Town of Magnolia candidates
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Fern McCoy
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Lauraine J. Smith
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Graceann Toberman
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Carrie Roberts
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Kurt Bartlett
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Keith E. Lynn
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David A. Olsen
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Sally J. Feeney
Chair
Fern McCoy (I)
Age: 75
Address: 3717 Knutson Road, Evansville.
Job: Retired
Education: Graduate of Janesville High School.
Community service: Treasurer of the Bethel Cemetery Association, secretary of the Zion Ladies Aid, served on the board of three fire departments.
Elected posts: Elected to the town board in 1979; served as town board chair since 1988.
Major campaign issues: My major campaign issue is to protect the health and welfare of the town of Magnolia citizens. I would like the citizens of Magnolia to be treated fair and equal. Also, I would like to preserve the agricultural land and keep it rural.
Lauraine Smith
Age: 63
Address: 12618 W. Dorner Road, Brodhead.
Job: Realtor with First Weber Group
Education: Janesville Craig High School graduate, bachelor’s degree in dietetics from UW-Stout in 1967, master’s degree in food systems administration from University of Tennessee in 1975.
Community service: Girl Scout leader, Home Health volunteer, Master 4-H volunteer and volunteer tutor for Literacy Council in Madison.
Elected posts: None
Major campaign issues: “I want the opportunity to serve Magnolia Township as chairperson to create an atmosphere of respect and honesty while positioning Magnolia to preserve, protect and enhance all resources through cooperative efforts with all electors and landowners.”
Clerk/treasurer
Graceann Toberman (I)
Age: 46
Address: 13343 W. County B, Brodhead.
Job: Self-employed seamstress and farmer with husband and family
Education: Graduate of Evansville High School in 1981; municipal clerk training core curriculum course; election administration, chief inspector training; poll worker training; annual meeting classes; board of review classes; online tax collection classes, etc.
Community service: Catechism teacher at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church and past volunteer at Footville Elementary School
Elected posts: Magnolia treasurer, 1993-2003; Magnolia clerk/treasurer, 2003-present.
Major campaign issues: “I have 16 years experience working as treasurer and clerk/treasurer. I feel privileged to serve the people of Magnolia. I enjoy my job and would love to continue in this position.”
Carrie Roberts
Age: 33
Address: 2007 Highway 213, Evansville.
Job: Finance coordinator for McFarland School District.
Education: Graduate of Evansville High School in 1994; course study in accounting and marketing.
Community service: None.
Elected posts: None.
Major campaign issues: “Accountability and experience is what I will bring to the Magnolia Township when elected. Detailed financial reports and up-to-date budget reports will be available at each monthly meeting. Researching possible investment options that will produce revenues for the township will be at the top of my list.”
Supervisor 1
Kurt Bartlett (I)
Age: 50
Address: 15346 W. Townsend Road, Brodhead.
Job: Project engineer
Education: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UW-Madison in 1982.
Community service: None.
Elected posts: Appointed to town board in October 2007.
Major campaign issues: “Magnolia is a small, agricultural community. Our Comprehensive Plan recognizes that the people of Magnolia would like to maintain our community as it is. As town supervisor, I will balance the needs of our citizens, from the individual small landowner to the corporate large landowner, for what’s best for Magnolia.”
Keith Lynn
Age: 42
Address: 5101 N. Coon Island Road, Evansville.
Job: Acting lieutenant and fire investigator at Beloit Fire Department; certified canine handler with the Maine State Police Arson Canine Program; instructor with the Department of Military Affairs/Wisconsin Emergency Management and Fire Service; instructor at Blackhawk Technical College.
Education: Delavan-Darien High School graduate; associate’s degree in fire science from Blackhawk Technical College in 1985; continuing education classes at BTC, National Fire Academy, WOS Fire School, Gateway Technical Institute; University of Illinois-Illinois Fire Service Institute, Maine State Police Canine Accelerant Detection School, University of Maryland-Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute.
Community service: Magnolia 4-H, shooting sports leader.
Elected posts: None.
Major campaign issues: “My major campaign issue is fiscal responsibility and accountability. As a governmental body, Magnolia Township needs to promote and practice responsible financial behavior. If the township fails to quickly address the growing imbalance between expenses and available revenue, there will be no community to leave to our children.”
Supervisor 2
Dave Olsen (I)
Age: 48
Address: 4124 N. Coon Island Road, Evansville.
Job: 23 years at The Schlueter Company (tube/bar cutting and forming)
Education: Two years at UW-Platteville and UW-Whitewater
Community service: None.
Elected posts: Town board supervisor for the past six years.
Major campaign issues: “I am financially responsible. Some would like to build a new town hall, but I am not willing to raise the tax rate. A new tile floor could be a good option. I believe our environment needs to be protected for us and future generations. It’s easy to protect, but tough to restore. Roads are by far the largest town expense. We must control this cost by competitive bidding and watching for road damage.”
