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Cast your vote on April 3
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The spring election on April 3 has several contested races, including Darlington Mayor, Darlington School Board, District 3 Lafayette County Board of Supervisors and Belmont Village Board. A write-in candidate will be sought for the vacancy on the Black Hawk School Board as only two people are vying for three open seats as incumbents Kerry Holland and Jason Figi will run again and Steve Monson filed non-candidacy paperwork. The primary election on Feb. 21 narrowed the three candidates for Darlington Mayor to incumbent David Breunig and former mayor Larry Burns.
A write-in candidate for District 3 of the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors  means there is one of the 16 districts up for election that will have a contested race. Donna Jean Wiegel is running against incumbent Jack Sauer.
Lafayette County Board
District 3
n Donna Jean Wiegel
Occupation: self-employed; owner/operator of Donna Jean’s Salon
A brief family background: I have been married to my husband Tony for the past 24 years. We have seven children between the two of us: Shawn, 32; Domanic, 31; Mindy, 29; Courtney, 23, is a fifth year senior at UW-Platteville; Chasity, 9, is in third grade; Marissa, 8, is in second grade; and Devan, 8, is in first grade.
What previous political experience have you had? Or any positions held?
I am currently serving on the Darlington School Board and have previously served on the Council Board of SW Cap. I served as President of the Women’s Volleyball League.
What qualifications do you have for the position sought, and what do you feel you have to offer?
I feel that being open-minded and being able to work through conflicts is a big part of what I have to offer the people of Lafayette County. Every member that is now on the board had no special qualifications to be elected. I want to do my best to bring what I can to the board and the community. Being a business owner for the past 12 years and being able to budget out what is needed to keep my business running. Also being a mom. I need to keep the home running. Not spending over our means by getting what we need not what we may want.
Why are you running for county board supervisor?
I believe that we should focus on the larger picture. Voting yes to something that you truly do not agree with, doing so because someone tells you to or everyone else is supporting, does not make it right. Right is right and wrong is wrong and I believe I have the courage to hold to my convictions.
What are the most important issues facing the county?
Budgetary problems will always be there. Each department needs to reduce their expenditures, without reducing the level of service.  Having nice things is wonderful, but the county needs to take a long hard look at what we need, not what we want.
How do you feel the county has dealt with budgetary issues? What could be done differently?
Not knowing what numbers they are actually working with, I am not sure what else can be done. And until I know what they are, it is hard to know what all is out there.
What would be your approach to be the best steward of taxpayer dollars?
I will do my best to keep expenditures down and work hard for Lafayette County.
n Jack Sauer (i)
Occupation: farmer
A brief family background: Wife of 28 years—Lisa; son—Brock, who is 25 years old and works on the farm with me; daughter—Hilary, who is 20 and is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville
What previous political experience have you had? Or any positions held?
I have served on the Darlington School Board for six years, from 1995-2001. I have served on the Lafayette County Board from 1996-2002 and from 2004 to present. I have also served as County Board Chairman from 2000 to 2002 and again from 2004 to the present time.
What qualifications do you have for the position sought, and what do you feel you have to offer?
I have been a self-employed farmer and owner of a custom farming business for 26 years. In that time I have dealt with many employees, good years and bad years, bankers, the government, customers and many other day-to-day activities to prepare me for this job as well as being a county board supervisor and board chairman for many years.
Why are you running for county board supervisor?
I am running for county board supervisor because I care about the taxpayers of this county. I believe I have done many things over the years on the board and have made many decisions to make Lafayette County a great place to live. I also have no problem standing up for what is best for the people of Lafayette County no matter how heated the issue gets. I have never run from a fire; I usually run right into it. I feel that is why I always have competition.
What are the most important issues facing the county?
There are always many important issues facing the county. Right now, keeping our manor, hospital and health department financially viable in the face of many changes in health care from our federal government is a big challenge. I feel getting the manor financially prepared to operate without another referendum is very important. We have the manor headed in the right direction, with a loss of only $1,720 in the month of January. Also, we are working on a new personnel handbook and making many changes so we can have a smooth transition at the end of the year when many of our employees come off of the union contracts.
How do you feel the county has dealt with budgetary issues? What could be done differently?
I feel we have done a good job dealing with our budgetary issues over the years. Certainly some years have been easier than others. We have had to make difficult cuts over the years, but we have always tried to maintain the most important services to the taxpayers as reasonably as we could have.
What would be your approach to be the best steward of taxpayer dollars?
The approach I have taken to be the best steward of the taxpayers’ dollars is to be conservative in spending, getting only the things you truly have to have to maintain the most needed services, and always spending the taxpayers’ money as if you worked hard for the money yourself. At the end of 2012, Lafayette County will have a debt of less than $1.5 million. At the rate we are paying things off, the money we borrowed eight years ago to pay off the State Unfunded Pension Liability will be paid off soon. Contrary to popular belief, I feel I and other county board members have been very diligent in looking out for the financial well-being of our taxpayers. Hopefully I will be given the honor and privilege to continue to serve the great people of this county.

