Shawano Police Department

Aug. 7

Police logged 30 incidents, including the following:

Accident — Police responded to a property damage accident between a motorcycle and truck in the 900 block of Waukechon Street. No injuries were reported.

Disorderly — A 17-year-old Shawano male was arrested for disorderly conduct and bail jumping after police responded to a juvenile problem at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run at Main and Green Bay streets.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 500 block of East Green Bay Street.

OAR — A 20-year-old Shawano man was cited for operating after revocation and failure to install an ignition interlock device at Olson and Richmond streets.

Forgery — CoVantage Credit Union, 911 E. Green Bay St., reported a forgery incident.

Theft — Items were reported stolen from a storage unit in the 1300 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Disturbance — A 19-year-old Shawano man was arrested for domestic violence-related battery, disorderly conduct and felony bail jumping after police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 1500 block of Estates Lane.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of South Weed Street.

Theft — An attempted bike theft was reported in the 100 block of Military Road.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Aug. 7

Deputies logged 42 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

Burglary — An attempted burglary was reported on Prouty Street in Wittenberg.

Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on U.S. Highway 45 in the town of Birnamwood.

Theft — Several phones were reported stolen at Shawano Lake County Park, W5785 Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Park Street in Gresham.

Fraud — Authorities investigated an identity theft complaint on state Highway 156 in the town of Navarino.

Warrant — A 31-year-old Wittenberg woman was taken into custody on a warrant on Webb Street in Wittenberg.

Disturbance — Stockbridge-Munsee police arrested a 27-year-old Green Bay man after a domestic disturbance on Park Street in Gresham.

Clintonville Police Department

Aug. 7

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — A suspicious incident was reported on North 12th Street.

Accident — A two-vehicle accident was reported on North Main Street.

Accident — A two-vehicle accident was reported on South Main Street.

Suspicious — A suspicious situation was reported on Hemlock Street.

Shawano Community High School students, staff and visitors will find less of a mess in the restrooms after the Shawano School Board agreed to spend more than $12,500 to replace paper towel bins with hand dryers.

The move to hand dryers started after Kori Halstead, a student at SCHS, made a presentation to the board in May and pointed out that the dryers would not only cut down on waste but save the district money.

Utilizing hand dryers at all the schools would eliminate the need for custodial staff to be constantly filling up the dispensers, Halstead said at the earlier meeting. The dryers can dry up to 1,000 pairs of hands for the same cost as a single paper towel.

Halstead had estimated that the total cost for installing hand dryers at all four Shawano School District would be $52,528.

The board took its first steps to make the change by voting 6-1 for a $12,528 for ProDryers of Livonia, Michigan to install 24 dryers in the high school’s main restrooms. Board member Rich Belongia cast the vote against the bid.

The bid is just for purchasing the dryers and adapter plates, according to Jeff Easter, the district’s building and maintenance director. He said his employees would be responsible for installing the dryers.

The district expects to recoup its costs within five years.

“It would save us a cost of about $2,500 every year from the number of paper towels we use,” Easter said.

Board member Alysia Pillsbury noted that she’s a fan of paper towels, but she believes the move should take place to save the district money.

“I wasn’t appreciating our bathroom situation on graduation night, and I was embarrassed by it,” Pillsbury said. “After that night, I was on board with this because I don’t like the paper being everywhere when it’s a graduation or a basketball game. We don’t have the staff to constantly keep those bathrooms looking nice.”

Easter said he had heard concerns that the air dryers would spread bacteria around the restrooms, but he pointed out that the restrooms have exhaust systems that channel in fresh air regularly.

“We don’t have lingering bacteria sitting in that bathroom,” Easter said. “It’s constantly getting sucked out.”

Board member Derek Johnson, who sits on the district’s buildings and grounds committee, said the group felt trying the dryers at the high school would give the district a chance to see how well they work before plans are made to install dryers at the other three schools.

The city of Shawano on Wednesday joined a growing effort to change a state tax loophole that allows big box stores to claim properties they vacate should be considered virtually worthless for tax purposes, and that new properties they move into should be valued by the same standards.

The Shawano Common Council unanimously approved a recommendation by the finance committee to donate $1,000 to the Wisconsin League of Municipalities’ effort to organize an end to the dark stores loophole.

“It’s affecting cities like us substantially and we’re losing all that assessed value,” said Assistant City Administrator Eddie Sheppard.

Sheppard said the league has been trying to get the word out and get people in communities to understand the significance of the tax loophole.

“If you lose the assessed value on these businesses, communities have to make up that tax revenue somewhere,” Sheppard said, “and it could be falling onto residential properties.”

Sheppard said the problem extends beyond the city of Shawano.

“This is not a Shawano problem; this is a state problem,” he said.

It was the Walgreen’s chain that led to the loophole, and Sheppard explained how it works.

“The dark store idea is that Walgreen’s has an old store, they move into a new store,” he said. “They’ve been successful in arguing that because their old property is essentially worthless, because it’s a Walgreen’s and nobody wants to move into a Walgreen’s, and nobody would pay the market value for that, that their brand new building that they just built for $3 million is also basically worthless.

“I don’t think that’s accurate, but they’ve been successful in doing that and now other chains have followed suit.”

The Shawano County Board voted against a similar proposal last month, which would have called for a referendum. The election would have cost the county $4,000, but many supervisors felt the action was pointless, as it would still require the Wisconsin Legislature to pass a law closing the loophole.

The vaunted medical residency training center that was the key element of a development agreement with the city of Shawano is likely to be gutted from the agreement amid expectations the developers won’t be able to deliver on it.

“There have been discussions about an amendment to the development agreement that would effectively remove the clinic and the hospital from that agreement,” Shawano City Administrator Brian Knapp said in an interview Wednesday afternoon.

Knapp said in that interview that the amendment hadn’t been finalized, but removal of the medical residency training center was a possibility.

“That’s uncertain, but I think it’s likely,” he said.

