KFIZ News Monday 11/7/16

Campbellsport Village Administrator Referendum

Officials in Campbellsport are asking voters permission tomorrow to create a village administrator’s position. Village Board President David Krebs says no money is budgeted for that position, but if they do get permission they would budget it for 2018. He says they would give the position a trial period of three years. He says the village administrator would oversee day-to-day operations. That person would oversee the village departments, do the budgeting, and recruit economic development. He says right now he and the village board take care of those duties. Krebs says it would cost about $100,000 a year to fund the position and that would go on the tax levy. 

Senator Olsen Seeks Reelection

State Senator Luther Olsen is seeking a fourth term representing the 14th State Senate District. Olsen chaired the Senate’s Education Committee this past session. He says they would like to give more funding to K-12 public schools, but the economy is only growing by 2 percent. He says his goal is to give schools at least that much and more if they can.  Olsen’s district has been targeted and more than $2 million is being spent by political interests to unseat him. He says some of the political ads are untrue. He says for instance he called for an audit at the Veteran’s Home at King and as a result the Secretary of Military Affairs took profits at that home and put it into the veterans’ trust fund to help out other veterans. He says there was still plenty of money to make whatever changes needed to made at King. Olsen faces Waupaca Mayor Brian Smith in tomorrow’s election.

Brian Smith Runs For 14^th State Senate Seat

Waupaca Mayor Brian Smith is hoping to unseat State Senator Luther Olsen in Tuesday’s election. Smith says as a mayor he’s familiar with levy limits and how municipalities and counties have to deal with it. He says the limit is so tight in Waupaca they are looking at laying people off and not doing projects. He says worse yet is having to borrow money to get things accomplished. He also knows how important roads are. He says in 2008 Waupaca got $1.6 million in road aid from the state, but in 2016 that was down to $391,000.  He says roads have to be maintained and if you put improvements off they will cost more and the roads become worse. Smith also says to get things accomplished in his City the City Council has to be on the same page, but in the state legislature there isn’t much compromising.

Harder To Fill Law Enforcement Openings

Waupun Deputy Police Chief Scott Louden says it is becoming more difficult to recruit new officers. Currently the department is short three people on the road and is in the process of filling those positions. He says they just hired two people who have to go through field training and are in the process of trying to hire one more officer. Louden says violence against police officers and the subsequent media reports that follow those events are just a few of the reasons people are less likely to become law enforcement officers. He says ACT 10 affected wages and benefits, which also has had an impact. He says they used to get about 100 applicants for an opening and now they only get about 30.

Letters To Santa

The Fond du Lac Public Library is now accepting letters for the Fond du Lac School District Recreation Department’s Letters to Santa program. Library Community Information Coordinator Terri Fleming says if children get those letters in before December 5th they will get a response from Santa. It will be a hand written letter. She says they have forms at the library for children and help is available if children are too you to write out their letters. Drop off locations for the Letter to Santa program include the Library, Aquatic Center, and the Recreation Department. 

Marian Information Open House

Marian University in Fond du Lac will be hosting an information open house tonight for people interested in the school’s adult undergraduate and graduate programs. It is from 3 to 8 p.m. at Marian’s Center for Health Professions at 30 South Main Street in downtown Fond du Lac, the former Nielsen Building. Faculty and admission counselors will be available. Light refreshments will be served.