will continue to partner with all Law Enforcement agencies in the County to ensure we remain a safe place to live, work, and play.  Our agency has worked hard to achieve accreditation through the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WILEAG) and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) and I will ensure our accreditation status continues.  A police agency is most effective when it engages and partners with its community members.  I plan to continue our community outreach efforts and build stronger relationships with our citizens.  Finally, I have worked tirelessly for decades providing the needed training and equipment for our employees and strongly support our agency in recruiting and retaining the best employees to serve our citizens.

Tom Hausner and I have the REQUIRED experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities to immediately lead the agency into the future.  I am proud to serve alongside our 214 employees within the Sheriff’s Office and all law enforcement officers and first responders in Walworth County.  I am equally proud to serve with all of our dedicated County employees who serve Walworth County every day.  Having served in the various ranks and specialty teams and most recently as your Undersheriff, the transition to Sheriff will be seamless.  I look forward to being your next Sheriff.  I will continue to apply my education and experience along with integrity, compassion, and professionalism in serving the citizens of Walworth County.  I ask for your support and prayers.  Please vote GERBER for Sheriff next Tuesday August 9^th, 2022.

Craig Konopski for Walworth County Sheriff

Craig Konopski for Walworth County Sheriff

Just who is Craig Konopski?

Craig is one of two candidates that are running for the seat of Walworth County Sheriff that are replacing current sheriff Kurt Picknell who is retiring after serving his second term effective 1/6/2023.

Both Craig and his opponent are running on the conservative ballet with nobody on the liberal ballet. Thus, the August 9^th primary vote is more important than a standard election year. It will eliminate one of the candidates.

For those of you that have yet to have the pleasure of meeting Craig in person, let’s get to know him, his chosen running mate for undersheriff, Daniel Derrick, and what they stand for as it matters for Walworth County justice and citizen safety.

Craig, his wife Lisa, of over 29years, have made Walworth County their home for the past 21yrs. During this time they have raised their now adult son Joe and been active in the community and created many long lasting friends and relationships.

On a professional level, Craig is a 13 year Navy combat Veteran, serving on the U.S.S Wisconsin in Desert Storm. Craig is bringing 24 combined years of law enforcement experience, 21 within Walworth Co Sheriff’s Department; 14 yrs as a Deputy on patrol then promoted 7 yrs ago to the detective bureau of which he currently serves as a detective. In addition he has been a member of the Walworth County Deputy Sheriff’s Association (WCDSA) since 2002. It is the mission of the WDSA to provide representation to the sworn deputies of the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office. The WCDSA provides services in the area of contract negotiations with Walworth County in regards to wages, benefits, and working conditions. Currently representing 70 sworn personal consisting of deputies, sergeants, and detectives. His seats within the WCDSA have included Bargaining & Grievance chairman for 7 years, VP for 4 years and currently as President. These years of experience have brought Craig to know firsthand what his department’s men and women are looking for in support and training.

Craig had decided to run for the Sheriff because he could no longer stand seeing the continual decline of the Walworth County Sheriffs office that once was considered elite within the state. He has been a witness to this decline rapidly increasing over the past 8 years. There has been a high volume of turnover in the jail, numerous veteran deputies leaving prematurely, communication teams (911 operators) being forced into long hours due to lack of staffing, internal enforcement departments (i.e. drug & investigation units) under staffed as well as crucial training being by passed (i.e. active shooter, range & arrest tactics) in order to keep deputies on the road. These are just a hand full of concerns that Craig could not stand by for anymore knowing how it affects the overall safety of the people in the community that he and his family have called home themselves of over 20 years and will continue for many years to come.

The perception of law enforcement has agreeably changed over the years however, it is not a matter of lack of people wanting to become officers, jailers or dispatchers, but, it has become an issue of individuals wanting to work within our agency. We have lost our elite status to become an agency known for favoritism, lack of accountability within and poor training.

As sheriff, one of his focuses is to rebuild our agencies reputation, hold every individual accountable and to the same standards. Craig will have the jailers and deputies trained properly to work and handle the issues of society today as well as tomorrow vs. merely the state minimum requirements. We have and have had the resources to do this however, over the years only minimum has been even offered to employees. Our men and women need and deserve the best, most up to date training. When they are properly taken care of and equipped, they can better give the families of our county the protection they deserve. In turn of proper accountability it will also enable our agency to rebuild faded relationships with other community offices such as local police, fire & EMS and surrounding counties as well.