The Shawano Common Council met in closed session Wednesday night to discuss the developer’s agreement.

“There’s some things that are going to happen that were talked about in closed session,” Mayor Ed Whealon said after the meeting, but, he said, the agreement would be approved.

“As soon as some things happen, then we can talk about it publicly,” he said.

Whealon would not address whether the medical residency training center would still be part of the agreement.

“I can’t say that’s part of it,” Whealon said. “There is a possibility of some development there, but I can’t talk about what it is.”

Whealon said the Common Council came out of closed session to approve the agreement, but could not say specifically what was in it.

City officials have had several closed-session meetings to discuss amending the development agreement that was approved in November 2016 between the city and RTC Real Estate Holdings LLC.

“They just haven’t been successful at completing the work, at completing the development on schedule, nor do they have a future schedule that looks like there’s a reasonable expectation of them being successful at it — at meeting the obligations of the development agreement,” Knapp said Wednesday afternoon.

Knapp was not present for the council meeting.

The agreement called for a 25-bed residency training hospital and medical clinic, along with eight 12-unit residential apartment buildings, that would be located north of County Road B and east of Waukechon Street in Shawano.

The apartments would be a mix of multi-family housing and senior assisted living facilities.

Developers have completed the first phase of the project, a 22-bed assisted living facility.

No other permits have been taken out for any other work at the site, according to Zoning Administrator and Building Inspector Brian Bunke.

Knapp said additional development might be planned, but there’s no timeline for completion.

“They have a nice development so far,” Knapp said. “What they have done has been quality product on that property, and that’s been very positive. It’s just that the expectations for the rest of it seem to have hit some snags.”

The 39-acre complex, located in Tax Incremental Finance District 7, is just south of the new Belmark packaging development.

RTC was expected to make a roughly $63 million investment in the project, according to the agreement.

The $780,000 cost of the property would be offset by credits RTC would receive if it meets all of its obligations under the agreement, basically providing the property to RTC at no cost.

The agreement called for RTC to construct a 45,000-square-foot medical clinic in three phases, with the first phase completed by January 2018.

The residency training hospital was expected to be up by January 2020.

Four 12-unit apartment buildings would go up in 2019 and 2020, with 48 units of additional apartments and/or senior assisted living beds by January 2023, under the agreement.

The last phase of the medical clinic was to have been completed by January 2026.

The residency training hospital portion of the project was to be tax-exempt, but RTC was to make an annual payment to the city in lieu of taxes starting 10 years after the project’s completion.

The city was also expected to issue a municipal revenue bond of $2.5 million on RTC’s behalf once the early phases of the project were completed.

The 22-acre hospital portion of the project was expected to increase the value of the property by $38 million and create 210 full-time jobs, according to the agreement.

The clinic and professional building portion was expected to add $7.5 million in taxable valuation improvements and create 50 full-time jobs.

The agreement also includes language that would have the property revert back to the city if RTC doesn’t meet its obligations.

“That’s part of the discussions,” Knapp said. “The development agreement has provisions for reversion of the land back to the city.”

On July 31, members of CentralAlliance Credit Union voted overwhelmingly in favor of the decision to merge with CoVantage Credit Union. The merger had already been approved by regulators.

With the recent positive vote by CentralAlliance members, which was the final approval needed to move forward, the two financial cooperatives are planning the merger to be effective Jan. 1.

Founded in 1934, CentralAlliance Credit Union serves approximately 5,200 members and has assets of nearly $80 million. According to Tonni Larson, CEO of CentralAlliance, “The staff, along with myself and our board of directors, see this as a wonderful opportunity for our members and for our community. CoVantage shares the same beliefs that we do – of service, value, and commitment to improving the lives of members and employees well into the future.”

Charlie Zanayed, president/CEO of CoVantage, added, “We are humbled and thankful for this opportunity, and look forward to being able to serve the communities of Neenah, Appleton, and Menasha with branch locations and state-of-the art technologies. We feel CoVantage has a lot to offer the members and the communities served by CentralAlliance Credit Union.”

All three former CentralAlliance offices will remain open with new, expanded office hours, and all staff will remain employed with CoVantage, according to a joint press release.

CoVantage Credit Union, founded in 1953 and headquartered in Antigo, has assets in excess of $1.5 billion and serves over 100,000 member-owners through 16 offices across Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, including one in Shawano.

Residents in the Wittenberg community and surrounding areas will have the opportunity to receive free dental services at Quirt Family Dentistry on Aug. 24.

Dr. Benjamin Gauthier and his team at Quirt Family Dentistry will be improving the oral health of the community as part of Free Dentistry Day, a day dedicated to providing free dental care to the growing number of Americans without dental insurance. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 108 million Americans are living without dental insurance.

“We understand that many people in our community and across the nation haven’t been to the dentist for a long period of time. Some don’t understand the importance of dental health, but more often than not, they don’t have the financial means,” Gauthier said. “This event is a great opportunity for us to share our time and resources with those less fortunate and give back to the community.”

There is increasing evidence that links oral health to overall health and well-being. The signs and symptoms of over 100 medical conditions, including diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease and oral cancer may first be detected through traditional oral examinations.

“Dental health is a vital part of a person’s overall health,” Gauthier said. “Through this event, we hope to educate patients on the importance of dental health and encourage them to adopt an ongoing oral care regimen.”

During Free Dentistry Day, free cleanings, sealants, fluoride and fillings will be provided per patient on Friday, August 24, between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. at 200 South Cherry Street in Wittenberg. Patients will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For information, call 715-253-2694 or visit www.FreeDentistryDay.org.

Shawano Police Department

Aug. 8

Police logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — A 55-year-old Shawano man was arrested for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and criminal damage to property in the 800 block of Prospect Street.

Intoxicated Person — Police responded to an intoxicated person complaint at Evergreen and Richmond streets.

