Editor’s note: The Shawano Leader sat down for interviews Friday with Republican sheriff’s candidates Randy Wright and Adam Bieber. This is the first of a series of stories from those interviews.
As far as incumbent Randy Wright is concerned, the race for Shawano County sheriff is as much about the Shawano County Board as it is about the sheriff’s office.
“That’s not just what I’m feeling, that’s what I’m hearing from people out there as I’m going door to door,” Wright said. “People are fed up with the board being stalled by a handful of people. That’s comments I’ve been hearing throughout this county.”
Wright, who is seeking another four-year term as sheriff, is being challenged in the Aug. 12 Republican primary by Shawano police officer Adam Bieber.
Bieber has raised the strained relations between Wright and the County Board as an election issue.
“I don’t take things personal and I think that’s the difference between me and Randy,” Bieber said.
Bieber believes he can do a better job of dealing with the County Board. But, he said, that doesn’t mean he’ll be a puppet for the board.
“Anybody that knows me knows if I have an opinion I’ll express it,” he said. “I’m definitely my own man and I don’t fit in anybody’s box.”
Wright said he thinks if Bieber is elected he would face the same problems he has faced since he was elected in 2006.
“I don’t care who it would be that comes in, if there’s anything to do with some change or financial borrowing or whatever, whoever it would be, they’re still going to be given the same problem,” Wright said. “I think if they would get in, they would have a little of what they call a honeymoon period, but I think it would be a very short honeymoon period.”
Wright said there is a faction of the County Board that has held up progress in the county.
“There are 27 people on the County Board. Out of that 27, I would say there is probably eight or nine that will not listen one way or the other,” Wright said. “The rest I can sit down with. I can have discussions with them. Granted, they’re not going to agree on everything, but I can at least discuss things with them.”
Wright said that faction controls the county’s top committees, including the Administrative, Public Safety and Finance.
They also make up enough of the board to block the super-majority needed for borrowing, he said.
At least one county supervisor has publicly stated he would never vote to borrow money; a stance that both Wright and Bieber say is wrong.
“It’s unrealistic,” Wright said. “How do you plan and maintain and keep up with what’s happening? Somewhere along the line you have to borrow.”
Bieber said he didn’t think it was a reasonable position.
“If they’ve never borrowed money in their personal life, if they’ve never borrowed for their house or their car, and they take that rule to the County Board, that’s not right,” he said.
Wright said he expects the sheriff’s election will eventually influence the next round of County Board elections.
“I think you’re going to see people starting to scrutinize that County Board very closely as to certain people on there,” he said. “Not only just the public, but I believe you’re going to see the good ones that are on that County Board that have before not said too much start telling the naysayers, ‘Let’s get things moving.’”
Bieber said he would fight for what he believes the Sheriff’s Department needs even if it’s something the County Board has said no to, but he wouldn’t fight against the board.
“What I’m going to do is educate the people,” he said. “If it’s something that I believe in, I’m going to educate the people and tell them why they need it. I’m not going to preach to the County Board.”
Bieber said he would take his case to the paper and social media.
“I will use whatever tools I have to educate the people and say, ‘Hey, people we need this. Call your supervisors, call your board member.’”
Bieber said it would be up to a county supervisor’s constituents to decide who was right.
“Once I educate the people and those obstructions on the County Board are still there, that’s the people’s choice, but I will be preaching it to the people,” Bieber said.