It may sound like Craig’s only focus is within the buildings of the Sheriff’s office. As an active, boots on the ground deputy, he knows that the 1^st change needs to happen AT ground zero. The changes and improvements made here will rapidly move throughout our counties communities; families, neighborhoods, schools, churches, businesses, etc.

In addition to Craig’s dedication to run for the Sheriffs seat, he has done something rare. He had gone outside of his agency for an undersheriff. After months of deep thought and careful consideration to what our county needs, he approached Dan Derrick to join him if elected to serve as undersheriff.

Dan is a native to Lake Geneva. He and his wife of 13 years, Haley, are proudly raising their young daughter here as well. Dan has been with the Lake Geneva Police Dept for over 30 years. He has been a k-9 officer, member of the SWAT team serving as the assistant commander, drug investigator and graduate of the Northwestern School of Staff and Command. He shares in Craig’s convictions of protecting others within the county. Dan is well rounded in his career, leadership and interpersonal skills to assist with aligning the Sheriff’s department with law and order. His fresh eyes in the department will assist Craig in implementing the proper changes needed.

Together they are knowledgeable of the people within their communities and surrounding departments of which they actively serve. They will both admit that neither of them are politicians, rather, they are active duty officers which gives them the boots on the ground knowledge of what the people of Walworth County want. They look forward to serving together with a broader ability to bring Honor Dedication & Safety to the people of Walworth County!

Please, to make our County Elite again & protect the safety and well being of our county we all call home, Vote Konopski for Sheriff on Tuesday, August 9^th.

Editor’s note: The Banner gave the candidates for State Assembly in District 31 an opportunity to provide a final statement before Tuesday’s primary election. As a result of redistricting, Whitewater has been split into two Assembly districts. Walworth County residents are now in District 31. There are three Republican candidates and one Democratic candidate on the primary ballot. The candidates are listed below in alphabetical order by surname.

Brienne Brown, Democratic Candidate for State Assembly District 31

Since no response was received from Ms. Brown this week, we are reprinting the announcement that she provided to us in May.

Brienne Brown, a Democrat from Whitewater, has declared her candidacy for the Wisconsin State Assembly, District 31.

My name is Brienne Brown, and I’m running for Wisconsin State Assembly, District 31, which includes the Walworth County portion of Whitewater, Whitewater Lake, Elkhorn, Darien, Richmond, Clinton, and eastern Beloit. I am running for office because I want to put my experience in politics, business, and community voluntarism to work. I want to represent all the citizens of the 31st, both rural and urban, as I work to regain local control of government and schools, strengthen Wisconsin’s stewardship of the environment. and support women and their families.

I have more experience in local politics than anyone else in this race. I am completing my second term on the Whitewater Common Council, where I serve as Council representative for the Library Board, Plan Commission, and Equal Opportunities Commissions. When I worked as the Program Director for the Whitewater Community Foundation, I helped them expand from their operations to include Community Action Grants. I also served on the board for Downtown Whitewater, a nonprofit dedicated toward revitalizing the historic downtown. During this time, we worked with local farmers to create the Whitewater City Market, a successful downtown farmers’ market.

Like most of us, I’ve changed careers more than once in my life. My husband and I moved to Whitewater a decade ago, and we both teach at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. I’ve worked as a managing editor for an open-source intelligence company (stratfor.com), as an epidemiologist for the Texas Department of Health, and in a fish cannery in Alaska. I am also a certified grant writer and own a small business.

After the last grocery store in town closed its doors in 2015, I joined other community members in founding the Whitewater Grocery Cooperative, an initiative to build a community-owned grocery store in Whitewater. The GroCo has grown to 820 members and we are on track to open our doors in 2024. As the chair of the GroCo Grants committee, I successfully applied for a $46,300 WEDC feasibility grant to secure a location and design the store.

I want to put local communities back in charge of their spending and funding. All politics are local. In fact, many of the bills that come to the legislature are researched and written by regular people like you and me. The problem is that the Republican-led legislature has consistently refused to do its job and gaveled out of session without looking at the over 250 bills that hardworking Wisconsinites have put together to improve their communities. This means that our current representatives are sitting on our hard-earned tax dollars – dollars that belong to our schools and city governments. Our schools and infrastructure remain underfunded and it’s our children and local communities that are paying the price.

