Two semi-retired dairy farmers are vying to represent the 9th District of the Waupaca County Board.
Farmington Town Chairman Dale Trinrud is challenging incumbent County Supervisor Donald Peterson in the April 1 election.
The 9th District represents part of the town of Farmington, the town and village of Scandinavia and the town of St. Lawrence.
Trinrud has served on the Farmington Town Board for 25 years and as town chairman for seven of those years.
“As town chairman, I think our board does a very good job addressing maintenance, roads and the everyday business of a township with a population of 4,000 and 78 miles of roads,” Trinrud said.
Trinrud said he has attended county Board of Adjustment, Zoning Committee and Highway Committee meetings since becoming a town chairman.
“Those committees have to make difficult decisions on land use, building and spending of tax dollars,” Trinrud said. “And they do a very good job.”
Peterson has served on the Waupaca County Board for the past 14 years. He was also a member of the Scandinavia Town Board for 10 years.
Peterson is chairman of the county’s Ag and Extension Committee, and is a member of the County Highway Committee and the Parks and Recreation Committee.
“I wanted to see if I could help the county in some way,” Peterson said when asked why he decided to become a county supervisor. “It’s been very rewarding, and I feel I have done some things that have helped the county.”
Peterson said he believes Waupaca County has no choice but to invest $1.3 million in a remodeling project at Lakeview Manor in Weyauwega.
The County Board will vote on whether to borrow $1.3 million for the project at a special meeting Friday, April 4.
“The Lakeview Manor Committee has been studying this for over two years and they feel it’s the best way to keep it going,” Peterson said. “In the long run, it will be cheaper to keep it open than closing it and having to send some of the patients to other counties.”
Trinrud said he is still researching the proposed Lakeview Manor project.
“If it’s a last-resort facility for people with dementia, then I would support the project,” Trinrud said.
He is also concerned that the facility is currently costing county taxpayers about $800,000 a year because it is no longer self-sufficient.
Trinrud said he believes the county-owned land around the facility should remain in agriculture, rather than be sold for an industrial park.
“One of the goals of the comprehensive plan was to preserve agricultural land,” Trinrud said.
Currently, Waupaca County has a moratorium on permits for new sand mines as an ad hoc committee reviews the county’s ordinances regarding nonmetallic mining.
“Waupaca County is fortunate to have the type of land that produces gravel. It provides a huge resource for the county,” Trinrud said. “We have three operating pits in the town of Farmington providing jobs for many people. Fortunately, over the years, we have received very few complaints from residents.”
“I feel that a man should be able to do what he wants with his land, but there have to be stipulations on it,” Peterson said.
He supports requiring the sand mine owners to have plans in place for reclaiming the land after the mine is closed.
“It has to be controlled,” Peterson said.