Letter: City Council is a university sandbox
Editor’s Note: Freedom, Inc. bill itself as an organization that “engages low- to no-income communities of color in Dane County, WI,” with a mission to “achieve social justice through coupling direct services with leadership development and community organizing.”
To the Editor-
The Stevens Point Common Council needs more diversity among the alderpersons serving our community.
Currently, there are nine alderpersons representing the university body and two alderpersons representing the common people who pay the university’s salaries.
Also, university city/county officers amply represent the LGBTQ community and the community of color through membership and financial support of Freedom, Inc., a Madison, Wisconsin-based extremist group. Where is the representation for the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker? No one is representing the point of view of the common people except two alderpersons. We need diversity.
District 1 Tori Jennings: UW-Madison: Ph.D. Anthropology/former UWSP instructor
District 2 David Shorr: Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Masters in government/wife UWSP music instructor
District 3 Ginger Keymer: Husband UWSP instructor in Natural Resources. (Note: Councilwoman Cindy Nebel is not running for re-election. Keymer is the sole candidate for the seat.)
District 4 Mykeerah Zarauzua: UWSP, Sociology
District 5 Meleesa Johnson: UWSP, Solid Waste Management, faculty UWSP/4th term and President of Common Council/3rd term County Board/Freedom, Inc.
District 6 Jeremy Slowinski: Federal Express Driver
District 7 Mary Kneebone: UW-Madison BS/UWSP student 1989-1991 Environmental Planning
District 8 Thomas Leek: Ph.D. German Professor, UWSP 2009
District 9 Polly Dalton: Lawrence University: Bachelor of Science, Environment Policy/former Appleton City Council
District 10 Keely Fishler: Not affiliated with UWSP
District 11 Shawn Morrow: UW-Platteville, Masters in Criminal Justice
The annual salary of an alderperson as of April 20, 2021, is $5,380, and $5,460 if elected in 2021 or 2022. These salaries, like the university employee’s salaries, are guaranteed paychecks to them even during disasters because they work for the government. The common working person does not have that protection.
The Common Council needs transformation from its, “good ol’ university pal” attitude into a more inclusive acceptance of other tax-paying citizens. Office terms need to be limited and candidates allowed to hold one city/county government position at a time to protect the constituent/alderperson ratio. Each elected position equals a part-time job and there are alderpersons holding a full-time day job, a second office on the county board, and various professional officer positions. Time drains performance quality for those who chase titles and the city suffers the consequences.
Merriam Webster defines “razzle-dazzle” as “a noun meaning noisy, showy, and exciting activity and display, designed to attract and impress. A complex maneuver designed to confuse an opponent. A confusing or colorful often gaudy action or display that cannot disguise its shallowness of thought.” It lists some antonyms like “conservative, appropriate, fitting, proper, tasteful, and straightforward.”
Stevens Point is fortunate to have candidates running for alderperson positions on Tuesday, April 6 who are ready for conservative, appropriate, fitting, proper, tasteful, and straightforward leadership. The incumbents’ “razzle-dazzle” techniques are designed to intimidate voters into believing their shallow platforms and tired-out service to the community. The city needs the new alderpersons to bring the fresh air of diversity to us.
Mayor Mike Wiza has called for citizens to contest the six seats open for alderpersons and to help fill other positions to run the city. It is obvious that we are over-represented by the university point of view. It is obvious that we need a restructuring of term limits and the number of offices held by one person. We need the citizens of districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 to step up as write-in candidates by April 2, and run for the sake of diversity.
Jean C Edens
Stevens Point
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