Education is a top priority for me. Tony Evers has managed to undo some of the damage done by Scott Walker and a decade of gerrymandered Republican dominance, but we still have a ways to go. At both the K-12 level and UW-Whitewater, we need to make sure that our educational system is adequately funded so that all our children have the opportunity to succeed. This applies to all students in Wisconsin, regardless of their income or resident status. Wisconsin has always been lucky to have immigrants bolster our workforce and populate our schools.These hard-working community members should be able to drive legally on the way to work and school. Their children should pay the same in-state tuition rates as other Wisconsinites. Instead, we are leaving these children behind. We are failing to live up to the standards of the Wisconsin Idea, which is to solve problems and improve health, quality of life, the environment, and agriculture for all citizens of the state.

As a gun owner, I support common sense gun laws and universal background checks.

No less important is my support for state parks, clean air, and water standards. Wisconsin is a state of hunting, farming, fishing, hiking, and tourism. We live in some of the most beautiful and water-rich country of the United States, and we should act as good stewards. I will work to strengthen laws that protect the lands we live on and give back control to local governments so the citizens, not the corporations, can decide what happens in their backyards.

I want to get women the resources they need to work and take care of their families. Fifty-eight percent of the workforce is female. We should have universal 4k and paid maternity/paternity leave, so that a woman’s paycheck doesn’t simply turn into a childcare payment. We need a strong Medicaid program that lifts Wisconsin families out of poverty. We need better access to healthy food. Women should have the power to decide how and when to start their families. Women’s rights are human rights.

We need to work smarter, we need to work harder, and we need to work together.

For more information about Brienne Brown, visit BrienneForWisconsin.com or find me on Facebook @BrienneDieboltBrown or Instagram @brienneforwisconsin

Jason Dean, Republican Candidate for State Assembly District 31

Since no response was received from Mr. Dean this week, we are reprinting the announcement that he provided to us in April.

Jason Dean Announces Run for 31st Assembly District Seat

LaGrange Republican to bring experience as a Marine Corps. Veteran, Father, Businesses Leader and
Community Volunteer to State Assembly

LaGrange, April 18 – Jason Dean, a Republican from LaGrange, today announced his candidacy for the Wisconsin State Assembly. Jason is a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, father, private sector business leader, and active
community volunteer. He promises to bring experience, commitment, and commonsense conservative
values to Madison on behalf of the people of the 31st Assembly District.

“After serving our country for over 20 years in the United States Marine Corps., I now have a strong
desire to serve Wisconsin, and I see a state in need of help. Politicians in Washington and Madison like
Joe Biden and Tony Evers are leading us in the wrong direction. I’m running to get back our way of life,
empower Wisconsin families and local communities, not big government, and return commonsense
leadership to our state,” said Jason Dean.

Jason served over two decades in the United States Marine Corps and deployed for multiple tours of
duty in Iraq. In 2006, Jason was wounded in action by enemy fire. He was subsequently awarded the
Purple Heart Medal.

Jason held leadership roles throughout his military career and achieved the rank of Master Sergeant. His
final duty station included serving as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense in
the Pentagon. The same sense of service to our nation that inspired Jason to enlist in the Marine Corps
motivates his efforts to serve in elected office.

Upon his retirement from the military in 2017, Jason and his family relocated to Wisconsin and settled in
LaGrange. In 2018, Jason began volunteering for Congressman Bryan Steil’s campaign and served as
Field Director, coordinating the grassroots efforts for the campaign. After helping Congressman Steil win
the election, Jason accepted a position at ABC Supply Company, Inc. to serve on a divisional leadership
team.

On a volunteer basis, Jason serves as an Advanced EMT with the Lauderdale-LaGrange Fire Department
and on Whitewater Fire Department (WFD). In 2021, Jason was elected to the WFD Board of Directors
as the Vice-President. Jason holds leadership roles in various veterans’ service organizations in
Wisconsin including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) where he advocates for veterans and their
benefits.

Jason lives in LaGrange with his wife, Jessica and his teenage son Jeffrey. Jason also has two adult sons
currently serving in the United States Marine Corps.

Ellen Schutt, Republican Candidate for State Assembly District 31

“Growing up on a farm in Walworth County gave me a deep understanding of our area and sincere appreciation for our values. The last few months of meeting people on the campaign trail have only deepened that understanding and appreciation. I’ve had the honor of meeting thousands of you at events, parades, and at your doorsteps. We’ve talked about how inflation is hurting families and the need to support our first responders who protect us and keep us safe. Most of all, we agree that our communities need a strong voice to advocate for our conservative principles. As your representative, I’ll be that voice. I’ll fight to cut wasteful spending, lower taxes, and support our police so that we can afford to keep our homes, raise our families, and live in safe communities. I’m asking for your vote on August 9th in the Republican primary for State Assembly. Thank you!”

