School Board candidates discuss top issues
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
More than half of the positions on the Whitewater Common Council are expiring in this spring’s general election, but the composition of the elected body should look similar after ballots are counted Tuesday.
Only one of the four positions up for grabs is contested this spring. Running unopposed are council members Phil Frawley in District 1, Stephanie Abbott in District 2 and Ken Kidd in one of the at-large seats.
By contrast, Aldermanic District 4 has been buzzing with activity since the filing deadline passed in early January. Early in this election season, three residents had vied for the position. But candidate Greg Meyer was eliminated as the lowest vote-getter in the February primary election.
Since then, incumbent Lynn Binnie has been facing off against Paul Yvarra in the District 4 race.
All four positions are two-year terms.
Each of this year’s candidates brings varied experiences and professional backgrounds to the table.
At a March 15 voter’s forum sponsored by the League of Women Voter’s of the Whitewater Area, four of the five candidates gave their viewpoints on a range of issues, including the possibility of ramping up fire and rescue service, economic development and taxes.
PHIL FRAWLEY (I)
ALDERMANIC SEAT: 1 (uncontested)
Did not respond to a request for biographical information
Due to a scheduling conflict, Frawley was unable to attend the voter’s forum. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to reach Frawley for comment for this story.
STEPHANIE ABBOTT (I)
ALDERMANIC SEAT: 2 (uncontested)
AGE: 23
ADDRESS: 290A N. Tratt St.
OCCUPATION: office manager with a property management company
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: member of Whitewater Common Council since 2011
Abbott, a 2013 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is completing her first full term on the council. But her political experiences began on the university campus when she took part in the Student Government Senate.
On the topic of fire and rescue service: Abbott said she does not believe taxes necessarily need to be raised if the city decides to move forward with its own department. She pointed to possible efficiencies. “The great responsibility a municipality has to its citizenry is fire and rescue,” she said.
On the topic of making Whitewater more attractive: Abbott said she believed job growth is important in the community. She lauded the recent successes of the Whitewater Technology Innovation Park and expressed a desire to explore options for a medical facility in the community.
LYNN BINNIE (I)
ALDERMANIC SEAT: 4 (contested)
AGE: 61
ADDRESS: 1315 Satinwood Lane
OCCUPATION: administer of operations at Fairhaven Senior Services
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: member of Whitewater Common Council since 2008
Binnie, who is completing his third term in office, touted his thorough nature as an attribute he brings to the council. “I don’t believe in rubber stamping any of the proposals that come to the council,” he said.
On the topic of fire and rescue service: While he does not see a need for a full-time force in the immediate future, Binnie said he believed it could be off in the horizon. “Less and less people are willing to be volunteers,” he said. For now, Binnie said he would like the city to consider all options.
On the topic of making Whitewater more attractive: Binnie said the city’s downtown district has improved with a new crop of quality businesses. He said the city also stands to be more business friendly with a streamlined zoning rewrite process that is underway.
PAUL YVARRA
ALDERMANIC SEAT: 4 (contested)
AGE: 80
ADDRESS: 401 Buckingham Blvd.
OCCUPATION: former program coordinator with UW-Whitewater Educational Administration Degree program
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: member of Whitewater School Board from 2002 to 2005
Yvarra is new to the municipal scene, but he is not a stranger to Whitewater politics. For three years, he was a member of the Whitewater Unified School District’s board. Yvarra and his family hail from Los Angeles and initially intended to stay in the community for two years. But the entire Yvarra brood fell in love with Whitewater.
On the topic of fire and rescue service: Speaking from the perspective of a resident without any detailed knowledge of the study underway, Yvarra said he would be opposed to enhancing the level of service if it meant increasing taxes. He suggested the city continue working within the existing framework and make alterations as necessary.
On the topic of making Whitewater more attractive: Yvarra said he was concerned about a tax-incremental financing (TIF) district near the roundabout area. Development in the area has been sluggish. He expressed a desire to continue working to attract businesses to the community.
KEN KIDD (I)
ALDERMANIC SEAT: at-large (uncontested)
AGE: 51
ADDRESS: 351 S. Wisconsin St. #14
OCCUPATION: physician
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: member of Whitewater Common Council since 2012
Kidd is completing his first term in office. “It’s been quite a learning experience for me,” he said. Kidd is in good company. As he points out, many of the city’s council members are new to their positions, as are a number of city leaders. Kidd said people with more robust experience have been willing to step in when needed.
On the topic of fire and rescue service: Kidd is serving on a task force studying the future of the service in the community. With rising numbers of calls and greater expectations, Kidd said he believed it is prudent to examine how the service should be offered in the future.
On the topic of making Whitewater more attractive: Green space was the focal point of Kidd’s views on enhancing the city’s quality of life. He pointed to the extensive trail system plan that has been adopted. “That’s one challenge,” he said. “The other challenge is to implement that plan.”
School board candidates
The three positions on the ballot for the Whitewater Unified School District Board are uncontested. The candidates were asked to provide a brief description of the main issues the district will face in the coming months. Their responses appear below.
CASEY JUDD
The changes in school funding are what defines the biggest challenges that our district is facing. Some of this is because of our declining enrollment, some as a result in changes at the state level.
We will be challenged to maintain our current levels of programming and opportunities for our students. It will also be difficult to recruit and retain talented staff with our current level of funding. Health care costs will also continue to be a major concern for the District.
In our public education system, unlike the for profit institutions, the shareholders, those who will profit from meeting these challenges, are the students and the communities they live in.
GRETCHEN TORRES
Our biggest challenge is to balance school funding while we experience declining enrollment. This challenge will be ongoing. We need to continue to focus on retaining our quality personnel and attracting new quality educators as needed while giving our students the best education.
As a school board member and parent of children in the district, I want to work on continuing to strengthen the relationship between the district and the families we serve.
STEVE RYAN
School finances are a big issue. Whitewater has a history of being a very efficiently operated school district, but we are losing more every year from the state; that makes it difficult to keep the high quality of education that we currently have. State legislators are trying to mandate what happens in our schools and then not funding it. I believe strongly in local control of our schools.
Keeping our high standards is another issue that is trying to be eroded by the state. Our staff has been working hard over the last three years to implement new curriculum that will meet new and higher standards than we have ever had in this state, and we are ready for it. We need to continue to give support to our district to make that happen.
Voting details
Polling places for the Spring Election will be open on Tuesday, April 1 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. City of Whitewater residents will vote at the Downtown Armory, 146 W. North St. Town of Whitewater residents will vote at the Whitewater Town Hall, W8590 Willis Bay Rd.
Absentee voting, in person at the offices of local clerks will be allowed up until 5 p.m., Friday, March 28. For more information contact the Whitewater City Clerk’s office at (262) 473-0500, ext. 202 or the Town of Whitewater at (262) 473-4639.