Darlington School Board
-Joe Riechers (i)
Occupation: farmer
Family background: Wife- Tina; Children—Jacob, 12 years old, sixth grade; Willie, 10 years old, fourth grade; Katie, 8 years old, third grade.
What previous political experience have you had? Or any positions held?
My previous political experience is 3 years on the Darlington School Board.  I have served on Finance, Buildings and Grounds, Transportation, and Technology Committees.  I am serving my fourth year on the Wisconsin Farm Bureau “Volunteers for Ag” committee, which is their political action committee.  I am also serving as my church’s council president.
What qualifications do you have for the position sought, and what do you feel you have to offer?
My qualifications include being an incumbent.  My three years of experience help me to better understand the mechanics of the school district and the constraints of our budget.  We must live within our funding parameters, we can’t just pass whatever budget we want.  I also have the background of the issues the school board has been facing and what we are doing to solve them.
I have experience working as an ag loan officer and I own and operate a business.
Some of the things I have to offer are an understanding of finance, a willingness to listen to all sides of a discussion and I am willing to give my time.
Why are you running for school board?
I am running because I think I have done, and will continue to do, a good job.  I want our children to attend the best school they can and I think I can help make a difference in the quality of the school.  I also want my tax money to be spent in the most efficient way possible.
What vision do you have for our school district during these financially difficult times?
My vision is that everyone understands we can’t have everything we want.  We will have to prioritize our needs.  We need to keep up the facilities, pay the staff and educate our children.  We will definitely have to do more with less.  We need to make sure our students have a good base under them when they move to the next stage of their life.  I believe in a well-rounded education but not at the expense of learning the basics.  We need to be creative in coming up with ways to fund the extras.
How do you feel the school board has dealt with budgetary issues? What could be done differently?
I think we have done well dealing with our budget issues.  We, along with administration, have made some difficult decisions.  It is never easy to decide to cut positions or hours of staff.
What recommendations do you have on how Darlington Schools can better prepare students to be successful in post-graduate endeavors?
We need to hold our students to more rigorous standards.  We should not have any “easy” classes.  We need to challenge every student to do their best regardless of where they will be after high school.  Students receiving a post-secondary education need to be prepared for larger class sizes and increased responsibility that comes with college.  Students who will be entering the work force need to learn life skills that allow them to be employable.
If you could improve or implement one new approach or technology what would it be? How would we fund it? Who would it benefit?
We are currently working to get more smartboards in the high school.  Ipads or E-readers are another thing that would allow us to save money on textbooks and novels.  We can download some books that are free and buy apps cheaply.  This would benefit our students by giving them a broader range of books to read.  Our Technology plan calls for updating our computers on a 5 year plan.  Funding is provided through grants and the referendum that was passed last year.
-Aaron Wolfe
Occupation: Owner/Operator - Darlington Reboot
Family background: My wife Lisa and I have been married since 2000.  We have three children:  Ian, Evander and Arya.  Ian is 10 years old and currently in 4th grade at DEMS.  Evander is 4 years old and will attend a 4K program in the fall.  Arya is 7 months old.
What previous political experience have you had? Or any positions held?
None.
What qualifications do you have for the position sought, and what do you feel you have to offer?
When serving in public office I believe the ability to listen to many different people and take their perspectives into account is very important.  The school board serves the public, and they need to listen to us.  I pride myself on my ability to listen.  If elected I will listen to anyone who wants to talk to me.  I may not always agree, but I will take their perspective into account when making decisions. 
My professional experience provides me with a good understanding of financial issues and knowledge of technology.  Both of these are critical for anyone serving on the school board.
I care about our kids and their education.  I believe that is the first prerequisite for anyone serving on the school board.  If elected I will take that commitment very seriously.  I will not hesitate to spend the time necessary to research and understand issues, listen to the community and explore new ideas and opportunities.   
Why are you running for school board?
I believe education is the single most important thing we spend our money on as a society.  At all times it is important for our schools to have active involvement with our community.  It is especially important now, when schools in Wisconsin are dealing with very difficult budgetary issues.  I would like to be more involved by serving on the school board.
What vision do you have for our school district during these financially difficult times?
When budgetary  cuts are necessary our first priority must be to minimize the effect they have on the quality of education our students receive.  Of course this becomes more difficult every year.  We cannot make cuts annually without at some point creating a negative effect on the quality of education.  Ideally, we would try to put the school in a position in which annual cuts are not necessary.  At this time I have no answer as to how we can do this.  If elected I would work to find that answer.
How do you feel the school board has dealt with budgetary issues? What could be done differently?
I have spent the last few months attending school board meetings and researching our budget and other issues.  Even so, I have a limited perspective on the board’s actions over the past years.  Difficult decisions have been made.  Some I would agree with and others I may not.  I do believe that the board should be more transparent when discussing potential cuts, and I feel that the board should do more to encourage public input.  I also believe that alternative solutions need to be discussed.  Perhaps they are now, but without transparency the public cannot be aware of that.
