Portage Co. District 4 candidate: Keep services in city core, celebrate diversity
Metro Wire Staff
Voters head to the polls on April 5 to decide the outcome of several races including the Portage Co. Board of Supervisors. All 25 seats are up for election simultaneously and there are two candidates for each seat.
In District 4, incumbent Dave Medin is being challenged by Aline Kosloski. Kosloski did not submit answers to the League’s questions.
Questions by the Stevens Point Area League of Women Voters. Verbatim answers from Medin follow:
What background and experience do you bring to the position of County Supervisor?
Community Development Director; City of Stevens Point – 1976 to 1984.
Master of Public Health Degree – University of Minnesota
Owner of Medin Soil Testing and Plumbing Design – 1984 to present.
Over my 17 years as a County Board Supervisor, I have taken a lot of heat from some of my colleagues for unabashedly contending for the interests and protection of our central city neighborhoods by consistently voting to keep major county institutions within the central city area. I will persevere.
What do you see as the most important issues facing Portage County and how would you address them?
So why is keeping major county institutions in the central city a vital issue in this election? Because those institutions are the people’s buildings and should remain the focal point of the County, and stand as a beacon of hope for the future of Portage County.
At the center of the county, stands the central city, where county institutions anchor the area where families thrive; businesses start, and hundreds of workers congregate.
What the focal point of the county needs, is to continue with a County Board Supervisor who desires to support and promote its strengths.
Many people believe the downtown is the county’s toughest problem. It is not the problem—it is the solution to making Portage Co. a first-rate county. The central city, with its county presence, possesses all the ingredients for stability and growth along with the desire to share them. If the surrounding areas partner with us, there will be a major transformation in Portage County.
I’m hoping the people elect representatives like me, who understand the value of the central city as a refuge for energetic people in a diverse county. In this election, let’s show we care.
Do you support the Portage County referendum to raise tax levy limits by up to $4.5 million to construct and operate a new modular, more energy-efficient Health Care Center? Why or why not?
The office of Portage County Corporation Counsel has instructed incumbent County Board Supervisors that it is our obligation to properly educate our constituents about the Health Care Center identified in the referendum. But the Corporation Counsel also stated it is inappropriate for incumbent County Board Supervisors to advocate for either a “yes” or “no” vote on the referendum (it’s up to the people).
With that in mind, I educate the residents in District 4 of the content of the “Health Care Center Study” and its thoroughness in providing documentation for the long-term viability of the health care center.
A 2018 study found that 24% of the wells tested in Portage County exceed safe drinking water standards for nitrates. How would you work with state and county officials, farmers, and private well owners to help ensure all wells in Portage County meet safe drinking water standards?
We, as a County Board, adopted the Wellhead Protection Ordinance in November 2021, which prohibits establishing new contamination sources up-gradient from every municipal well in the county. That’s a good start and sets the stage for restricting contamination sources up-gradient from areas where private wells are concentrated. Additionally, in the areas where the wells are more dispersed, Portage County should consider financial support for the installation of private well treatment systems.
Jail and courthouse space needs are an ongoing problem. What are the barriers to resolving this issue, and how could they be addressed?
The people want efficient county government. Any new Portage County facility should fit into one of the two existing campus groups Portage County has previously established.
The primary Campus encompasses the courthouse, sheriff, general government, library, and the Aging and Disability Resource Center. The secondary Campus encompasses the Health Care Center and Social Services Building.
Maintaining no more than two closely aligned campuses makes efficient use of jointly used departments.
Any new facility outside of either one of these two campuses may have the practical effect of beginning a shift to close campuses. We can’t let that happen.
How do you see the role of the Diversity Affairs and Inclusion committee fitting with your vision of Portage County in the next 5 years?
Last year the County Board decided to limit county-wide training of staff which could have culminated in Portage County becoming a preferred employer for people who are sometimes overlooked. Discussion on that item should be resurrected and action should be taken. It’s clear diverse teams could participate in all aspects of the county, and perhaps provide a broader view than homogenous teams.
The spring election is on April 5. Voters can register, and check their registration status, at myvote.wi.gov.