Theft — A vehicle was reported broken into in the 200 block of South Sawyer Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Aug. 8

Deputies logged 45 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Authorities responding to a credit card theft complaint on Cervany Lane in the town of Richmond arrested a 25-year-old Shawano woman for a probation and parole violation.

Theft — Chickens were reported stolen on County Road C in the town of Angelica.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a telephone scam complaint on Cedar Street in Bonduel.

Theft — Mail was reported stolen on Merry Valley Road in the town of Belle Plaine.

OAR — A 34-year-old Shawano man was cited for operating after revocation on County Road A in the town of Richmond.

Drug Offense — A 23-year-old Clintonville woman was arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, tampering with an interlock ignition device and operating after suspension on County Road M in the town of Belle Plaine.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Elm Street in Bowler.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Pine Street in Eland.

Vandalism — Vandalism was reported on Moh He Con Nuck Road in Bowler.

Clintonville Police Department

Aug. 8

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Accident — A two-vehicle accident was reported on South Main Street.

Theft — Theft and damage to property was reported on Robert Street.

The developers that had been planning a medical residency training center in Shawano would be removed from a development agreement with the city, under a proposed amendment to the agreement tentatively approved Wednesday by the Common Council.

The amendment also calls for RTC Real Estate Holdings, LLC to give up any claim to the undeveloped portion of the property, which would revert back to the city.

RTC would be replaced by a separate company, Engle Drive Holdings, LLC, which is the company that actually built the existing 22-bed assisted living facility that had been intended as the first phase of the RTC project.

Assistant City Administrator Eddie Sheppard said the amendment, which was proposed by RTC, still needs to go through some changes even though the council “substantially” approved it after coming out of a closed session discussion.

“The motion (Wednesday) night was to approve the amendment and authorizing staff to make changes discussed in closed session,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard said the goal of the arrangement is for the city to ultimately take back the undeveloped land and continue to foster an agreement with Engle Drive Holdings.

The undeveloped land includes three lots totalling 34 acres.

The assisted living facility sits on an adjacent 5-acre parcel.

“The amendment essentially replaces RTC with Engle Drive Holdings for the five acres, and then gives the city the remaining land back,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard said he would be taking the city’s proposed changes to the amendment to RTC and finalizing an agreement that would likely be back before the council next month.

“It’s really in the middle of negotiations at this point,” he said.

The development agreement with RTC was approved in November 2016.

It called for RTC to construct a 45,000-square-foot medical clinic in three phases, with the first phase completed by January 2018.

The residency training hospital was expected to be up by January 2020.

Four 12-unit apartment buildings were expected to go up in 2019 and 2020, with 48 units of additional apartments and/or senior assisted living beds by January 2023.

The last phase of the medical clinic was to have been completed by January 2026.

The city had expected to issue a municipal revenue bond of $2.5 million on RTC’s behalf once the early phases of the project were completed.

“They just haven’t been successful at completing the work, at completing the development on schedule, nor do they have a future schedule that looks like there’s a reasonable expectation of them being successful at it — at meeting the obligations of the development agreement,” City Administrator Brian Knapp said in an interview Wednesday.

The city of Shawano got just a little bigger Wednesday.

That’s when the Shawano Common Council approved annexation of 46 acres of property in the town of Waukechon to accommodate a new facility for Reinhart Foodservice.

The city will pay the town of Waukechon an amount equal to the amount of taxes Waukechon would have collected from the annexed territory annually for five years.

Mayor Ed Whealon said the taxes would amount to “a couple hundred dollars a year.”

The original plan had been for the city to annex about 60 acres, but several property owners in the proposed annexation territory decided they did not want to become part of the city.

The annexation approved Wednesday works around those properties and creates a 33-foot easement along the eastern edge that will also remain part of Waukechon so they can stay connected to the town.

Reinhart Foodservice is relocating its existing distribution center to the new site just south of County Road B.

The project will require the expansion of Shawano’s Tax Incremental Finance District 7, which was created to accommodate the Belmark Inc. project.

A development agreement has yet to be crafted, but one option being discussed would provide Reinhart with about $3.8 million in property tax rebates over the next 10 to 12 years, according to City Administrator Brian Knapp.

The total cost of the project is expected to be about $32 million.

Reinhart’s current facility at 2655 E. Richmond St. has 264 full-time employees.

According to the company’s business assistance application filed with the city, Reinhart intends to hire an additional 15 employees over the next five years and potentially an additional 50 or more employees over the next 10 years if the new facility is constructed.

All current jobs would be retained, according to Reinhart.

According to the company, the new facility would enable growth that cannot be accommodated in the existing distribution center.

The new facility would be about 266,000 square feet, more than 100,000 square feet larger than the current facility, with the possibility of future expansion to 460,000 square feet.

Reinhart also anticipates the new facility would operate 40 percent more energy-efficiently than its existing facility.

The company anticipates completing the project by June 2019.

Shawano Police Department

Aug. 9

Police logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 800 block of East Maurer Street.

Shoplifter — People’s Express South, 716 S. Main St., reported a shoplifting incident.

Child Abuse — A child abuse complaint was under investigation.

Bail Jumping — Police investigated a bail jumping complaint at the VFW Clubhouse, 202 W. Lieg Ave.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile alcohol complaint at Sturgeon Park, 811 S. Water St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Aug. 9

Deputies logged 44 incidents, including the following:

Fire — A man was hospitalized after a gas stove explosion on Wendt Road in the town of Fairbanks. He was able to get out and call the Tigerton Fire Department. The building was destroyed. There were no further details available.

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run on Genesee Street in Wittenberg.

Theft — Seven street signs were reported stolen on Nabor Road in Cecil.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Elm Street in Bowler.

Accident — Authorities responded to an injury accident on County Road A in Gresham.

Clintonville Police Department

Aug. 9

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Warnings were issued for disorderly conduct after a disturbance on East Morning Glory Drive.

Retired chief deputy John Gutho, who is challenging Shawano County Sheriff Adam Bieber in his bid for reelection, continues to outpace the incumbent in both contributions and campaign spending, according to documents filed this week.

