From: "Kaldjian, Paul J." <KALDJIAN@uwec.edu> Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:13:47 -0500 Subject: Jail and upcoming elections Message-ID: <E7DFB9C7847A6242BCF1CEDE9AC1D1E3525EA3A257@CHERRYCOKE.uwec.edu>
Another jail-related email. Please delete if not interested.
Colleagues, the first short article below, in addition to numerous others o
n the jail and how it is playing out in the local elections, was in today's
Leader-Telegram (see http://www.leadertelegram.com/News-Local.asp). It ex
plains that the incumbent in District 28 is now being challenged by a write
-in candidate, Ted Barr.
If you are interested in learning more about Ted Barr, or in helping to spr
ead the news to residents of District 28 that they now have a choice in the
County elections, come to Acoustic Café at 4:00 this afternoon. You can
also contact me for more information or to learn about how write-in votin
g works.
The incumbent in District #28 has been outspoken in supporting the jail exp
ansion and in chiding the public for purportedly late participation. His p
osition is outlined in a letter of his to the editor (see the second piece
from the Leader-Telegram below). I have a draft of the press release with
Ted Barr's position if anybody is interested.
District 28 is the west half of the East Side Hill and much of downtown. I
t is bounded by Lee St., the Eau Claire River, the Chippewa River and Marst
on/Brackett. A map is attached.
paul
(1) Eau Claire Leader Telegram
Updated: 3/28/2008, By Leader-Telegram Staff
Write-ins join Eau Claire County Board<http://www.inform.com/Eau+Claire+Cou
nty+Board> races
Write-in candidates are turning two Eau Claire<http://www.inform.com/Eau+Cl
aire+(Wisconsin)> County Board elections into contested races.
Edward "Ted" Barr<http://www.inform.com/Ted+Barr> is challenging incumbent
John DeRosier<http://www.inform.com/John+DeRosier> for the District 28 seat
representing downtown Eau Claire southeast of the junction of the Eau Clai
re and Chippewa rivers.
Roger C. Wold<http://www.inform.com/Roger+Wold> and Ardyth Duhatschek-Kraus
e<http://www.inform.com/Ardyth+Duhatschek-Krause> are both running for the
District 20 seat representing homes near Oakwood Mall. Incumbent Emily Smit
h<http://www.inform.com/Emily+Smith>-Nguyen is not seeking re-election.
Barr, Wold<http://www.inform.com/Roger+Wold> and Duhatschek-Krause<http://w
ww.inform.com/Ardyth+Duhatschek-Krause> registered as write-ins with County
Clerk Janet Loomis<http://www.inform.com/Loomis> Thursday.
While write-ins will not appear on the April 1 ballot, Loomis said candidat
es need to register so poll officials can accurately tally votes for them,
even if voters misspell their names. It also is the only way to legally col
lect campaign donations.
"Someone can't collect or spend money on a candidacy if they're not registe
red," Loomis said.
--------------------------------
(2) Eau Claire Leader Telegram
Updated: 3/13/2008, By Leader-Telegram Staff
Democracy requires paying attention
By John DeRosier<http://www.inform.com/John+DeRosier>
Kudos and congratulations to Tom Giffey<http://www.inform.com/Tom+Giffey> a
nd Gregg Moore<http://www.inform.com/Gregg+Moore> for their thoughtful, inf
ormative pieces in the Leader-Telegram regarding the courthouse/jail expans
ion.
Giffey<http://www.inform.com/Tom+Giffey>, the editorial page editor, wrote
a March 2 editorial pointing out a few facts that needed to be explained. F
or example, a study completed in 2005 recommended that a new jail be built
right across the street from the current courthouse. That study was request
ed by the County Board<http://www.inform.com/Eau+Claire+County+Board> in 20
03 to determine space needs.
Moore<http://www.inform.com/Gregg+Moore>, an Eau Claire County Board<http:/
/www.inform.com/Eau+Claire+County+Board> member, wrote March 5 about how th
e proposed courthouse expansion is designed to blend in well with the downt
own architecture and would also be aesthetically pleasing.
The courthouse expansion has been in the news since 1991. Obviously, a numb
er of well-meaning citizens object to the expansion. It is a credit to our
society that people can disagree. It would be a shame if all of us agreed o
n everything. Having said that, and recognizing the need for freedom of spe
ech and freedom of the press, a few things need to be said.
Over the years much information has been offered to the reading public, yet
some have failed to keep up with it. The question posed by Giffey's editor
ial, "Where have you been?" is not only appropriate but necessary.
Government and democracy are not just classroom exercises in which a studen
t shows up late for class while exclaiming, "Sorry I'm late, but I think I
have all the facts so everybody must listen to me now." One needs to take r
esponsibility, and that means being fully informed on the issues. In other
words, keep up with the news. Some people will tolerate those who are too o
ften a day late and a dollar short, but others will exclaim, "Wake up and s
mell the coffee."
Some have stated that the courthouse expansion would ruin the riverfront an
d the neighborhood. Because of local concerns, it will be set back 30 feet
from First Avenue, which is some distance from the river. Also, one can com
pare the drawings of the courthouse expansion with the current buildings on
First Avenue.
Attention should also be given to businesses nearby on Grand Avenue. Accord
ing to unconfirmed rumors, those businesses would be torn down if the court
house expansion went through. That's not exactly the truth. But if the expa
nsion was built south of Eau Claire<http://www.inform.com/Eau+Claire+(Wisco
nsin)>, one has to wonder where those businesses would go. And how would th
e residents in that area feel?
I have had the privilege of serving on the Eau Claire County Board for the
past two years. I can honestly state that while some of us have disagreed a
nd in all likelihood will disagree with each other in the future, we treat
each other with great respect. That's the way it should be.
DeRosier<http://www.inform.com/John+DeRosier>, of Eau Claire, represents th
e 28th District on the Eau Claire County Board. He is running unopposed in
the April 1 election.