Letter: Local Democratic Party candidates adopt platform

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To the editor:

We, as Brown County Democratic nominees for office, adopt the following as our platform:

We believe the repair and maintenance of county roads and bridges are of the highest priority.

We oppose any tax increase for property owners and residents of Brown County.

We believe it is a privilege to provide service to Brown County residents. We believe every officer, appointee and employee is required to provide good customer service in a conscientious and courteous manner.

We believe public officeholders and department heads are stewards of all county assets, and each department, office and county-affiliated operation of any kind shall maintain a full and current accounting of all county assets under said stewardship. This includes land and timber thereon. No asset(s) shall be disposed of in any manner other than in full compliance with state law and with specific approval by the applicable governing board, after timely public notice and due consideration of public input.

We believe in the dignity of, and civil and human rights of all people. We call for the end to racism in all forms. We call for a review of all county laws, directives and initiatives of all kinds by any agency or segment of county government to determine if any such laws, directives or initiatives have or could result in racism or inequality in any form. We call for the expeditious remediation of any such instances so found.

We are opposed to the use of county funds to subsidize payment of the music center’s debt obligation. We believe music center management should search for other means to meet its obligations.

We believe the taxpayers of Brown County should not be asked to provide health insurance to part-time officeholders. This is a benefit rarely found in the private sector for part-time work.

We believe there is no useful purpose served by the existence of the Brown County Regional Sewer District, and it should be dissolved. No proof supported by observation of empirical evidence shows good cause to force county homes and businesses off of septic systems already installed. The Hometown Engineering report determined that no new sanitary sewer system is economically feasible without wide-scale hookup.

We believe government should provide for the highest possible degree of transparency and response to information requests concerning public records. The county should maintain and keep current a website containing information on the county’s financial condition, meeting minutes, transcripts, recordings, and data pertinent to the mission of each department or office.

We believe that eminent domain or condemnation should not be used to acquire land for recreational purposes such as the Salt Creek Trail, nor for private development.

We will reduce the county’s extravagant and excess legal costs.

County commissioner candidates Tracey Callahan Burnett, Ronald E. Fleetwood; county council candidates Kenneth Birkemeier, Kevin G. Fleming, Melissa K. Parker (submitted by Fleming)

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