Gutho and Bieber will go head-to-head in Tuesday’s Republican primary. The winner will face Shawano police officer Keith Sorlie, who is running for the office as an independent, in the November election.

Each of the candidates this week filed their second campaign finance reports, covering the month of July.

According to the reports, donations to Gutho’s campaign totaled $1,191 last month, bringing his year-to-date total to $16,375.

Gutho’s campaign spent $3,836 in July, bringing that year-to-date total to $14,133.

Most of those expenses in July included yard signs, brochures, advertising and candy handed out at parades.

Gutho has also contributed $6,310 of his own money to the campaign, which started in April.

Contributions to Bieber’s campaign in July totaled $775, including $500 of Bieber’s own money, for a year-to-date total of $7,810.

Bieber spent $7,751 of that, with $2,225 of it spent in July, since his campaign began.

Expenses listed for July included radio ads and other advertising, hats and t-shirts and Packers calendars.

For one of the candidates, cash on hand for continuing campaign efforts into November will be moot after Tuesday.

As it stands, however, Gutho also has an edge there, with $2,239 in his campaign balance. Bieber’s campaign had a balance at the end of July of $58.

Sorlie had $2,046 in contributions in July, according to his financial statement, for a year-to-date total of $5,197.

His campaign spent $600 of that in July for a year-to-date total of $3,199.

His cash on hand balance at the end of July was $1,998.

Further campaign finance reports will be due in September and October.

The race this year is shaping up to be significantly more expensive than the sheriff’s race in 2014, when Bieber defeated former sheriff Randy Wright.

According to campaign finance statements filed that year, Bieber spent $4,506 on his campaign by the end of July, out of $4,575 in contributions, leaving him with about $69.

Wright spent $4,157 out of $4,474 taken in, leaving a balance of $317.

Area voters Tuesday will decide which candidates will appear on the ballot in November in the races for Shawano County sheriff and 6th District State Assembly.

Former chief deputy John Gutho is challenging incumbent Sheriff Adam Bieber for the Republican nomination for that office. The winner will face Shawano Police Officer Keith Sorlie, who is running as an independent.

Richard Sarnwick, of Shawano, and William Switalla, of Wittenberg, are competing for the Democratic nomination for the 6th District Assembly seat. One of them will go up against incumbent Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel, in the Nov. 6 election.

Employee turnover and department morale have been issues in the sheriff’s race, though the candidates have differed on how serious a problem it is.

“One of my goals on day one is to get together with command staff, the line staff, and figure out what’s going on,” Gutho said during a candidate forum last month.

Gutho said he has also been told that morale at the department “is at an all-time low.”

He said the sheriff needs to be able to connect with his employees.

“Give them the credit if they came up with an idea, and you embraced the idea, then recognize that employee,” he said, “And don’t take credit that it was my idea.”

Bieber did not attend the forum but provided written responses to the topics that were to be addressed.

“Morale at our office is very good, evidenced by our work product and low turnover rate,” Bieber wrote.

Bieber maintained that the turnover rate at the department is average to below average compared to many other departments across the state.

“In fact, compared to other departments within Shawano County we are doing very well,” Bieber wrote.

Gutho disputed Bieber’s statement, saying the “cold, hard facts and research” show there is a turnover problem.

Sorlie, who also attended the forum, said an open records request he filed has shown that 39 people have left the jail division over the past four years — basically amounting to a complete turnover of jail staff — while 13 employees have quit dispatch during that time and eight deputies have left the patrol, investigative and administrative divisions.

Gutho also addressed staffing issues at the forum.

“We need to make sure we have our personnel spread across the county so our response time is minimal,” he said.

Staffing in the northwest part of the county is particularly lacking, according to Gutho.

“We have nobody in the Birnamwood, Aniwa, Mattoon area,” he said.

In his written statement on the topic, Bieber wrote that resources are currently spread out evenly throughout the county.

“When there is a community experiencing an influx or rise in crime we tend to focus extra resources and personnel to those areas,” he wrote.

In an interview with The Shawano Leader in May, Gutho said he has a broader range of experience than either of the other candidates.

“I can confidently say that I am the only candidate that has the budgetary experience, and several years of budgetary experience with multi-million dollar budget, and as well as management experience,” he said.

Gutho oversaw the budget as chief deputy.

Gutho started with the sheriff’s office in 1988 as a jailer, then moved up through dispatch, patrol and the captain’s position before serving for eight years as chief deputy. He retired from the sheriff’s department in January 2016.

“I’m the only candidate that worked in all divisions,” he said. “So I have some knowledge of how that works.”

Gutho has also served on the Tigerton Village Board as president for many years and is chief of the Tigerton Fire Department.

“I dedicated my career to Shawano County,” he said. “My entire law enforcement was with the county of Shawano.”

Gutho said he would be open and accessible if elected sheriff.

“One thing you will get with me is integrity and transparency,” he said. “I’m not going to tell somebody what they want to hear. I will deal with facts and be able to back those facts up. If people want to meet the sheriff, I will make myself available to meet face-to-face with them. I will deal with anybody.”

Bieber was a Shawano police officer starting in 2003 until he challenged and defeated former sheriff Randy Wright in the 2014 election.

“What I’m doing is running off my record the last 3½ years, what I’ve been able to accomplish with my new team and that’s what I’m going to focus on,” Bieber said in an interview in May.

“I think the public has been happy with what we’ve been able to do, and I personally believe we’ve done more in the last three years than the last eight years,” Bieber said. “I’m focusing on what we’ve done there what we’ve changed at the sheriff’s office, and I’m just focusing on the future, what we’d like to see done and continue to work on in Shawano County.”

Bieber pointed to steps taken to address the problem of money going missing from the jail, including adding some security cameras and changing money handling policies.

“I want to make sure people know that we’ve fixed that problem,” he said.

Bieber said the department now has a better working relationship with the district attorney’s office and the County Board.

