Joshua T. Siekert and William R. Winters were expected to appear in Calumet County court August 30 for their first appearance. The two men are expected to be charged in Outagamie County as well. Siekert and Winters indicated that they targeted garages with open overhead garage doors and unlocked vehicles. Items such as GPS units, I-Pods and cash were taken from vehicles. The Sheriff's Department continues encouragement of citizens to lock their garages and vehicles and remove items of value from your vehicles.

Drivers need to enter the parking lot off of Main Street and exit onto School Street. There is no School Street entrance or Main Street exit.

The five stalls closest to School Street on each side are designated for overnight parking. Overnight parking does require a permit. The permit fee is $200 and allows a person to park their vehicle in one of the designated stalls from January 1 to December 31. Non-permitted vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense.

For more information about acquiring an overnight parking permit, contact Chilton city hall at 849-2451.

Advance judging is done "Face-to-Face" so the youth have a chance to tell the judge about their project and also tell them how they accomplished producing their item. It is a great chance for a judge to critique the articles and for the 4-H members to ask questions of the judge that will help them improve and advance their skills in the future. This is a day that also helps organizers beat the rush of exhibits, 4-H members bring the majority of their projects in that don't include animals, foods, or plants. Exhibits include cultural arts, photography, woodworking, clothing, knitting, arts and crafts as well as small animals such as cats, dogs, guinea pigs that are not typically displayed at the fair. After judging is complete organizer and superintendents have time to properly display the items before the fair actually starts.

There are sixteen 4-H Clubs that represent Calumet County which host 386 members strong and 168 certified leaders. Of the 386 members in the counties 4-H program, 130 live on farms, 230 live in rural/non farm,18 live in cities of 10,000 to 50,000 population, and 8 live in cities over 50,000 in population.

Entries are up by 401 for the 2010 fair. This is a great for both the exhibitor and the fair in general. As many stereotypes about 4-H tend to think that it is for farm families, this is not so "anymore" or at least for the past couple of decades hasn't been the case. As the farms go larger in the area, and the so called family farms become more unique, the hobby farms increase, this does take away from the dairy numbers, but increases the number in the areas of horses, goats, sheep, pigs, beef, poultry and rabbits, plus the number of non-animal exhibits. Don't misinterpret that Calumet County is decreasing the number of dairy exhibits either, because dairy is holding very steady and strong, which points to the fact that our dairy exhibitors are very strong and the quality of the dairy within the county is strong as well. The biggest increase this year is seen in the horse numbers and that is due to an effort by the 4-H Horse and Pony project leaders to increase the interest in the project, plus a huge commitment by those leaders to restructure project meetings.

Advance judging is the "first trip" to the annual fair which can be considered the Super Bowl or Tournament of the 4-H year. It's a chance for the 4-H members to compete whether it be against themselves, trying to get a better placing or rating than last year or against "Sally" who always gets that blue first place ribbon. Whatever the case all 4-H members can be proud of the fact they are a huge part of making the Calumet County Fair a success and making it "The Biggest Little Fair in Wisconsin"!

If you or your family is interested in getting involved in 4-H, stop by the 4-H promotion booth (located in the Brantmeier Youth Building) or contact the Calumet County UW-Extension Office at 920-849-1450.

Ott is currently the Undersheriff for Calumet County and a police sergeant for the City of Chilton.

He is endorsed by current Calumet County Sheriff Jerry Pagel, who announced earlier this year that he is not running for another term and will retire at the end of this year. Additionally, Ott is also endorsed by Kenneth Kratz, Calumet County District Attorney; Jeffery Froelich, Calumet County Assistant District Attorney; Chilton Police Chief Larry Seipel, New Holstein Police Chief Brian Reedy, Kiel Police Chief Dave Funkhouser, former police chiefs Dan Albedyll (Chilton), Chuck Meves (New Holstein), Bob Niesen, (New Holstein), and Ron Meyer (Kiel); and former Sheriff and New Holstein Police Chief Ted Pagel.

Ott has worked in law enforcement since 1974 and he brings extensive experience to the job, including investigations of homicides, sexual assaults, armed robberies, arson, burglaries, gang crimes, internet crimes, drug related crimes, abuse, white collar crime, sensitive crimes, and the return of jail escapees.  He is a member of the Wisconsin Juvenile Officer Association, the Wisconsin Association of Homicide Investigators, and the Midwest Gang Investigators Association and served as President of the Calumet County Deputy Association.

Board shoots down alternate plan to keep it at Chilton site

Menasha resident Wayne Fischer was one of seven Calumet County residents who spoke during the public participation portion of Tuesday's Calumet County Board meeting. The subject for all seven was county plans for a new $7.8 million building for the highway department. Six were vehemently against, and one simply thanked the board for considering an alternative.

"Arrogant" was certainly the kindest thing said about the supervisors by residents who piled out of the meeting room as soon as the vote was taken. "Idiots" was probably the second nicest thing said about them, and the rest of the things said about them, loudly, aren't fit to print in a family newspaper.

In short, the folks who showed up at Tuesday's meeting were hot about the board's July decision to spend $350,000 for a design for a shiny new $7.8 million building, possibly in the Town of Chilton, to replace the outdated, Depression-era building the department now occupies in Chilton. And according to those folks, they are a microcosm of the larger community.

"It's frustrating," said Carol Austin of Chilton, who has voiced her displeasure with the highway shop plan at the past three monthly county board meetings.

