City taking applications for Police and Fire Commission citizen member

By Brandi Makuski

The City of Stevens Point is seeking applicants for its Police and Fire Commission.

The five-member citizen board lost its president last week, as longtime member Gary Wescott announced on Dec. 22 he was resigning effective immediately. Wescott’s resignation letter can be found at the end of this article, though a call seeking additional information has not been returned.

Interested city residents are now being asked to apply for the vacancy on the board, which elects its own president. Commissioners are appointed by the Stevens Point Common Council. Applicants must be city residents, at least 18 years of age, and able to pass a criminal background check.

The application is available here.

The city installed the PFC following a successful referendum in the 1930s. The Stevens Point Police and Fire Commission is an optional powers board, meaning it acts separately from city government, and with sole discretion over all police and fire department matters. The mayor’s office and City Council have no control over either department, outside of setting the departments’ annual budgets, a task carried out by the Council.

The City Council appoints a liaison to the PFC each year. At press, the liaison is Councilwoman Mary Kneebone (District 7).

The PFC has had a difficult relationship with the Council in the past year, with Council President Meleesa Johnson (District 5) in 2020 criticizing the Commission for not informing the Council of important matters before they are reported by local news outlets. Wescott responded by criticizing Johnson and other Council members for not attending the public PFC meetings, and of not reaching out to him directly for updates or with concerns.

The Council also came under fire in March with the sudden resignation of Commissioner Ron Carlson. Carlson, who had one month left in his five-year term, explained he was told by Mayor Mike Wiza during a March 5 discussion that he wasn’t being reappointed to the PFC because he was a white male. Carlson’s vacancy was filled by Denise Mrozek, who has declined all requests for an interview when she took her seat.

Carlson is a retired Stevens Point police officer and was the only member of the Commission with direct experience in emergency services.

Wiza later confirmed Carlson’s remarks by saying, “What he said in his letter of resignation is true—we’ve had alders, in very public ways, state that they don’t want middle-aged white males running the city. I’m paraphrasing there, but Meleesa Johnson comes to mind, where that was basically the comment.”

Johnson denied making such a comment, alleging that Wiza told her over a drink at Guu’s last year that he would not reappoint any of the current PFC commissioners based on the council’s wish for more diversity.

Commissioners serve five-year terms and typically meet once a month. At present, PFC meetings are held via Zoom.

Wescott’s letter follows:

After 25 years of service to the people of Stevens Point as mayor, then a police and fire commissioner, I’m resigning from the Police and Fire Commission effective today, December 22, 2021.

Many people representing a cross-section of our city have stepped forward and dedicated enormous amounts of time to serve our community with integrity. I’m grateful to have known so many professionals. It is always an honor to serve the community that welcomed me after my discharge from the US Air Force.

Over a two-year period, 1999-2000, I worked collaboratively with many good people to create and implement paramedic level emergency medical care for the people of Stevens Point and Portage County. The paramedic program delivers the highest standard of emergency medical care. The program saves lives.

The COVID pandemic continues to strain our protective and emergency medical services. The commission has strongly focused on ensuring those who serve our community have superior training and equipment to protect themselves and the citizens we all serve.

The police and fire commission embraced forward-thinking, creativity, and cooperation in facilitating and advocating many innovative public safety initiatives; including-

*COVID 19 Pandemic State of Emergency Planning, Public Reporting
*Early use of police body and squad car cameras, one of first in WI
*Specialized police officer training to assist with mental health concerns
* Continuing education and advanced training for police and fire employees
*Creation of a veteran’s service officer
*K-9 patrol units
*First ever state certified Fire Investigator course working with MidState Technical College and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation
*Creation of Fire Training Academy
*Reporting standards for police and fire exceeding federal and state requirements
*Relocation of police headquarters from courthouse basement to larger facility
* Creation of new fire training officer and fire marshal positions

We can all take pride in knowing we are served by some of the best-trained professionals in the state. I extend my gratitude to past and present commissioners and police and fire personnel for their commitment to service. And special thanks to Legal Counsel Attorney Dean Dietrich for his professional legal guidance in commission matters.

Sincerely,

​Gary W. Wescott
Police and Fire Commissioner 2009-2021
Former Mayor City of Stevens Point 1995-2007 and 2014-2015