July 29, 2008

Police merger Q&A

I've been fielding a lot of questions about the status of the potential police merger and the advisory referendum. I think I Q & A format would be the best way to address these questions.

You made a motion to put an advisory referendum on the ballot.Why didn't you push to ensure it stayed on the November ballot, as you originally requested?
It would be difficult right now to say with certainty that all the facts will be in by November and that the public will be able to make an informed decision. Whether you agree or disagree with the idea of a merger, I think at this stage, it is important to have all the facts, figures and budget in place. This is something that has not yet been provided to board members or the public.

Was the possible referendum delay a ploy to ensure a lower voter turnout in a spring election?
I believe whether it's held in April or November, it's important that the people who vote make an educated decision. I think the burden should be made by the Board and the panel to provide the information to the public so they can make an educated decision. At this point, I do not know if that information can be guaranteed available by the November election.

How was the committee selected?
The committee members were selected by the town chairman and approved by the Town Supervisors at a recent Board meeting. See the next question for more detailed answer. Questioning the selection process would have delayed the already much needed committee.

What do you think of the make up of the advisory panel, is it stacked with pro merger or anti merger members?
I don't feel the panel is stacked. It's possible each individual may have a bias one way or another, but the purpose of the committee is to be a voice of the community, review the information presented by the interim chief and formulate questions that otherwise may not have been asked. All members of the panel are highly qualified to carry out these tasks.

Who are the members of the panel?
  • John Burgland, general |manager of the Fox River Mall.
  • Tom Dreier, secretary of the Grand Chute Police and Fire Commission.
  • Ken Johnston, chairman of the former Town Board |compensation panel.
  • James Milslagle, businessman, Fox Valley Technical College Foundation vice president.
  • Ron Tank, former member of town zoning Board of Appeals.
  • Supv. Jeff Nooyen, who voted for merger with Appleton |department.
  • Supv. Travis Thyssen, who voted against Appleton merger plan.
Why are there no women on the panel?
I guess it's unclear why the Chairman did not include a woman to be on the panel. We receive the Chairman's five recommendations in our Friday report before the Tuesday board meeting. I did not see a full list of people who had asked to be on the panel until I requested it after seeing the item on the agenda. I received the list the Monday evening before the Tuesday board meeting. There were several women that were on the pool of candidates, including a Grand Chute business owner. There were no discussions held as to who would be on the committee.

What is the status of the advisory panel?
Before the Chairman left for Canada, no chair was appointed for the panel. I have several questions that need to be answered about the chair and the Consulting firm (I have not received info on recommendations) before meetings can get rolling.

I keep hearing this is a done deal and the merger will completed in six months.
I think its important for the committee to have the first meeting and form milestones and an outline of questions that need to be answered. From that we can establish a timeline that we can give to the public. This is something I feel strongly should have been done from the beginning, but I am happy the advisory panel has been formed so we can ensure these steps are put in place.