Maryann Zimmerman, Republican Candidate for State Assembly District 31

Since no response was received from Ms. Zimmerman this week, we are reprinting the announcement that she provided to us in April.

It is with pride that the Maryann Zimmerman for Wisconsin State Assembly announces Maryann’s bid to run for the open assembly seat for the 31st District Assembly Seat. The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s reversing its previous decision to use the Republican district map instead of the map submitted by the Governor Evers’ Administration resulted in Maryann Zimmerman, a first-time state candidate becoming ineligible for the Senate race in the 15th district. Rather than give up, Zimmerman changed gears. “I am a public servant and I know I have the expertise, work ethic and fortitude to serve my community well in the State Legislature.” Zimmerman is no stranger to serving her community; since moving here 8 years ago, she has held many volunteer positions within the school district and the community. Zimmerman is currently a member of the Whitewater Unified School District School Board and a State of Wisconsin Parent2Parent Advocate. Maryann’s role as a Parent to Parent Advocate includes acting as an advocate, mentor and friend to parents of children with special needs. Maryann is also a member of the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Disability Rights Commission for the City of Whitewater and the Middle School PTO Vice-President. Professionally, Zimmerman has been the Director of the Walworth County Food and Diaper Bank, a Compliance Officer for a local manufacturer as well as presenter at a national conference on poverty and basic needs for women. Zimmerman is also a certified Six-Sigma Black Belt. ” We are at a time where normal, everyday citizens are galvanized into public service. It’s needed. My experience in quality management, equality and leadership gives me a well-rounded background to serve my community. We don’t need the same types of people running-it’s time for fresh ideas and perspectives to be infused into our state government.” Zimmerman and her husband are small business owners. The Zimmermans live on a hobby farm with 3 of their 4 children in the town of Whitewater. Zimmerman, one of 8 children, grew up in Milwaukee and Glendale and is the daughter of a retired public school teacher and homemaker.

Her new Assembly Campaign has officially kicked off and she is excited to travel to the communities within the 31st district to meet constituents and gather feedback. “I love to interact with people so please come and say, “Hi” when I am in your area; I truly have an open-door policy and welcome your input, feedback and ideas. I am running to serve the people of the 31st district.” The 31st Assembly District includes Elkhorn, Whitewater, Darien, Clinton, Parts of Beloit and the Town of Beloit and right up to Burlington and all the rural communities in between. The Zimmerman campaign website will be updated regularly with events that Zimmerman will be attending within the district at www.maryann4assembly.com.

For more information about her campaign, please visit her social media @mazi4assembly on Facebook and Instagram. She also can be reached via email at maryann@maryann4assembly.com or via her campaign hotline at (262) 753-1063.

Since its inception five years ago, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Center for Inclusive Transition, Education and Employment (CITEE) has been working to help people from all walks of life as they explore education and career opportunities. A new, sizable grant will help in furthering that mission.

Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services have announced the center will be awarded approximately $9.1 million through the American Rescue Plan Act to enhance an existing Qualified Treatment Trainees (QTT) grants program.

The program supports placements for behavioral health professionals with a training license who need hours of observed practice for their full license. Trainees are able to provide clinical care under supervision, and these supervised hours are a requirement for clinicians to become fully licensed treatment providers.

Jessica Smith, the center’s director, said the grant will have a notable impact on the program’s ability to address the workforce shortage in this industry, and will have a ripple effect for organizations offering behavioral health services across the state. Grant recipients will be able to hire more qualified treatment trainees and thereby serve more clients, addressing waiting lists for care.  

“Historically, there hasn’t been a lot of emphasis on developing trainees in the area of supervision,” Smith said. “We know that high quality supervision can support trainees’ clinical skill development, and we hope it will also promote their longer term success, retention as clinicians, and also support supervisor satisfaction. Ultimately, it will help the clients that they serve by providing them with the best treatment available.”

Smith said the new award will help people on and off UW-Whitewater’s campus.

“This will bring tons of opportunities for students,” she said. “It’s a great time to be going into social work, counseling or marriage and family therapy.” 

Dr. Lakeia Jones, chief executive officer and director of Milwaukee-based AMRI Counseling Services, has worked with the center in the past via its QTT grants program.