“We’re working closely with the district attorney’s office,” he said. “We’re working better with our County Board. Within the last two years, the County Board has done more for the employees and the county. Moving it forward with a drug court, evidence building, body cameras. When you improve relations and you’re respectful and work together, good things happen.”

There is less difference of opinion between the two Democratic candidates in the Assembly race, with Sarnwick and Switalla on the same page on many issues, including their opposition to using taxpayer money to fund private schools, the need for environmental protections, including more possible regulation of large concentrated animal feeding operations and stricter enforcement of regulations already in place, and removing barriers to voting put in place by the Republican-controlled Legislature and governor.

Switalla is making his second bid for the Assembly seat after being defeated by Tauchen two years ago.

Switalla said during a forum in June that he is running for the same reasons he serves on the Wittenberg Village Board and Shawano County Board.

“I do it because I care about the people,” he said. “I care about small businesses. I care about my children and their future. I care about their education and especially their health care.”

Sarnwick, a Shawano doctor making his first foray into politics, criticized at the same forum the current political environment both in Wisconsin and nationally.

“Today, people all over the United States are voting for agendas that put fear and, even worse, hatred at the fore,” he said. “People are listening to the loudest and angriest voices.”

Sarnwick said he wanted to restore Wisconsin’s reputation as a progressive and fiscally responsible state.

“For generations, this state was held up as a shining example of a place where people and not big money came first and where hopes and aspirations counted,” he said. “I’m running as a Democrat to build bridges, not build walls.”

Voters Tuesday will also choose candidates in the governor’s race and several other state races.

Richard Sarnwick defeated William Switalla in the Democratic primary Tuesday for the 6th District Wisconsin Assembly seat.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting the vote tally was

Sarnwick — 1,453

Switalla — 919

In Shawano County, Sarnwick won 906 votes to 551 for Switalla.

The totals still need to be certified by the Board of Canvass.

Sarnwick now goes on the the Nov. 6 general election where he will face incumbent Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel, and Libertarian candidate Michael Hammond.

Sarnwick and Switalla were on the same page on many issues, including their opposition to using taxpayer money to fund private schools, the need for environmental protections, including more possible regulation of large concentrated animal feeding operations and stricter enforcement of regulations already in place, and removing barriers to voting put in place by the Republican-controlled Legislature and governor.

Switalla was making his second bid for the Assembly seat after being defeated by Tauchen two years ago.

Sarnwick, a Shawano doctor, is making his first foray into politics.

Incumbent Shawano County Sheriff Adam Bieber turned back a challenge from former chief deputy John Gutho to clinch the Republican nomination in Tuesday’s primary race.

Bieber will face independent candidate and Shawano police officer Keith Sorlie in the Nov. 6 general election.

The final vote tally, which still has to be certified by the Board of Canvass, was

Bieber — 3,672

Gutho — 2,469

Gutho held his own and in some cases outperformed Bieber in some of the outlying areas of the county, but the vote began trending Bieber’s way as results closer to the city of Shawano, where Bieber resides, started coming in.

Bieber won 963 votes in the city to Gutho’s 418.

The candidates differed on a range of issues, including the extent of employee turnover and the level of morale in the sheriff’s department.

Gutho had said he would work to address those issues, while Bieber maintained turnover was a problem for all counties in Wisconsin, particularly in corrections, and not unique to Shawano. He also disputed Gutho’s contention that morale was “at an all-time low.”

Gutho and Bieber also split on whether manpower was being used efficiently, with Gutho saying the Birnamwood, Aniwa and Mattoon areas were particularly understaffed.

Bieber maintained that resources are currently spread out evenly throughout the county.

Bieber, who was a Shawano police officer starting in 2003 until he challenged and defeated former sheriff Randy Wright in the 2014 election, based his campaign on what he said have been the accomplishments of his tenure in office.

Gutho campaigned on his experience in law enforcement and familiarity with the sheriff’s department budget, which he oversaw as chief deputy.

Gutho started with the sheriff’s office in 1988 as a jailer, then moved up through dispatch, patrol and the captain’s position before serving for eight years as chief deputy. He retired from the sheriff’s department in January 2016.

Shawano Police Department

Aug. 13

Police logged 20 incidents, including the following:

Burglary — A burglary was reported in the 900 block of South Lincoln Street.

Vandalism — A vehicle was reported vandalized in the 400 block of West Lieg Avenue.

Vandalism — A vehicle was reported vandalized in the 500 block of South Andrews Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 700 block of South Main Street.

Theft — Three air conditioning units were reported stolen in the 400 block of South Lincoln Street.

Burglary — Police responded to a burglary in progress in the 800 block of South Prospect Street. Two persons broke into the residence, did some damage inside and fled before officers arrived. It is unknown if anything was taken, and the incident is under investigation.

Aug. 12

Police logged 24 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of South Lincoln Street.

Juvenile — Police investigated a juvenile alcohol complaint in the 1100 block of South Smalley Street.

Assault — A sexual assault complaint was under investigation.

Curfew — Two juveniles were cited for curfew violations at Sawyer and Division streets.

Aug. 11

Police logged 24 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 700 block of South Maiden Lane.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run in the 100 block of Pearl Avenue.

Fraud — CoVantage Credit Union, 604 S. Main St., reported a counterfeit $10 bill.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Aug. 10

Police logged 29 incidents, including the following:

OAR — A 35-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation in the 1100 block of East Green Bay Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 100 block of East Maurer Street.

Threatening — Police responded to a threatening complaint in the 800 block of South Park Street.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident at Prospect Circle and Lieg Avenue.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Aug. 13

Deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Country Lane in the town of Washington.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on County Road Y in the town of Belle Plaine.

Assault — Authorities responded to an assault complaint on Nichols Drive in the town of Angelica.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Highway 45 in the town of Birnamwood.

Aug. 12

Deputies logged 39 incidents, including the following:

OWL — A 49-year-old Shawano man was cited for operating without a license on state Highway 29 in the town of Angelica.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint at Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg, N7198 U.S. Highway 45 in the town of Wittenberg.

