Residents of Kenosha County supervisor Dist. 20 will be able to vote in the April 5 election in a contested election for their representative on the Kenosha County Board.
District 20 includes Paddock Lake and parts of Salem Lakes. Here’s a map.
Appearing on the ballot will be Steve Brown and John Poole. Incumbent Sharon Pomaville did not run for re-election.
The same questionnaire was submitted by westofthei.com to each candidate by email. Here are the candidates’ biographical information followed by their question responses, presented in alphabetical order:
Steve Brown — Age: 74. Village, town, city where you reside: Village of Salem Lakes, Wisconsin for the
past 19 years. Education: PhD – Iowa State University: Educational Leadership; M.A. – University of South Florida: Instructional Technology; B.S. – University of Florida: Broadcast Journalism. Occupation: Former tenured University Professor of Educational Leadership and School Law and Special Assistant to the University President: Northeastern Illinois University; Professor of Educational Leadership and School Law: University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; Former High School Principal (Pittsburgh, PA.; Sierra Vista, Arizona; Scottsdale, Arizona; Phoenix, Arizona); Former District-Level Administrator as Director of Special Programs (Phoenix, Arizona); Former high school teacher of Social Studies, English and Journalism (Tampa, Florida); Former Television News Anchor and News Reporter (Tampa, Florida); Currently retired. Previous elected or appointed public office: Elected School Board member, Salem School Board: 2016-2019; 2019-2022; Running unopposed for re-election for another three-year term, April, 2022. Appointed to open seat on Salem School Board: 2003-2004.
John Poole — Age: 74. Village, town, city where you reside: Village of Paddock Lake. Education: BS in Accounting from Illinois State University. Occupation: Accountant. Previous excited or appointed public office: I was elected to the Kenosha County Board three times from 2014 to 2020. I am currently a trustee on the Village of Paddock Lake Board.
1.) Why are you the best candidate for Kenosha County supervisor, Dist. 20?
Brown — Voters in District 20 in Kenosha County should vote for me because I am a fiscal conservative who wants to make sure that full and complete services for Veterans and Senior Citizens, Efficient Road Maintenance, and Law Enforcement needs as provided by the County Sheriff’s Department are provided in an efficient and meaningful manner. The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department provides all law enforcement services for the Villages of Salem Lakes and Paddock Lake. I shall smartly and carefully analyze all of the budgetary recommendations, ask comprehensive questions at committee meetings, and vote on all issues based on facts and figures and ensuring that I will support all Kenosha County citizens, especially those of us who live in the western part of the County. My opponent, John Poole, when he was a member of the County Board for six years, VOTED AGAINST the County budget FIVE TIMES. This means that his votes WERE AGAINST THE NEEDS AND NECESSARY SERVICES for VETERANS, SENIOR CITIZENS, ROAD MAINTENANCE, and support the necessary budgetary needs of THE KENOSHA COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT. Finally, I will vote to maintain the County’s continued support of the Brookside and Willowbrook facilities, unlike some who wish to shut down such operations. I have received the endorsement Kenosha County Sheriff, David Beth.
Poole — I’m the best candidate as I have served on the Kenosha County Board for 6 years and know the job. With the election of a new County Executive this April, the County Board needs supervisors that have the experience to assist the executive to craft a fiscally responsible budget that prioritizes public safety and protects taxpayers’ pocketbooks. In my previous years on the County Board, I saw too much wasteful spending, and I want to fight that waste and direct those tax dollars back to the citizens of the county.
2.) What do you see as the chief issues controlled by the county government that affect Western Kenosha County residents and how would you address them if elected?
Brown — The most important responsibility of a Kenosha County Board Supervisor is to honestly and smartly represent all of her or his constituents and to make the best possible decisions on all votes. This means, in my estimation, to study, analyze, and ask pertinent and smart questions at committee meetings (even if the Supervisor is not a member of that committee) of any portion of a pending bill to be presented for full Board passage or to vote on the full County budget. Let me also add this comment relative to this question: In my opinion, a County Board Supervisor must always understand the importance of distinguishing between personal opinions and County Board positions when communicating with the public and the media, which means to exercise a good faith effort to communicate the full truth about County matters and avoid structuring information to achieve a personal advantage, or to the advantage of any individual “special interest groups.” The only special interest group that truly matters, in my opinion, is the citizenry of Kenosha County. I will be available to my constituents, as I have been for six years as an elected member of the Salem School Board, through the use of email, telephone, Zoom meetings, and personal, face-to-face meetings. If elected as the District 20 Kenosha County Board Supervisor, I pledge to be available to communicate on a regular basis with my constituents, with monthly “Meet and Chat” meetings at the Salem Community Library, and to attend regular Board meetings for both the villages of Salem Lakes and Paddock Lake. If elected to the Kenosha County Board, I will carefully and smartly analyze and review the entire County budget. I will ask questions about any specific concerns
I might have about any line item in the proposed budget. Being responsible for a budget of $300,000,000 is a huge responsibility, and will be one that I will take seriously and will make decisions based on facts, hard data, and through asking important questions. That is my commitment. That is my promise.
Poole — There are three issues that I am hearing from residents in my district the most: public safety, fiscal accountability, and economic development. Residents are worried that crime isn’t just happening in the City of Kenosha; it’s moving west of the interstate. I believe, we need to hire more sheriff deputies to reduce speeding and fight the increasing theft and violence in our county. Kenosha County has one of the highest median property taxes in the United States. We need to control costs to keep taxes low, while still providing quality services. The budget approval is the most important job of County Board Supervisors because the outcome determines a large portion of our property taxes each year. As an experienced accountant, I will use my knowledge to provide a fair and balanced budget each year. People in my district want jobs close to their home. County government cannot create private sector jobs; it can only foster a positive environment for business growth. I believe that low property taxes create an environment so businesses will want to move here, which will lead to economic development and job creation for our residents.