“When I came across this program, I was so excited to be a part of it. It’s been a great opportunity to connect with other supervisors at other agencies and work together to provide supervision to students and supervisees,” said Jones, a UW-Whitewater alum who has been in the behavioral health field for 22 years. “Clinical supervision is extremely important. If you don’t have anybody providing that kind of work, you end up having individuals in the field without any type of guidance or direction.”

Adah Muwonge, who is graduating this month from UW-Whitewater with a master’s degree in counselor education, had the opportunity to intern this spring at AMRI Counseling Services. She has been hired before graduation for a counseling position within the agency.

Speaking to the hands-on training she received through the Qualified Treatment Trainees program, Muwonge, of Milwaukee, said, “This has put me in a place to really understand and learn more about myself and my needs and what I want to do in the future. There’s been a lot of self-exploration throughout this summer.” 

Muwonge, who also holds a bachelor’s degree from UW-Whitewater in psychology, said the experience she has gained in the field has only solidified the course she has embarked on since first walking onto the university campus seven years ago.

“Now I really know, it’s for me,” Muwonge said. “I’m learning where I can fine tune my own personal practice and the way that I counsel in the future.”

A hallmark of UW-Whitewater is to ensure people from all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds have an opportunity to receive an education and pursue their career goals. 

Directing funds toward such efforts as the QTT grants program is another means of furthering that mission, Smith said. With diversity, equity and inclusion in mind, Smith said the grant will help in one area that has been a challenge in the past.

“The intention is to remove the barriers that people might have, particularly because we know that graduate students are frequently asked to do their placements or internships unpaid,” she said. “It certainly is a challenge for many people, particularly if we want to diversify the workforce.” 

Part of the grant money managed by the center will go toward supporting students directly and developing new educational pathways to behavioral health careers, including a pilot program managed with UW-Whitewater at Rock County to make it easier for students to move from an associate degree in human services to a bachelor’s degree in social work. Additionally, the university will develop a post-master’s certificate in treating people diagnosed with both mental health and substance use disorders. 

Editor’s note: The above information was provided by UW-Whitewater. We appreciate the use of the image on the homepage, which was provided by Tiyo Prasetyo from Pixabay.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The City of Whitewater Common Council at its August 2 meeting voted to proceed with the drafting of a referendum to exceed the levy limit by the amount of $1,000,000 to be placed on the November 8 general election ballot. Steve Hatton, Finance & Administrative Services Director, presented the council with the rationale for which he was recommending this action in order to fund the expenses that have rapidly risen in order to provide the required level of Fire and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) staffing to meet community needs. Since the referendum language was not yet available, the council decided, with the counsel of City Attorney Wally McDonell, to postpone the final vote on the matter. It was anticipated that a special meeting would soon be called for this purpose.

As was indicated in a previous Banner post, beginning on July 30 the city’s Fire and EMS services are now being provided by a municipal department rather than by the independent not-for-profit Whitewater Fire Department, Inc. (WFD) WFD has capably served the city since its founding in 1871, but, as has been the case with nearly all volunteer fire departments across the state, staffing challenges under the Paid-on-Call model made it increasingly difficult for the department to respond to increasing call volumes particularly for emergency medical services. Over the past year WFD migrated to a Paid-on-Premises (POP) model for EMS, where four positions are now staffed twenty-four hours a day, providing a two-ambulance response at all times. Recruitment is improved as reliable hours can be provided, and as a number of employees will become eligible for health insurance and retirement benefits.

At a special July 28 Common Council meeting, Hatton had given an extensive presentation regarding the recent escalation in costs for providing Fire and EMS Services. Total operating expenses in 2021 were $1,004,095. The WFD budget for 2022 was $1,509,341, but it is projected that the actual operating expenses will be approximately $2,016,000. Additionally, the department has vehicles and other equipment for which the estimated replacement cost is nearly $8 million. That equipment is expected to be replaced on schedules that vary from 5-30 years, and to fund that replacement an additional $384,000 would be needed annually. At that meeting Hatton indicated that he was still researching methods that other municipal departments that serve multiple constituencies use to allocate the cost of service. Whitewater’s department serves in whole or in part six towns besides the city. As of the July 28 meeting Hatton’s suggested method was to establish the contributions of the city and the towns based on equalized property value. Utilizing this method would allocate approximately an equal split to the city and to the combined towns. Under that method the city’s share would be approximately $880,000, or an increase of approximately $700,000 per year. See this post for further information on the July 28 meeting.

