Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review will publish a series of Q&As in the days leading up to the April 3 spring election for contested seats in the Wausau metro area. For a sample ballot and general election information, visit the Marathon County election information page. Watch for more election coverage and be sure to bookmark our elections page here. Candidates, listed in alphabetical order, were given the opportunity to answer identical questions in the interest of fairness. Their unedited answers are listed below.
Letters to the editor are encouraged through Monday, April 2. Email [email protected].
Marathon County Board of Supervisors, District 1
Valerie Carrillo, Challenger.
Age 48, lives in Wausau. Telecom business owner.
Political affiliation: Republican
Previous experience: While I do not have previous experience as an elected official, I do have experience working with government entities in my work. Previous Mosinee Chamber Membership and Marketing Representative.
Question: Why are you running for office?
Answer: There are decisions being made at the County level that I have concern may affect our long-term stability. I
want to be more involved in decisions that are being made that affect our community. What will happen with Mount View Care Center, the overcrowded jail issue, addressing illicit drug use in Marathon County, the out of home placements that result from the drug epidemic and monitoring the Capital Improvement Program
are all top of mind issues that will need to be addressed. In my business, I represent and negotiate for the interests of my clients to get the best products and services for their business at the best price. I have to constantly be on top of my industry to know what’s new and different or when a better price is available.
I will represent the taxpayers of Marathon County in the same way. I am a questioner. When I am provided information, I want to do my own due diligence and verify that I have the best data possible to make an informed decision. I am proactive. I will strive to make decisions that focus on solutions that meet the County’s long-term goals versus short-term solutions that have to continually be re-visited.
I am realistic. I understand that there is rarely a way to make everyone happy or encounter an opposing view.
But because I am a communicator, I will speak up and discuss how to best serve the needs of the taxpayers of Marathon County and be open to debate that leads to positive solutions. I am committed to working hard for the taxpayers of Marathon County.
Q: What do you see as the biggest challenge facing county officials in the next two years?
A: The biggest challenge I see in the next two years is keeping the budget and spending in check. It is the one area that affects every aspect of the County’s ability to be productive and meet the needs of the taxpayer.
I don’t agree with taking loans for things we used to pay cash for or the strategy of the spending down of reserves, temporary or not. Reading the sentence in the budget that refers to the spend-down of reserves that states “This may sound very risky, but is not”, does not instill confidence.
Q: If new resources were available, what one area of county services would you feel most needs additional resources?
A: New resources are not likely to be available. It is important that we be realistic about the budget and how far it can be stretched. But, if there were additional funds available, a new jail will need to be funded or more funding for mental health services would be beneficial.
Q: Should any part of the county budget be shielded from cuts? And if so, which area?
A: No one wants to make cuts that could diminish services that the County provides. Budget planning that looks ahead to future needs will allow for budgeting that prevents unnecessary cuts from having to be made. As a supporter of law enforcement, I think making cuts that may affect public safety should be shielded.
Q: What do you see as the most pressing needs for infrastructure or capital projects in the county?
A: The major capital project coming up will likely be a new jail. Realistically, that could be in the range of a 75 million dollar project. I think this will be a necessary project to make for a more safe and efficient facility. In 2017 the County spent 1.2 million dollars for out of county boarding of prisoners. This number does not include the cost of the transports the Sheriff Deputies make for court appearances and medical appointments. We have to address this issue and do what we can to reign in these costs long term.
Q: What is your assessment of the county’s overall financial position? Where do the biggest threats to the county’s financial stability lie?
A: I think the overall County financial position is stable right now. However, if we continue to take loans or bond for items like the 4.5 million dollars for capital improvements, it could be the beginning of a bad trend. We have to be mindful of long-term budgeting not only for capital improvements but other known needs, to allow for those costs to be spread over a period of time versus resorting to bonding on a regular basis.
Q: What is your vision and strategy for addressing the opioid addiction crisis?
