Benjamin Bliven all support the ….
Benjamin Bliven all support the resolution.
“We are not saying the county is full of hate, but that there are problems and we should be addressing them,” the supervisor said.
The county board’s other two people of color, supervisors Ka Lo and William Harris, both of Wausau, supported the resolution, as did three white supervisors, Bill Conway, Schofield, a commission member, Alyson Leahy, Wausau, and Tim Buttke, town of Stettin, who said the legislation matched his views “as a person of faith.”
Other supervisors opposed the resolution, saying they had been contacted by constituents to vote it down.
County board vice chairman Craig McEwen, Schofield, said the resolution was a rehash of the “No Place for Hate” document and constituents told him it was offensive.
“People are not going to accept trying to dictate what is in their hearts and thoughts,” he said. “This will cause more problems and animosity.”
McEwen gave credit to the commission for coming up with what was hoped to be a more acceptable county board statement, but said it failed to win his vote. “I can’t support this,” he said.
Supervisor E.J. Stark, Rothschild, said the resolution would not bring the county community together. “It focuses on things that divide us, not things that bring us together,” he said.
The supervisor said the resolution would make it more likely the county could be sued for not offering sufficient diversity or inclusion.
County corporation counsel Scott Corbett, who aided the commission in drafting the resolution, agreed with Stark and said the resolution would establish a standard that would increase the county’s potential legal liability. He noted, however, that the county has already pledged to uphold diversity and inclusivity in its strategic plan and core values.
County board chairman Kurt Gibbs, town of Cassel, said the resolution was vague, open to misunderstanding and could be improved by dealing with specifi c issues.
Supervisor Sara Guild, Weston, agreed, saying the county board could not “ignore this topic” but that, like Gibbs, she wanted to see a more specifi c resolution.
Xiong replied the resolution was deliberately non-specific to keep county discussion on inclusion and diversity going. “We didn’t want the conversation to end there,” he said.
Supervisor Chris Dickinson, Stratford, said the resolution was “politically and ideologically charged” and that he tried to introduce an alternative resolution, but the Diversity Affairs Commission rejected his substitute.
“I don’t support the resolution as written,” he said.
Supervisor Jacob Langenhahn, town of Marathon, said he felt “uneasy” about the resolution, feeling that it would not necessarily further the county’s strategic plan to “ensure Marathon County is an open, inclusive and diverse place to live and work.”
Supervisor Matt Bootz, town of Texas, said the resolution amounted to a vague statement of purpose and lacked focus. “Where’s the policy?” he asked. “I don’t see what this is doing.”
The resolution would have predictably died in a vote, but, to avoid that, supervisor John Robinson, Wausau, moved to send the resolution back to the committee. The motion passed with one dissenting vote.
In other committee action:
_ It agreed the county should apply for a Coronavirus Community Development Block Grant that would support housing and small businesses.
_ It named “top ten” priorities for administrator Lance Leonhard to pursue from a 2021 workplan that has 48 items. The high priority projects are develop a long term facilities plan; develop system budgets; complete a justice system study; expand broadband; develop a capital improvements strategy; develop a roads and bridges plan; evaluate Start Right; update the county’s strategic plan; address a backlog in the tax deed and property description offices; and do priority based budgeting.
_ The committee agreed to create a Communications and Engagement Strategist position within the administration department.
