Committee kills county resolution

By Peter Weinschenk The Record-Review

The Marathon County Executive Committee onThursdayvoted6-2nottosenda Community For All resolution authored by the Diversity Affairs Commission to the full board for its consideration.

Voting for the resolution were supervisors John Robinson and Lyson Leahy, both of Wausau. Voting no were supervisors Kurt Gibbs, town of Cassel, Craig McEwen, Schofield, Matt Bootz, town of Texas, Randy Fifrick, Kronenwetter, Jacob Langenhahn, town of Marathon, and E.J. Stark, Rothschild. Supervisors Tim Buttke, town of Stettin, and Sara Guild, Weston, were absent.

The controversial resolution, which had been rewritten six times over the course of a year, called on the county board to “reject and condemn any hatebased activity or conduct directed to harm a person due to a person’s protected class” and to affirm the county’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Protected classes involve race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical or mental capabilities and religious beliefs.

To head off a no vote, Robinson called for a task force of supervisors to create a new resolution within 60 days that would focus on Marathon County as a “welcoming” place for people to move to. He said fashioning a compromise would avoid the county splintering into a divided community reminiscent of the 1990’s in Wausau when factions argued over partner schools.

Robinson’s suggestion received support from county board chairman Gibbs who said the Community For All resolution was “not ready for prime time” because county leaders had failed to listen to all of the voices in the county on a frustrating, thorny subject.

“We are talking at people, not talking to people,” he said. “You will learn more with your mouth shut than open.”

Yet, both supporters and opponents of the Community For All resolution failed to see the point in continuing the agonized debate over the resolution.

Langenhahn, an opponent, said he could not support creating the task force while Leahy, a Diversity Affairs Commission member and supporter, said she did not want to sideline the commission’s resolution and preferred to have a vote.

Only Robinson and Gibbs voted to create the task force.

In committee debate, supervisor Stark said the resolution declares that there is “systemic inequity...across our nation and in our community,” and that this statement could become the basis of endless lawsuits that, inevitably, the county would settle by making expensive payments.

“This is a bad idea given the potential for litigation,” he said. Stark noted, too, that constituents who have called him have opposed the resolution by a two-toone margin.

McEwen acknowledged that while the county board’s 2016 comprehensive plan commits supervisors to ensure the county is “an open, inclusive and diverse place to live and work,” the “political atmosphere has changed” and he could not support the resolution given overwhelming opposition by his constituents.

McEwen said that there were “compassionate” people on both sides of the resolution debate and he did not believe a majority of county residents are racists.

“Everybody should be treated the same and not discriminated against,” he said.

Supervisor William Harris, Wausau, the county board’s only black member, said the aim of the Community For All resolution was to create what Dr. Martin Luther King said was the “beloved community” where “everyone is appreciated.”

Harris said the resolution was to signal that Marathon County wanted to become a “growing, vibrant community” by welcoming people of all races and backgrounds.

“This is needed, it shows who we are,” he said.

Harris called on supervisors to rise above the ugly politics that has dogged the Community For All resolution.

“I know we are better than the name calling and vitriol,” he said. “We are neighbors. I love you all and hope you treat each other with love.”

Langenhahn said the resolution ventured into territory that “government, especially county government, should not be involved in.” He said he was “very disheartened” that the Diversity Affairs Commission failed to accept a compromise resolution suggested by three county conservatives.

Twenty-nine speakers spoke about the Community For All resolution for over an hour prior to the committee debate.

The comments ranged across the political spectrum, including rightist speakers who said the Community For All resolution was an example of Marx-ist inspired Critical Race Theory, gay and transgender speakers who said they felt marginalized and discriminated against as county residents, Marathon County United Way representatives who said their LIFE report accurately documented race problems in the county and a business owner who said the county board was wasting his tax dollars in the debate over the resolution.

Here is a sampling of public comment:

_ Former county board supervisor Joanne Leonard said the resolution, despite its glossy words, targeted “white privilege” and, following Marxism, would overturn property rights to reward minority groups. She called the resolution a dangerous assault on freedom. “Changing this county is what this resolution is all about,” she said.

_ Jane Graham Jennings, executive director of the Women’s Community, said she frequently hears from clients and employees about how minority people in the area feel marginalized. “I urge you to send a different message that this is a community for all,” she said.

_ City of Wausau mayor Katie Rosenberg said a Community For All resolution would help support a regional economic development effort to promote diversity and bring more workers to her city and the county.

_ Former county supervisor Jack Hoogendyk, Wausau, said the resolution was an example of Critical Race Theory and unneeded.

“Marathon County is, imperfectly, already a community for all,” he said.

_ Jeff Sergeant, executive director for the Marathon County United Way, said he stood by his agency’s LIFE report, which documented racial inequities in income, housing and health care and is cited in the Community For All resolution.

“The report is doing its job and creating a community conversation,” he said.

_ Citizen Tina Jensen said the United States was a “beautiful” diverse country that excels in sports because “we embrace each other.” She said passing a resolution was pointless.

“A piece of paper cannot change the hearts of men,” she said.

_ Bruce Bohr, Marathon, said the resolution aspired to use “tyrannical bureaucratic authority” to fix systemic racism by punishing the majority population. “The government can’t give something without taking it from somebody else,” he said.

_ Mosinee business owner Cory Tomczyk said the resolution reflected a “failure of leadership” and that it was unable to achieve its comprehensive plan’s goals to create an “open, inclusive and diverse” county. “You don’t have that power,” he said. Tomczyk said he was disappointed in supervisors. “If I sound annoyed, you are correct,” he said. “I expect better.”

_ Town of Ringle farmer James Juedes said there was no systemic racism in Marathon County.

“I challenge anybody to prove otherwise,” he said.

In other committee business:

_ Committee members forwarded to the full board resolutions recognizing the historical significance of Cinco de Mayo and declaring May 5 as a day of awareness of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

_ County administrator Lance Leonhard said he was focussed on filling open positions, including those of corporation counsel, health department director (current director Joan Theurer is retiring) and deputy administrator. He said he is now reviewing a 151-page booklet from the U.S. Treasury that details how American Rescue Act grants can be spent. The county is in line to receive $26.3 million.

_ Committee members agreed not to place the Marathon County logo on Partners for Progressive Agriculture posters advertising a June Dairy Breakfast, given that the event will not necessarily follow COVID-19 social distancing.

_ Committee members said they were reluctant to return to in-person county board meetings while the COVID-19 activity level across the county was still “high.”