At the August 2 meeting, however, Hatton indicated that based on further research he was recommending that the allocation of expenses to the city and the towns be based on a blended method, with 25% based on equalized property value and 75% based on EMS call volume. This is the method that will be used in the new Edgerton/Milton Fire District. It was found that over the past five years approximately 80% of our EMS calls were for locations in the city. Blending the call volume with the property value resulted in an allocation of 73% of the cost of service to the city. This represented in an increase of approximately $998,000 per year, resulting in the one million dollar referendum recommendation. It is recognized that none of the towns will be likely to be able to fulfill their requested contribution for 2023, particularly since the deadline for approving a referendum for that year is August 31. Consequently Hatton’s recommendation is to request that WFD use its fund balance to cover the shortfall of revenue for next year.

The average assessed value of a home in the city is approximately $206,000, with the median value being about $194,000. The annual property tax increase for a $200,000 home that would result from passage of the proposed referendum would be approximately $302 in Walworth County and $306 in Jefferson County. The resulting revenues would support the staffing of four Emergency Medical Technicians round the clock, with the intention of ensuring that two fully staffed ambulances are available at all times to meet the emergency medical needs of residents in the city and surrounding towns.

Editor’s note: We appreciate the use of the image on the homepage, which was provided by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay.

HUGE Yard Sale – 1,000’s of items. Priced to clear out the house! Tools: including a Dewalt 12 inch Miter Saw, Table Saw, many hand tools and mechanic tools, compressor, lots of kitchen items, microwave, appliances and furniture, holiday decorations for every holiday, many collectibles as well as MANY brand new unopened items: cookware, coolers, toys, and more.  There is something for everyone at this sale!  Come Friday, August 5 from 9:00 – 5:00 or Saturday 8:00 – 2:00  Richmond Township, 7 miles south of Whitewater, W9003 Lake Lorraine Road, Delavan, WI 

Moving sale. Sold our condo and everything must go. Couch and loveseat, recliner, leather recliner loveseat, end tables, lamps, coffee table, bedroom furniture, cathedral spinning wheel, Weber gas grill, a patio set and lots of Spode Christmas Tree dishes …and all the regular garage sale junk (lol). August, 5, 6, and 7, 8:00-5:00, 625 Waters Edge Drive.

Garage Sale: 216 Locust  Ln – Thursday and Friday 8:00-4:00; Saturday 8:00-1:00
Car seats (like new)  $25 each
Jogging Stroller  $40
Bike Trailer  $40
Girls clothes 3t-10/12  $1 or $2 
Kids Books  .25 or .50
Kids Movies  .50
Toys   $0-$3
Stuffed Animals (Ty and Scentsy – I know you parents LOVE stuffed animals) 
Some Household Decor <$5
Some womens clothing XL/XXL $2
Household Items <$10
New Outdoor Umbrella/Base $20

Rummage Sale in Whitewater!  1365 E. Jakes Way (East side of Whitewater) Thursday- Saturday Aug 4th, 5th, & 6th Opens at 10 a.m.

ALMOST EVERYTHING JUST $1.00!!!! Baby clothes 5 for $1.00

Baby and toddler clothes, kitchen items, decor, rugs, wine fridge, small appliances, Nerf Guns, toys, craft supplies, kitchen chairs, telescope, bike, and  furniture. Also, a Christmas Village, craft supplies, baby items and Hot Wheels cars in the package, other toys and more!

Thursday, Aug 4th, 7:00 p.m.: Concert In The Park
Co-Sponsored by Seniors In The Park
“Gary the Band” Singer/Songwriter trio. Making Music With Friends.

The chili cookoff has been canceled due to hot weather.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The partisan primary election will be held next Tuesday, August 9. In-person absentee voting is available at the City Clerk’s office, second floor of the municipal building at 312 W. Whitewater Street, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through this Friday. City Clerk Michele Smith indicates that if someone needs to set up a special appointment with her, they may reach her at 262 473-0102.

Voter registration is also available at the above hours, though same-day registration is also available at the polls, which will be open on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Downtown Armory, 146 W. North Street.

What’s on the ballot? This is a partisan primary, which means you may help to nominate the candidates for one party. Wisconsin does not have party registration, so you may cast a ballot for the candidates for either the Republican or Democratic party.

To find the candidates who will be on your ballot, you may go to www.vote411.org. Enter your address, choose “view my races,” and use the arrows to move from one race to the next. Candidates have been offered the opportunity to provide background information and to answer some questions. (Unfortunately the race for Walworth County Sheriff is not included.)