Threatening — Authorities responded to a threatening complaint on Oak Ridge Court in the town of Wescott.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Webb Street in Wittenberg.

Accident — Authorities responded to an injury accident on state Highway 22 in Cecil.

Aug. 11

Deputies logged 50 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Campground Road in the town of Seneca.

OWI — A 45-year-old Cecil man was arrested for operating while intoxicated after authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 29 in the town of Belle Plaine.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Old Lake Lane in the town of Wescott.

OAR — A 22-year-old Green Bay woman was cited for operating after revocation and taken into custody for bail jumping and probation violation on Bucholz Lane in the town of Herman.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Richards Street in Gresham.

Disturbance — Stockbridge-Munsee police responded to a domestic disturbance on Park Street in Gresham.

Accidents — Authorities responded to injury accidents on state Highway 29 in Wittenberg and Gumaer Road in the town of Wescott.

Aug. 10

Deputies logged 49 incidents, including the following:

Fleeing — A 41-year-old Lena man was arrested for fleeing an officer on Express Way in Bonduel.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Hemlock Road in the town of Wescott.

OAR — A 37-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation on County Road M in Tigerton.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on Park Street in Bowler.

Clintonville Police Department

Aug. 13

Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 48-year-old Clintonville man was arrested on a Department of Corrections warrant on Petunia Circle.

Disturbance — A disturbance was reported on North Main Street.

Drug Offense — A 37-year-old Eland woman was arrested for retail theft and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia on South Main Street.

Aug. 11

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Disorderly conduct was reported on South Clinton Avenue.

Aug. 10

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A disturbance was reported on West Morning Glory Drive.

Theft — A cell phone and keys were reported stolen on Wilson Street.

Disorderly — Disorderly conduct was reported on Flora Way.

Shawano Police Department

Aug. 14

Police logged 30 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Car keys, a wallet and cellphone were reported stolen in the 1000 block of South Park Street.

Disturbance — A disturbance involving juveniles was reported in the 400 block of South Main Street.

Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen in the 500 block of South Main Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 300 block of South Sawyer Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 200 block of West Lieg Avenue.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 800 block of South Park Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Aug. 14

Deputies logged 35 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Webb Street in Wittenberg.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on state Highway 29 in the town of Seneca.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Edwards Street in the town of Pella.

Harassment — Harassment was reported on Shady Lane in the town of Washington.

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on County Road Z in the town of Aniwa.

Stockbridge-Munsee Police Department

Aug. 14

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Fraud — Police investigated a scam complaint on Boehms Road in Bowler.

OAR — A 45-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation on Main Street in Gresham.

Dennis Lichtenberg told the Clintonville Common Council on Tuesday that he believes it is time to do something about the outdoor community swimming pool that has not operated for several years.

The Clintonville resident said he realizes the fire in the bathhouse in 2016 set progress back, but he believes it is possible to move forward. Lichtenberg said he feels residents will support keeping the pool open at a reasonable cost.

“The cost of the renovation of the pump room, the bathhouse, a pool liner if necessary, is the city’s responsibility as, after the pool was built, it was expected the city would maintain it,” Lichtenberg said. “Once the city moves ahead to approve the renovation, then the cost of covering other improvements like a zero entry, a slide, and a splash pad could be started by fundraising and grants if available.”

Lichtenberg said the pool was built when he graduated from high school, so he never got to really use it but his children did whenever he visited his parents.

He said that figures like $5.4 million and $5.7 million estimates for some plans that have been presented just won’t be accepted in Clintonville especially with the population going down and fewer children.

Lichtenberg supports a fundraiser and is willing to make a donation once the city is willing to move ahead with the renovation at a reasonable cost.

No action was taken on the pool issue as it was not an agenda item, but Mayor Richard Beggs told the council that he would put it on next month’s regular meeting for a decision on what to do with the outdoor swimming pool. Beggs stated earlier that he wanted the council to have time to study the available options.

At a council meeting in June, Ryan Nachreiner, project director for Water Technology Inc., explained options WTI had developed for the swimming pool.

One plan would repair and modernize the pool complex. It would rebuild the bathhouse, renovate the lap pool, remove the wading pool and build a splash pad. It would have a zero-depth-entry pool where the current pool is. A splash pad would replace the wading pool with various features that spray water. There would be waterproofing and repairing the pool shell to the extent that it is not a complete rebuild and there would not be a cost to removing the present pool and building a new one.

The cost for this plan would be $5.7 million. The cost could be reduced if some features were eliminated.

If the splash pad was eliminated, the cost figures would be $4.5 million. A second alternate involves improving the lap pool so it is waterproof and usable. That cost is $3.6 million. The lowest plan by WTI was to have only a splash pad, at a cost of $1.4 million.

“As a community with tax revenues, we can’t afford any of the options right now,” Alderman Brad Rokus said at the June meeting. “Once we have an option out there, then we can start knocking on doors and beating on drums and see what kind of money we can raise.”

U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, northeast Wisconsin’s representative in Congress, didn’t want to be on recess this month, and he even crafted a bill to try and keep the House in Washington for August.

He wasn’t successful, but he’s still moving forward with legislation that would keep him and his colleagues focused on the people’s business and not on efforts to remain in office. Between a visit to the Sun Drop Museum in Shawano and a meet-and-greet with the Shawano County Republican Party, Gallagher sat down with The Shawano Leader on Monday to talk about how he’s taking steps to drain the swamp.

“The status quo in D.C. — the swamp — is very powerful, so it’s going to require us to convince our colleagues,” Gallagher said. “I’m hopeful, though, because the next generation on both sides is committed to reforms.”

One of the bills Gallagher introduced was an effort to cancel the House’s August recess to allow members to work on major policy issues. His bill would only allow Congress to adjourn for up to three days at a time if important legislation had not been resolved.