Sally Feeney
Age: 47
Address: 15110 W. County A, Evansville.
Job: Intermediate school teacher
Education: Janesville Parker High School graduate; elementary education degree from UW-Whitewater in 1986; master’s degree in education from UW-Whitewater in 1994; Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program certificate from UW Extension in July 2008; 36 graduate credits beyond master’s degree.
Community service: AWARE Agency in Evansville, Toys for Evansville, Holiday Food Drive, Children’s Global Peace Project, which allowed her to hand deliver posters made by Evansville students to schools in India, and the Ghandi Peace Institute Headquarters in Deli.
Elected posts: None.
Major campaign issues: “We need to work together to strengthen our community. I have many tools, people skills, problem-solving strategies that I will draw upon to serve. I will demonstrate initiative, listen intently, understand all sides of issues, assume responsibility, exercise sound decision-making, and consider feedback from community members.”
Apr 7, 2009 at 10:31 p.m.
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The challengers really likes to throw the 4-H involvement around. I would like newcomers to the area know that Fern McCoy was the chairman of the Magnolia 4-H Club for many years. Back then parents with the name of Andrew, Larson, McCoy, Mauerman, Radtke, Hamilton, Howard, Hatlen, Burhans, Fenn, Rowald, Spanton, Miller, Perry worked together to make Magnolia 4-H Club a strong club even back then. I wish the that citizens would remember that time and start working together.
Mar 26, 2009 at 11:12 p.m.
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magnoliaresident
Are you interested in having this format reveal things from other candidates history?
I am wondering how old you are?
Mar 26, 2009 at 10:54 p.m.
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I support the town board currently serving.
If you check with any other township you will see the Magnolia taxes are very reasonable.
The board members have volunteered for many hours of unpaid work.
I have not seen the people running against the board at many of the town meetings. I am wondering if they have an idea of the hours required and will be able to devote that much time to Magnolia.
Thanks to the Magnolia Town Board.
This is a great place to live.
Mar 25, 2009 at 1:45 p.m.
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The cemetary board has meetings every year that people of the township can attend they are posted in public notices. No one except the people on the board show up. For 21 years now I go to the East Magnolia cememtary weekly. My duaghter is buried there along with other family members. I think that the people who mow do a wonderful job. They are not all teenagers. Anyone who has mowed a cemetary knows how hard it is. May be Magnolia Resident you were not around 30 yrs ago when the township cemetaries were over run with brush and long grass. Some very thoughtful people restarted the Cemetary Asoc. and really cleaned up all 3 of the township's cemetaries. They enlarged the East Cemetary so that people of the comunnity could have there final resting place in Magnolia. These cemetaries are "show places" for people to come and visit. Also if any of you out there wonder about the flag pole at the East Cemetary? It was given in memory of Harold Mauerman and Jimmy Barrenger who mantained these cemetaries for many years (both men are buried there) and the flag pole is mantained (new flags) by the Mauerman Family.
Mar 24, 2009 at 2 p.m.
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BeReal1--Give the poor guy a break. What else does Dave have to talk about?
-He keeps saying he won't build a Town Hall. I haven't met any candidate in Magnolia who would spend money right now to build a new Town Hall. The request for a feasibility study was an issue from the last election….
-He is all for being fiscally responsible but he voted to award an expensive roadside mowing contract without asking for bids. And it didn't go to the person who informally offered to do it for the least amount of money. When asked about the lack of a formal bidding process we were told it wasn’t “legally required”. Legally Required, no. Fiscally Responsible, yes.
-He votes to budget and award the cemetery mowing job without any guidelines on how often to mow or any maximum amount of money we are willing to spend. When asked if there should be a maximum expense so we can budget we were told “how would we know now how often the grass should be mowed?” We have teenagers deciding how much the mowing will cost the taxpayers.
-This board as a whole has little financial control. Magnolia doesn’t get bids unless legally required, we pay and/or over pay bills without understanding what we are paying for, we did the Town accounting legally incorrect for years even though our clerk/treasurer has a lot of experience and education on the subject and we show very little understanding of the business side of the township.
-When dealing with the budget and other strictly financial issues, Dave has no input. I don’t think he understands the spreadsheets or what is being discussed. Which leads to my final point…..
-And MagnoliaResident’s favorite Dave comment...it was only a "thimble full" of pot.
Mar 24, 2009 at 1:06 p.m.
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Magnolia township needs a change.
Mar 24, 2009 at 11:04 a.m.
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Dave Olsen needs to review meeting minutes from last November when he, Fern McCoy and Kurt Bartlett voted AGAINST a motion to keep the tax levy where is it at. Fortunately, the citizens of Magnolia voted YES to keeping the tax levy where it is at.
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