Here’s an overview of the races that will be on your ballot:

U.S. Senate
Note: Those who are voting Democratic may wish to be aware that the following candidates who will be on the ballot have
withdrawn from the race: Sarah Godlewski, Alex Lasry, and Tom Nelson.

U.S. House of Representatives
Note: Due to redistricting, Walworth County residents will now be in District 1. Candidates: Ann Roe (D) & Bryan Steil (R)
Those in Jefferson County will still be in District 5. Candidates are Scott Fitzgerald (R) and Mike Van Someren (D).

Governor
Lt. Governor
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Treasurer

WI Senate, District 11. Candidates: Steve Nass (R) and Steven J. Doedler (D)

WI Assembly: Jefferson County residents are now in District 33. Candidates: Don Vruwink (D), Scott Johnson (R) and Dale W. Opperman (R).

WI Assembly: Walworth County residents are now in District 31. Candidates: Jason Dean (R), Ellen Schutt (R), Maryann Zimmerman (R), and Brienne Brown (D).

Walworth County residents will also find County Sheriff on the ballot. Republican candidates are David Gerber and Craig Konopski. There are no Democrats in this race.

The Banner has offered the candidates for WI Assembly and Walworth County Sheriff the opportunity to provide another article for our publication. Responses will be posted on Friday.

Voter registr

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Downtown Whitewater, Inc.

From cake and kids activities to local craft beer and live music at the height of produce season, the market will be vibrant!

Whitewater City Market joins markets across the country in celebrating National Farmers Market Week from August 7-13, 2022. Celebrate with us at the farmers market on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 from 4-7 p.m. at the Historical Society’s Depot Museum (301 W. Whitewater St., Whitewater) for cake by The Bakehouse, kids’ activities, craft beer by Second Salem Brewing Company, Farmers Market “tattoos,” Market Bucks for the first 50 people who pop by the Whitewater City Market tent, live local music, and more!

In the midst of a global pandemic, farmers markets — like all other small businesses — have innovated to continue operations for the farmers and communities that depend on them. Farmers markets foster direct relationships between community members and farmers which can work to create a more fair and sustainable food system. Farmers markets are a hub for connection and collective action around shared values.

National Farmers Market Week is an annual celebration of farmers markets coordinated by the Farmers Market Coalition, a membership-based nonprofit organization that supports farmers markets nationwide through training, technical assistance, and network-building. This year, the campaign is centered around the essential role that farmers market operators play in our local food systems and in developing resilience in communities as hubs for local economies and connection.

The Whitewater City Market began in 2015 by Downtown Whitewater, Inc., and currently hosts 25-30 farmers and artisans selling a wide variety of products, including produce, fresh baked goods, popcorn, locally roasted coffee, sweets, local meat and eggs, handcrafted pottery, jewelry, wooden signs, and books.

“This year, as we work to bring our market attendance back up since the start of the pandemic, we’re grateful to all who make the market happen and the heart that goes into sustaining a vital community gathering space in our downtown. To market goers who return each year, thank you. You keep us going!” -Katy Daixon Wimer, Co-Manager of Whitewater City Market

“[The market offers] an opportunity to form relationships with the person whom you purchase an item from, which offers confidence in how an item is made or grown as well as a unique opportunity to learn about an item more than you ever could in a traditional retail setting.” -Lisa Dawsey Smith, Co-Manager of Whitewater City Market

The Whitewater City Market currently has a handful of vendors who accept WIC and SFMNP.

“Farmers markets are abundant sources of food, connection, and resilience in our communities across the country, but they don’t just happen on their own.” said Ben Feldman, Farmers Market Coalition Executive Director

Downtown Whitewater, Inc. is a volunteer-driven organization spearheading community efforts to re-energize and enhance our historic downtown. We are community advocates and volunteers who share a passion for Whitewater. We bring people from all walks of life together to celebrate Whitewater’s history and traditions, to care for our downtown neighborhood, and to inspire confidence and investments that are flowing toward an economically vibrant, engaging and exciting place in the heart of Whitewater – a place we love, a place we’re proud to call home, and a place where future generations can grow and take pride in calling their own.

www.downtownwhitewater.com
director@downtownwhitewater.com

A grant from Generac Power Systems aims to create space for educational programming in the local community

Friends of the Arboretum at Starin Park and the City of Whitewater announced on August 2 that a grant from Generac Power Systems, a leading designer and manufacturer of energy technology solutions and other power products with a manufacturing facility in Whitewater that employs more than 1,000 people, will fund the creation of the Generac Education Center. The center, which will be located at the south end of Starin Park, will be a focal point of the Arboretum, hosting outdoor classroom activities while serving as a welcome center to the trails and greenery.