“I think that if we stay there, and we work our tails off, the results would speak for themselves,” Gallagher said. “The people back home would appreciate that.”

In comparison, Gallagher pointed out that most regular employees would not be allowed to take vacations if they hadn’t done any work. So he said he sees no reason why he and his colleagues shouldn’t be held to the same standard.

Gallagher noted that the Senate is partially to blame, as the House has almost 500 bills passed that are still awaiting the other chamber’s approval. However, the major issues like a federal budget and immigration reform are left on the back burner until the last minute.

“The more we delay, and the more we go home without those unresolved, we’re just setting up a situation where we’re going to be scrambling at the last second in a heated political environment to get some stuff done,” Gallagher said. “That’s just a bad process. It increases the likelihood that we have a massive omnibus bill that nobody reads or an ongoing resolution that really hurts the military, or a government shutdown.”

Gallagher is still working on his Go to Washington, Go to Work Act, which would forbid members of Congress from fundraising anytime it is in session. Co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. Rick Nolan, of Minnesota, Gallagher noted that recesses like the current one would allow those who are running for re-election time to raise money for their campaigns, but when Congress is in session, members should be focused on their jobs.

“It’s exciting that it’s bipartisan,” Gallagher said. “Starting off with a Democrat and a Republican is always good, particularly on an issue like this. I think people in both parties recognize that the demands of fundraising and the fact that people spend so much of their time raising money rather than working and doing their job is a huge problem — especially in the House, where we’re running (for election) every two years.”

Gallagher said there are some people who get rich off the perpetual, never-ending election cycle, particularly political action committees and the super-sized versions of said committees.

“You have all this money flying around, and that’s not the way it should be,” Gallagher said. “This is a small step, but an important one.”

The Go to Washington, Go to Work Act was introduced in Congress last month, but Gallagher is hopeful that it will come up for a vote in the fall. He said it might be a long shot that it would pass before the general election in November, noting that Congress has another recess in October. Even when it resumes in September, budget issues and a potential government shutdown will likely take priority.

“We’ve got between nine and 12 legislative days between here and November,” Gallagher said. “That’s absurd. Who in Wisconsin would get to work nine days in the course of three months?”

It’s not in the bill, but Gallagher said he would prefer to see a shift in scheduling that would keep legislators in Washington two to three weeks straight, working six days a week, rather than the current four-day schedule that has representatives “rushing to leave on Thursday” to return to their home states. He thinks doing that and having a full week off would allow more quality time with constituents.

Despite the appearance that nothing’s getting done, Gallagher noted that he was one of the few freshman representatives to get a standalone bill passed and signed into law by President Donald Trump. That bill was the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Bill, something Gallagher called a “small” piece of legislation that’s expected to become more significant over time.

The bill established a memorial for veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He noted that, unlike World War II, the current wars don’t have a clear end date, and so action needed to be taken now so that, when these veterans get older, they’ll be able to participate in Honor Flights and receive other things that the country’s elder veterans currently receive.

Gallagher said it took a lot of work to get the bill passed, but it’s one he’s proud of.

“It’s hard work, more than anything else, that allows you to get stuff done,” Gallagher said. “If you want to legislate, if you want to do real things, that requires you to spend a lot of time on it, and it’s not glamorous.”

Richard Sarnwick defeated William Switalla in the Democratic primary Tuesday for the 6th District Wisconsin Assembly seat.

Sarnwick won 61 percent of the vote to Switalla’s 39 percent. The unofficial vote tally was

Sarnwick — 1,453

Switalla — 919

In Shawano County, Sarnwick won 906 votes to 551 for Switalla.

The totals still need to be certified by the Board of Canvass.

Sarnwick now goes on the the Nov. 6 general election where he will face incumbent Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel, and Libertarian candidate Michael Hammond.

Sarnwick, a Shawano doctor, is making his first foray into politics.

“I worked hard on knocking on doors in the district and going to parades and doing the debates and doing all the other things that occurred,” Sarnwick said. “I’m happy it turned out this way. It was my first run for office, so I had no idea if I worked hard enough or not.”

Some votes were lost Tuesday, Sarnwick said, because voters could not cross over and participate in both the Republican sheriff’s primary and the Democratic primary for the Assembly.

“A lot of people said to me, ‘I wish we could cross-vote in the primary, but we couldn’t cross-vote. So we didn’t vote for you, we just voted for the sheriff,’” Sarnwick said. “That seemed to be the big race going on.”

In Shawano County, 1,457 voters cast ballots in the Democratic Assembly race, while 6,141 cast ballots in the Republican sheriff’s race.

Sarnwick said he will be working to broaden his support over the coming months, including winning over those who supported Switalla, mostly on the western edge of the county.

In Shawano County, Switalla carried Wittenberg, Tigerton and the towns of Bartleme and Morris.

Sarnwick acknowledged he is facing an uphill battle in an Assembly district many believe has been gerrymandered to favor Republicans.

“It’s going to be a big challenge,” Sarnwick said.

However, Sarnwick said, “having been here in Shawano and having met a lot of people and having participated in the farmer’s market for years and years, I have a lot of contacts and I’m hoping that those will be valuable.”

Sarnwick said he is excited to have the opportunity to run.

Switalla said he will “absolutely” support Sarnwick in the November election and plans to hold a house party to help drum up support.

Switalla said Sarnwick faces a challenge, however, in a district designed to favor Republicans.

“It’s very gerrymandered. They fixed it,” Switalla said. “I think a Democratic candidate has a real battle, a real uphill battle. It’s been years that people have run against Gary Tauchen and they’ve never gotten close.”

Switalla said the real opposition, however, is not Tauchen specifically.

“I still don’t believe they’re running against Gary Tauchen, they’re running against the Republicans,” he said. “When I talk to people, Gary Tauchen doesn’t do anything. Even when I talk to the Republicans, he doesn’t do anything. I don’t think it’s Gary Tauchen we’re running against, it’s the Republican Party.”

