The three biggest issues I see are the imbalance between the labor supply and available jobs; affordable housing for entry-level workers; and access to tools and community resources designed to help new residents with transitioning into the community. To address these issues, the County can support advertising campaigns to attract job seekers to relocate; hire a transition “concierge” (as recommended by the ARPA task force) and subsidize affordable housing. About 75% of the available jobs here pay less than $20/hour -- while I applaud the efforts of developers to build new apartments that will attract new residents for the 25% of jobs that pay more, those new apartments are too expensive for entry-level employees. The County can support infrastructure subsidies for developers as they partner with local municipalities to increase affordable options.

I believe that the County would best serve the interests of residents by seeking to support the efforts of the private sector and non-governmental organizations such as the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation, Visit Sheboygan and local chambers of commerce. An example: the County supported the Ryder Cup event by making infrastructure improvements and assisting local officials with security, traffic, food safety and public health support.

I am the County Board Supervisor for District 3, appointed in December 2021 and elected in April 2022. I currently serve as the Vice Chair of the Finance Committee and am a member of the Human Resources Committee. Since moving here in 2014 I have volunteered with Mead Library and as a Big Brothers/Big Sisters Lunch Buddy at Grant Elementary School. I am currently serving as a Deacon at First Congregational Church, Sheboygan, and as a member of the League of Women Voters and the AAUW. I also have over 10 years of experience in the construction industry.

Because of COVID, my husband and I volunteered to serve as poll workers during the 2020 elections (and have done so for every election since). In 2021, I was approached by a neighbor about filling this vacant position and it seemed like the next step in performing my civic duty. I was selected from five other applicants and then defeated two other challengers to be elected in 2022. After watching the disfunction of Washington and Madison, I remain committed to keeping partisan politics out of Sheboygan County government and working together to make Sheboygan County better for everyone. I understand the value of working together in a non-partisan way to achieve the County’s goals of delivering services and programs while being fiscally responsible. There are some who wish to bring national agendas into Sheboygan County government. We’ve seen this in other counties, and it only works when you are reflecting the will of a significantly large majority. I’ve attended workshops with supervisors from other purple Wisconsin counties and they envy us here in Sheboygan! And I work hard for my neighbors – I’ve attended 100% of the committee and board meetings since assuming this position in 2021.

I believe that completing the transition of the senior staff (County Administrator and the directors of both the Finance and Human Resources Departments) is of the highest importance. All three positions were filled in 2023. When flying on a plane, we are instructed to put on our own mask first before helping others. Likewise, we must ensure that the County staff’s senior leadership and the Human Resources and Finance functions are working smoothly: the County has 850 employees, 200 programs and services, and a 2024 annual budget of $192 million. Without the right staff, programs fail. As Vice Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Human Resources Committee, I’m proud to have helped lead the process to replace these key leaders. Now our job is to provide them with the tools and resources they need to fulfill their objectives. Committees provide our county departments with oversight and direction, but make no mistake: it’s our county employees who do the heavy lifting. Our 2024 priorities include upgrades for Rocky Knoll Health Care Center, child welfare and behavioral health services, and staffing for the Sherriff’s Department. Achieving these objectives will be my focus.

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