A: What I have gathered in my research of this crisis is that the solution focus needs to be two-fold.
At the same time you are focusing on getting currents addicts clean you must be separately focused on stopping new generations of potential addicts. Simple in theory, not simple or inexpensive in reality. My inclination is that the County is not going to be able to address this issue without outside help and partnering with healthcare and rehabilitation organizations. Perhaps if we align information and resources we will be able to make a difference in this epidemic. I would also suggest we find grants and outside sources of funding to supplement the limited resources the County has to address this problem.
Q: What, specifically, will you do to improve the quality of life for the people of Marathon County?
A: The biggest thing I can do to improve the quality of life for residents of Marathon County is to provide balance. I will respect that we work for the taxpayer and make decisions that will allow the County to work within its budget. The wheel tax being made permanent without a referendum was not the way I would have liked to see this item handled. Preventing taxpayers from being unnecessarily taxed and representing them in a manner that allows for the County to be run in a safe, transparent and fiscally responsible way will create that balance.
Katie Rosenberg, Incumbent.
Age 34, lives in Wauasu. Works as a content strategist for Eastbay Brand Marketing. 
Government Experience: Two years elected, eight appointed to the Library Board as a citizen and now board member rep.
Community Involvement:
- Northern Valley Industries, Inc – Board Member
- North Central Technical College Marketing Advisory Committee – Member
- S. Global Leadership Coalition Wisconsin Advisory Committee – Member
- Community Foundation Marketing Committee – Member
- United Way of Marathon County – Women in Action
- United Way of Marathon County – Emerging Leaders
- Mount View Care Center Committee – Vice Chair (County Board Appointment)
- Health and Human Services Committee – Member (County Board Appointment)
- Marathon County Library Board – Trustee (County Board Appointment)
- Wisconsin Valley Library Services Board – Trustee (County Board Appointment)
- Transportation Coordinating Committee – Member (County Board Appointment)
- Marathon County Newsletter Editorial Board – Writer
- 100 Extraordinary Women Scholarship – Charter Donor
- I had to quit my beloved Kids Voting Wisconsin and Wausau Festival of Arts when I was elected in 2016 and I left the Diversity Affairs Commission after being appointed Vice Chair to the MVCC Committee because there is only so much time in the day but they have some great people taking the reins!
Political affiliation (if any): I don’t think it will surprise anyone that I consider myself a Progressive but those political labels mean less on a non-partisan body like County Board. This board loves and needs to compromise in order to get anything done – the NCHC agreement and the aquatic therapy pool partnership are two great examples. I don’t think anyone wants to see the County Board operate like Congress so participating in the discussions and being able to work towards collaborative decisions are important. Do I have strong personal and political values? Yes. Do those stop me from being able to hear someone out? Absolutely not.
Question: Why are you running for office?
Answer: I am running for office for three reasons:
- I want to see the most successful version of Marathon County possible. Our county population is getting older so we need to have the resources to take care of our aging neighbors. Things like the aquatic therapy pool and a strong Mount View Care Center plan will help us ensure our elders live their best lives as they age.
Mental health care is more complex – addiction, mental illness, and trauma are combining to affect individuals and families. I want to ensure that our county has the facilities and professionals to help our neighbors heal and become whole. North Central Health Care is a large part of that strategy and I want to ensure we make the kinds of program and construction choices that will set the county up for success for generations.
- Democracy is a participatory sport and I’m up. I spent decades watching my dad in the arena. I watched his childhood friends serve this community. They have done and continue to contribute great work. But I want to ensure a diversity of voices are represented at every level of government. That means I am not only encouraging others to serve, I am putting myself out there too.
- Third, I love this neighborhood. I grew up here. I learned to ride my bike in front of the houses I’m now knocking on during the campaign. My childhood friends’ parents signed my nomination and are cheering me on. They are telling me what they think is important and I agree almost instantly because of our shared values. There is no higher honor than serving the people who made me who I am.