Many of our budgetary problems are due to declining enrollment.  I believe the board has made efforts to position Darlington as an attractive option for open enrollment.  Those efforts should be increased.  A strong school with good programs and good results will bring more students which will help to alleviate some of our budget problems.
What recommendations do you have on how Darlington Schools can better prepare students to be successful in post-graduate endeavors?
I recently had the opportunity to speak with a group of area teenagers specifically about the education they have received and how it has prepared them for their plans after high school.  There was a consensus that Darlington Schools could do more to prepare them for college or vocational schools.  I believe more college preparatory options would be one piece in helping improve their experience here.  Courses we cannot provide here should be made available through distance learning programs.
Besides preparing our students for further education after high school we need to prepare them to be able to handle their finances.  I think a personal finance course (or courses) should be required for graduation.  
If you could improve or implement one new approach or technology what would it be? How would we fund it? Who would it benefit?
Community involvement in our schools is very important.  We should have programs that bring community members into our schools to directly interact with staff and students.  The perspectives of these community members would provide a more varied educational experience for our students.  It would also provide the community with an increased sense of ownership and connectedness with our schools.  The program would be voluntary and the funding requirements would be minimal.
Other comments: I am excited about the potential opportunity to serve on the Darlington School Board.  A strong school benefits our entire community, and I would welcome the opportunity to help keep our schools strong.
-Jason Hendrickson
Occupation: Pharmacist, Pharmacy Manager of Walgreens
Family background: I am married to Terra, a registered nurse at Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County. We have been married for 11 years. We have two children. Ethan is 8 years old and is in second grade. Ava is 6 and is in kindergarten.
What previous political experience have you had? Or any positions held?
I have no past political experience.
What qualifications do you have for the position sought, and what do you feel you have to offer?
I am a graduate of the Darlington school system and a parent. I can offer leadership skills, independent thinking and a business background.
Why are you running for school board?
I want my children and the children of this community to have the best education possible. I would like to be involved in the decisions that will make that happen.
What vision do you have for our school district during these financially difficult times?
I think we need to manage our available resources and find new sources of revenue so we do not have to cut any more jobs or programs in the future. I think some changes need to happen for that to be done.
How do you feel the school board has dealt with budgetary issues? What could be done differently?
In the past, the district has dealt with budgetary issues by cutting positions. I think cutting positions, especially teaching positions, is the last thing we should be doing. I think we need to find different areas of revenue so those cuts do not have to be made. We may have to look outside of traditional thinking to do so.
What recommendations do you have on how Darlington Schools can better prepare students to be successful in post-graduate endeavors?
We need to offer as many advanced classes as possible in science, business and math. These are subjects that are most needed for college and future employment. We also need to be heavily involved in technology. Technology is evolving more and more every day, and we need to keep our children on pace with those advances.
If you could improve or implement one new approach or technology what would it be? How would we fund it? Who would it benefit?
I would love to see us start to use computer tablets in the classrooms. If each student had a tablet, we could totally eliminate textbooks. Funding it would be difficult. First we could look at federal/state funded technology programs or grants. We could also look into manufacturer education programs. I think everyone would benefit from this. Students would not have to have multiple textbooks. They can take notes, download presentations to study later or even record the teacher’s lecture. Teachers would be able to grade homework and exams in a faster and more efficient fashion. It helps keep everyone in tune with advancing technology.
-Jeff Stauffacher
Occupation: farmer/pharmacist
Family background: Married to Angela Stauffacher. I have 3 children and expecting in June our fourth child. Atticus 10, Austi 3, Alex 2.
What previous political experience have you had? Or any positions held?
No previous political experience.
What qualifications do you have for the position sought, and what do you feel you have to offer?
I graduated from Darlington High School in 1991, UW-Madison 1996, Masters candidate Grand Canyon University Dec. 2012. I feel that with all the challenges facing school districts today we need leadership that is both open minded, informed, and able to make tough decisions.
Why are you running for school board?
I have a vested interest in how the schools in Darlington run with 4 children going through the education process. I have a great respect for the teachers in the community from my experience in obtaining a master’s degree in educational sciences. I also have empathy for the taxpayers of the community as my wife and I own and manage a farm.
What vision do you have for our school district during these financially difficult times?
Darlington schools need to continue to excel at educating their children to keep the community strong and vibrant. The people in the community along with parents, teachers, and staff need to combine resources to to maximize student achievement, while keeping track of the financial aspects of running a school.
How do you feel the school board has dealt with budgetary issues? What could be done differently?
The board needs to look at every detail to continue to find where money can be saved and sharing the expense with everyone involved in the educational process.
What recommendations do you have on how Darlington Schools can better prepare students to be successful in post-graduate endeavors?
The previous graduates and community leaders can be a very valuable asset to use for motivation and real world experiences in helping Darlington graduates excel after graduation.
If you could improve or implement one new approach or technology what would it be? How would we fund it? Who would it benefit?
Darlington Schools needs to get parents more involved in the education process. This would improve overall child performance and continue to increase the educational experience students receive.