Switalla said Sarnwick will need to focus on Democrats who aren’t voting.

“And you’ve got to get lots of signs out there,” he said. “Tons of signs.”

Switalla said Sarnwick will need to broaden his support across the district.

“You’ve got to stretch it out,” he said. “You’ve got to get Clintonville all the way up to Hortonville.”

He also suggested Sarnwick introduce himself to various groups and clubs.

“He’s got to get into the tavern league, get into the taverns,” Switalla said. “He’s got to get those people that aren’t voting. He has to get people to meet him and know who he is. They need a push. Democrats need a push.”

Sarnwick and Switalla were on the same page on many issues, including their opposition to using taxpayer money to fund private schools, the need for environmental protections — including more possible regulation of large concentrated animal feeding operations and stricter enforcement of regulations already in place — and removing barriers to voting put in place by the Republican-controlled Legislature and governor.

Switalla was making his second bid for the Assembly seat after being defeated by Tauchen two years ago.

Incumbent Shawano County Sheriff Adam Bieber turned back a challenge from former chief deputy John Gutho to clinch the Republican nomination in Tuesday’s primary race.

Bieber will face independent candidate and Shawano police officer Keith Sorlie in the Nov. 6 general election.

The final vote tally, which still has to be certified by the Board of Canvass, was

Bieber — 3,672

Gutho — 2,469

Gutho held his own and in some cases outperformed Bieber in some of the outlying areas of the county, but the vote began trending Bieber’s way as results closer to the city of Shawano, where Bieber resides, started coming in.

Bieber won 963 votes in the city to Gutho’s 418.

“I knew before those numbers came in I wasn’t going to win Shawano,” Gutho said.

Gutho said Bieber’s incumbent status was an advantage for Bieber, but perhaps moreso was the Shawano area’s familiarity with Bieber through his work with the Shawano School District.

“I know when I went door-to-door that was a big thing,” Gutho said. “I’ve had people say, ‘I’m voting for him because he’s a great wrestling coach.’”

Gutho said he campaigned on his experience in law enforcement, as well as chief of the Tigerton Fire Department, and connections to state and federal law enforcement agencies.

“I went off more on of being a public service person, with my law enforcement and fire, and not so much a wrestling coach,” Gutho said.

Gutho said he will support Sorlie’s bid for the office in November.

“I think there needs to be some change. I think the morale is in the tank,” Gutho said. “And the (employee) turnover is a huge deal.”

Gutho also posted a Facebook message thanking his supporters and encouraging them to support Sorlie.

“Our team came up short in the primary, but we showed integrity and ran a clean campaign,” Gutho wrote. “I knew it would be a challenge and accepted that when I took out papers. I am very proud of the hundreds of people that supported me and helped on multiple levels. My campaign focused on employee retention. I know that is a concern for Keith Sorlie as well. I urge you to educate yourself on facts and back Keith in the November general election.”

Bieber said the primary results show voter satisfaction with the department.

“I personally think the voters out there are happy with how my team and I have been doing,” he said. “All the services, new services brought, and that have been provided to the citizens now. We’ve come in under budget every year, just like before, and we’re very open and transparent. We put out a lot of stuff on social media and I think voters are satisfied with how we’re moving the department forward.”

Bieber said his campaign strategy won’t change as he goes up against Sorlie in the fall.

“I’m just going to focus on the future and obviously talk about the past, what we’ve done and accomplished the last 3½ years,” he said. “We want to partner with the community, and that means educating the community.”

Bieber said crashes have been the incident the sheriff’s department deals with most and he has appointed a traffic officer to solely deal with traffic enforcement.

“That hasn’t been done in Shawano County before,” Bieber said. “We’ve been seeing a reduction in crashes and I want to continue to build on that, but also have that open communication with the public and let them know we’re enforcing traffic law here.”

Bieber said it was expected Gutho would win in the the western edge of the county, where he has many personal connections.

“John’s not a bad guy. He’s a nice, likable guy,” Bieber said. “But we had a lot of support here in Shawano and a lot of new voters. I’m happy about the added support we received.”

Bieber also responded to Gutho’s comments that much of Bieber’s support came from his support came from his involvement with the school district rather than his tenure as sheriff.

“Obviously, I’m very involved in the community,” Bieber said. “And people see how I operate outside the sheriff’s department and how I interact with people. People tend to trust me. They know that I motivate people and I’m able to interact with people in a positive way and I think that’s why people trust me.”

Bieber thanked Gutho for his years of service.

“I wish him all the best as he moves on with his life,” Bieber said.

Bieber also thaneds supports who turned out for Tuesday’s primary.

Turnout was higher in Shawano for Tuesday’s primary than it was for the mayoral election in April, with 46 percent of the city’s registered voters casting ballots Tuesday compared to 37 percent in April.

Not all of those voters cast ballots for sheriff, however. Those casting ballots in the Democratic primary could not vote in the Republican sheriff’s race.

The candidates differed on a range of issues, including the extent of employee turnover and the level of morale in the sheriff’s department.

Gutho had said he would work to address those issues, while Bieber maintained turnover was a problem for all counties in Wisconsin, particularly in corrections, and not unique to Shawano. He also disputed Gutho’s contention that morale was “at an all-time low.”

Gutho and Bieber also split on whether manpower was being used efficiently, with Gutho saying the Birnamwood, Aniwa and Mattoon areas were particularly understaffed.

Bieber maintained that resources are currently spread out evenly throughout the county.

Bieber, who was a Shawano police officer starting in 2003 until he challenged and defeated former sheriff Randy Wright in the 2014 election, based his campaign on what he said have been the accomplishments of his tenure in office.

Gutho campaigned on his experience in law enforcement and familiarity with the sheriff’s department budget, which he oversaw as chief deputy.

Gutho started with the sheriff’s office in 1988 as a jailer, then moved up through dispatch, patrol and the captain’s position before serving for eight years as chief deputy. He retired from the sheriff’s department in January 2016.