Q: What do you see as the biggest challenge facing county officials in the next two years?
A: The county board will have no shortage of work for the next session. I think we’re seeing a lot of interrelated problems connected to the opioid crisis. We’re not just seeing drug users and addicts harming themselves, those issues are spilling over and affecting child services, lots of mental health needs, jail overcrowding, and the justice system is inundated. We are going to have to attack this issue from every angle.
Jail
We will be asked to address the jail. It’s old, overcrowded, and there are areas that can create difficult situations for the people who work there. If we are asked to build a new jail, it will likely be tens of millions of dollars. In addition to the facility, we need to look at the kinds of services we offer inmates. Getting people into treatment or access to mental health services when they are in jail and encouraging them to stay with it once they have served their time can help the entire community. There are some things that other communities have tried to alleviate jail crowding. La Crosse County, for instance, got rid of Huber inmates about ten years ago. They basically decided that if you can be out during the day, you can be monitored in ways other than showing up to jail at night. It might not be right for Marathon County but it’s worth exploring.
NCHC Master Facility Planning
We will be taking our first look at the North Central Health Care master facility plans. These plans will lay the groundwork for decades of services and we’ll need to decide how to approach our changing needs. Right now, we’re locked into a giant footprint with fairly rigid constraints. A new facility could offer more flexibility as the needs of the community change. We might currently need more beds for mental health and addiction treatment services. But in the future we might need to be able to convert those beds to address a different community need. This, like the jail, will cost many millions of dollars. And also like the jail, these services are essential to the community. This master facility plan will also guide us as we plan to renovate the nursing home and build the new aquatic therapy pool.
RTAs
I think we’ll see some movement on Regional Transit Authority legislation in the state and Marathon County should be a contributor to that conversation. Right now, we’re in a situation where we have a plurality of jobs and services offered outside the fixed route bus lines and a whole slew of Marathon County communities with no public transportation. We’ll need to find the right kind of solution for Marathon County but an RTA could help us through the funding part of the transportation planning.
Decreased State and Federal Aid
Finally, if trends over the last decade are any indication, we will likely see our state and federal policymakers pull back their support. Cuts and inaction when it comes to transportation funding have made it all but impossible to keep our county roads functional without adding extra burdens through either borrowing or the vehicle registration fee. I voted in favor of reconsidering the vehicle registration fee after five years – and I think it still makes sense reevaluate that as our budget situation changes.
Q: If new resources were available, what one area of county services would you feel most needs additional resources?
A: I would push the majority of those funds into mental health and addiction services. We have waiting lists of people who are ready to turn their lives around so I’d like to see that addressed ASAP. Similarly, I’d like to see the jail facility and services addressed.
If we won the lottery or something, I would want to expand on some of the innovative projects we’ve pioneered. We’re just starting the LENA project that is kind of like a word pedometer for babies. It keeps track of how many words babies are hearing from their parents and it gives parents ways to help their babies develop their language skills. Likewise, we have the Start Right program that matches parents with new babies with services to ensure they are getting everything they need to be successful during that first year of life.
Finally, I would be very interested in looking at some sustainability projects. There are some energy co-operatives that will help municipalities install things like solar panels by funding the sale of bonds. We saw the TB Scott Library up in Merrill take advantage of a program like that and it’s not only saved energy, it’s created a culture of sustainability where people can learn about the whole process. I really want to see that happen here in Marathon County.
Q: Should any part of the county budget be shielded from cuts? And if so, which area?
A: I wouldn’t want to see cuts to any essential services – emergency services like crisis and the sheriff’s department. We’re also seeing how important it is to have a responsive highway department. We saw that last spring when County Highway NN washed out. We need to be able to fix those situations as they happen. Finally, we’re living through this opioid epidemic and we’re really seeing how all of our services are interrelated. When a lot of people suffer with addiction at the same time, it stresses families, schools, health care, the justice system, and the economy. Approaching this problem from every angle is the only way to start making progress.