The Arboretum at Starin Park (AASP) is a community initiative to restore the beauty, health and diversity of the woodlands in the park, enhancing its role as a vital natural sanctuary. Educational programs at AASP aim to connect youth to nature and teach the fundamentals of stewardship and ecology. AASP expects to host their first school groups in spring 2023, featuring Arboretum-specific curriculum and hands-on science activities.

“Starin Park has lost a considerable number of mature trees over the years,” according to Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission Chair Sherry Stanek. “This is an effort not only to draw attention to the need to maintain the city’s important inventory of life restoring urban trees but to also emphasize native plants and establish a learning experience for future generations,” said Stanek. “Generac’s stepping forward to provide the funds to build an Education Center, along with contributions from other private and corporate citizens, establishes the foundation for an important community asset that not every community is able to provide.”   

“Starin Park has so much to offer our community and with this generous donation from Generac, it creates another element to the park for the community to enjoy.” said Eric Boettcher, Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Whitewater. “It’s wonderful to see that a partnership between the Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission, Generac and the City of Whitewater is able to create this new amenity to the park.”

Construction of the Generac Education Center will begin in September. Volunteers and some city staff will construct the 14-foot by 18-foot pavilion, which is expected to be completed in October. Generac’s contribution will cover the cost of materials for the structure, helping AASP meet the matching requirements of a DNR grant supporting the development of the Arboretum.

“Investing in education and sustainability is a priority for us and The Arboretum is an inspiring environmental project in Whitewater,” said Hasan Celik, senior director of operations at the Generac Whitewater facility. “As one of the leading employers in Whitewater, we are pleased to help make this available to our community and look forward to seeing the outdoor classroom come to life.”

Three micro-climate interpretive areas are being developed during AASP’s first year of operation: The Natural Play Area, Food Forest and Shelter Circle (Maple, Beech Basswood) Forest, with other areas to be developed in subsequent years. Earlier this year, more than 190 native trees and shrubs were delivered to the City of Whitewater to be planted in the Arboretum, expanding the urban forest canopy.

AASP is seeking additional contributions, members and volunteers to maintain the facility and new plantings. Learn more at www.arbatstarin.org or email EntAtStarinArb@gmail.com.

About the Arboretum at Starin Park

The Arboretum At Starin Park is dedicated to helping create a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world.

About the City of Whitewater

The City of Whitewater provides efficient and high-quality services which support living, learning, playing and working in an exceptional community. Visit www.whitewater – wi.gov for community information and updates.

Editor’s note: The above announcement was provided by the City of Whitewater.

Editor’s note: The following announcement was received from UW-Madison.

About 7,700 students received degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on May 13 and 14, including students from your area. 

There were two live ceremonies: one at the Kohl Center on May 13 for doctoral, MFA and medical students; and one at Camp Randall on May 14 for undergraduate, law and master’s students. 

The commencement speaker was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who encouraged students to take risks.

“If you stay comfortable – if you stay in your comfort zone, sticking to what you know – then you are making a bet,” she said. “You are betting that your life, and the world, will stay the same. And let me tell you, you will lose that bet every time.”

It was the last Badger commencement for Chancellor Rebecca Blank.

“In my nine years leading this great university, some of my most memorable moments have been with our students,” Blank told graduates Saturday. “You have inspired – and occasionally challenged me – with your passion, enthusiasm, and curiosity. And I’ll admit you’ve given me a good laugh with some of your ‘Becky Blank’ memes.”

Barni Shiferaw, the senior class vice president and Saturday’s student commencement speaker, said the celebration came with mixed feelings.

“In the past few days, there have been a lot of lasts,” he told his fellow graduates. “The last class. The last test. The last day at The Terrace. The last night out on the town. And I’m not going to lie, it’s a bittersweet feeling. But that feeling means something. It’s a testament to the place this university holds in our hearts.”

For more information about UW-Madison, visit http://www.wisc.edu.

Whitewater, WI

 Jesenia Cuevas, School of Nursing, Bachelor of Science-Nursing, Nursing
 Ali Ketterhagen, School of Business, Bachelor of Business Administration, Business: Marketing
 Rebecca Littlefield, Col of Agricultural & Life Sci, Bachelor of Science, Genetics and Genomics