GWC Invites Public to Forum Regarding City & School District Referendums

The Greater Whitewater Committee (GWC) will be hosting its annual meeting where the GWC elects its Board of Directors and adopts the new budget. After the GWC annual meeting, the GWC will be hosting this year’s civic event, where the public is welcome to attend, featuring the Superintendent of the School District, Dr. Caroline-Pate-Hefty, City Manager John Weidl and Police Chief Dan Meyer presenting their agency’s respective referendums for the April Ballot.

This event will take place on Thursday, February 13th at 5:00 p.m. at the banquet hall at 841 Brewhouse: 841 E Milwaukee St., Whitewater, WI 53190. 

Historically, after the annual GWC meeting, the GWC invites the community to attend a civic event. Each year the GWC has a speaker from either the state or federal government. This year the GWC members asked the school district and the city to discuss their referendums for the April ballot. The GWC members thought it would be beneficial to share both the city and the school district plans with the community. The agenda will start with a social hour beginning at 5:00 p.m.; there will be hors d’oeuvres and sodas for everyone to enjoy. School District Superintendent Dr. Caroline-Pate-Hefty and a School Board member will present from approximately 5:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., and following the presentation there will be questions from the public until about 7:15 p.m. The second presentation will be by City Manager John Weidl and Police Chief Dan Meyer, beginning at 7:15 p.m., or earlier if we are ahead of schedule with questions starting at approximately 8:00 p.m. We ask the public to write their questions on a question card. The questions from the community will be presented by a moderator provided by the Greater Whitewater Committee.

Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty has been the WUSD Superintendent since July 2020. Previously, Caroline served as executive director of student services in Maywood, Melrose Park, and Broadview Public Schools in Cook County, IL for more than eight years. Pate-Hefty brings experience in supporting campus security, special education, discipline, climate/culture, and district-wide social and emotional learning models. Caroline holds a Doctor of Education degree from National Louis University, a Master of Arts degree from Concordia University, and a Bachelor of Education degree from UW-Whitewater.

City Manager John Weidl is a public-sector leader, economic development expert, and military combat veteran with 14+ years of experience developing teams of 150+ throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. He is also a decorated United States Air Force (USAF) Combat Veteran with tours of duty in Europe and the Middle East, including joint combat service with the United States Army. John’s role on the team typically involves balancing long-term and short-term expectations, developing and implementing growth strategy, managing the competing interests of stakeholders, delegating authority wisely, forging a culture of empowerment, and developing future leaders from within the organization. As the city manager John successfully converted a part-time, paid-on-call fire and EMS service into a full-time paramedic-certified department, in addition to implementing programs and projects that bring affordable housing and economic development to the community, over the last 18 months. 

Police Chief Dan Meyer graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with an undergraduate degree in criminal justice. He completed the police academy class at MATC in 2010, at which time he landed his first law enforcement job as a Whitewater patrol officer. Meyer rose through the ranks as a detective, detective sergeant, detective lieutenant, captain, and deputy chief. Meyer earned an M.S. in Public Administration, with a criminology and criminal justice specialization from University of Nebraska – Omaha in 2019.   He assumed the position of interim police chief in December 2021 and was hired as police chief in August 2022. 

“We are happy the city and school district were available to present their cases of their respective referendums for the April ballot,” said GWC President Jeffery Knight.

 For further details, please contact Jeffery Knight at 920.728.0662 or jpk@knightpublicaffairs.com.

 About the GWC

The GWC is an action-oriented group committed to collaborating with citizens, elected officials, and policy makers to identify, craft, and implement a pro-business agenda. The agenda advances the economic, education, and social policies needed to energize and secure the Whitewater area’s economic future, as well as protect Whitewater’s quality of life.

     

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