Q: What do you see as the most pressing needs for infrastructure or capital projects in the county?
A: I think we’ll see that the jail, the NCHC master facility plans, and the nursing home are the biggies but this year we saw the toll not funding small projects for nearly a decade has taken. The library has needed a new roof for a decade. Not fixing it saved money in the short term but ultimately leaks damage our buildings. I’m glad we finally voted maintain the building. We voted to borrow $4.5M and fund the most pressing projects this year but we still have a bunch of unfunded CIP projects. I think we’ll see that list grow.
Q: What is your assessment of the county’s overall financial position? Where do the biggest threats to the county’s financial stability lie?
A: Marathon County is in a strong financial situation. If you pull out the airport (which pays back the debt thanks to the revenues it takes in), there is really just a small amount of debt on the county’s books. We will be borrowing to fund $4.5M in CIP projects and the $3M for the aquatic therapy pool but we will still be far below our borrowing capacity and we are in a strong position to consider the future. It’s an enviable position to be in for a lot of municipalities.
There are a couple challenges the county will face. First off, dwindling state and federal support. We have been able to keep up with the county’s mandatory obligations as well as projects that the community expects from their local government (for instance, well water testing, a county run nursing home, maintained roads) but that will become more difficult as time goes on. The easy cuts are over. We only have tough decisions about what and how to fund county projects.
We also need to look ahead at what will be expected of county resources in the future. One of the outcomes of the youth prisons reorganization could be that counties would take those facilities. State lawmakers have said that the counties have been able to provide better results than the state. If this happens, Marathon County will need to plan and be ready for that possibility.
Q: What is your vision and strategy for addressing the opioid addiction crisis?
A: My vision is a Marathon County where every addict has timely access to affordable treatment, services to help their families thrive as they become whole, and if addicts encounter the justice system, that system is able to swiftly move through the process and reenter society in a better place.
In order to get there, we need commitment, data, and continuous learning. Marathon County and our state and federal colleagues need to make understanding and funding each of these facets a priority. We are collecting a lot of data and we’re connecting a lot of dots. I think once we have a clearer picture of how addicts are interacting with our services, we’ll be able to find places where we need to put in more effort – maybe that’s more treatment beds and addiction counselors – and places where we can pull back or use more strategically. Finally, I’m hoping that once we start seeing the results of the Marathon County drug court, we learn quickly how to make that as efficient and effective as possible.
Q: What, specifically, will you do to improve the quality of life for the people of Marathon County?
A: I will continue to advocate for access to health services for individuals and families in Marathon County – whether that’s continued work on projects like the aquatic therapy pool and Mount View Care Center renovations, or that’s expanded funding for mental health services or affordable addiction services. I want every person in Marathon County to live their healthiest life.
I will also continue to advocate for diversity and inclusion. Ensuring every person can contribute his or her strengths to this community brings emotional and economic benefits to the whole community.
Finally, I will continue to be an open and transparent policymaker. By the time you publish this, I will have held seven constituent meetings with my City of Wausau District 1 counterpart, Alderman Pat Peckham. I will have written around a dozen articles for the Marathon County Newsletter. I will have published dozens of public posts on my Facebook page explaining my thought process on votes and asking for input from my neighbors. I will also have responded to hundreds of emails, dozens of phone calls, received a smattering of letters in the mail, and talked to my neighbors at regular neighborhood meetings, the farmers market, and during walks through the neighborhood. I am accessible and I want to tell people about what’s going on at the county. You can expect more of the same in that regard.
Q: Anything else you’d like voters to know?
A: I just want to thank my neighbors for trusting me to represent their interests for the last two years. It really has been an honor and a privilege to serve as a constitutionally elected official. I hope that I have kept my neighbors informed, made the right decisions based on sound logic, and helped make Marathon County a little better in the long run. I look forward to serving for another two years.