"It's arrogant of them. Nobody wants this," she said after the vote. "We have a business and my husband talks to people every day. Like he says, maybe two people out of hundreds he talks to do want this garage. The Towns Committee came here and told them they did not want this. And they chose to ignore them. I don't know. People are very frustrated with the inability of the government to act for the public and represent the actual people."

"I haven't had anybody who has told me they are for this big project," said John Schwartz, chairman of the Town of Chilton. "I guarantee if I went upa nd down the road, I would hear, 'Go for the altnerative.' Who goes for the first bid?"

Schwartz was one of seven residents who spoke during the public participation portion of the meeting, and the only one who did not voice vehement opposition to the project. He politely, and perhaps politically, thanked the board for what they were about to do, and that was consider a resolution to spend $90,000 of the $93,933 balance the Highway Department has in its account for design of a combined highway maintenance shop, office space and wash bay on the current site in Chilton. The resolution did not have a final cost for building on the present site, but the figure $3 million was brought up more than once.

The resolution was jointly introduced by Supervisor Alice Connors, who represents Chilton, and Supervisor Tom Laughrin, who introduced a similar resolution that was voted down in July.

Connors reminded her 20 fellow supervisors that she and two other opponents of the $7.8 million highway plan were not at the last board meeting when Laughrin's alternate plan was shot down 10 to 8.

"If the three of us would have been there, that would have passed," she said in trying to convince her colleagues to support an alternate plan on the present site.

"We all agree something has to be done," she said.

At times it seemed the issue of a new building for the highway department was secondary to the board members expressing their personal philosophies, such as Joel Taylor, a board member representing the odd chunk of Appleton claimed by Calumet County.

He clearly enjoyed the role of hard-headed fiscal realist in a roomful of flaming idealists and romantics.

"Clearly I'm in the minority in this room. But I happen to feel like I'm making the only non-emotional fiscal decision here in supporting the building of a new highway facility. We absolutely need this," he said.

Taylor then took up where he left off last month by putting words in the mouth of Alice Connors.

"When I talked to Alice about a month ago, I said, 'Alice, you got to think long term,' and she said, 'I don't care about long term. I care about, heh, I care about my consituents and what they're saying to me.'"

This month Connors was there to call him on it, and she eventually did, saying her statement was taken out of context, and also mentioning his misquoting her at last month's meeting when her presence was required at a natonal meeting.

So what's next? Everything that happpened at the July meeting proceeds as voted on:

Proposals are due for design firms Aug. 24. The up to $350,000 contract will be awarded Sept. 7, and the finished design is expected Dec. 7.

Why the Day of Infamy was chosen as the delivery date for the finished design is anyone's guess. A cosmic joke, maybe? If so, Calumet County residents aren't laughing at the prospect of another 18 cents per $1,000 of assessed value on their future tax bills.

Chilton resident Steve Austin (standing) was one of seven Calumet County residents to speak during the public participation portion of Tuesday night's Calumet County Board meeting. Austin specifically asked the county supervisors to "stop the madness" of spendthrift government.

Doyle & Co. lure 200 new assembly jobs to Fondy

Like Oshkosh Truck, Republic Airways and a couple of other big ticket manufacturers in the state, Mercury Marine is considered to be an Enterprise Zone by the state of Wisconsin, and, therefore, eligible for incentives not available to your run-of-the-mill mill.

"We draw the zone. Really, the Enterprise Zone is a company," said Zach Brandon, deputy secretary of Commerce.

Brandon said the $5 million incentive package was based on Mercury bringing 200 new jobs to the state. Ten of those will be salaried and the remaining 190 will be union jobs, with an annual payroll of $6 million. With the consolidation of the facilities and market growth, employment is expected to grow to more than 2,500.

Mercury Marine employs close to 2,000 people in Fond du Lac now. The state expects them to have the 200 new hires on the payroll by the end of 2011, when the company says its relocated assembly plant will be fully operational in Fond du Lac .

"This says a lot about Fond du Lac," Brandon said. "They were looking at China and Mexico."

News of 200 new jobs in Fond du Lac may raise the spirits of many area under- or unemployed, but it's not good news to residents of Stillwater, Okla., where the assembly jobs are coming from Our gain is their loss.

Mercury Marine originally planned to locate the 200 assembly jobs in Mexico, but in a Tuesday press announcement Doyle said he and his administration worked closely with the company to ensure those jobs came to Wisconsin instead.

"It is great that Mercury Marine has agreed to move these 200 jobs originally slated for Mexico to Fond du Lac," Governor Doyle said.  "The company's decision recognizes the strength of Wisconsin's workforce and economy and shows that Wisconsin can compete with Mexico or any other location in the world to attract new jobs and investment.  We have worked hard to make sure that Wisconsin is a great place to do business."

Governor Doyle played an important role in helping Mercury Marine consolidate its operations in Fond du Lac, retaining nearly 2,000 jobs in Wisconsin and bringing new jobs to the state.  With the consolidation of the facilities and market growth, employment is expected to grow to more than 2,500. 

The special pay was approved by Congress as part of the 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act. Service members and veterans who involuntarily served or were on "Stop Loss" from Sept. 11, 2001 to Sept. 30, 2009, are entitled to $500 for each month served past their contracted end-of-service, resignation or retirement date.

"This additional money, this benefit, was granted by Congress to recognize that continued service," said Lernes "Bear" Hebert, acting director of the Defense Department's Officer and Enlisted Personnel Management office.

The Pentagon announced the program Oct. 21, 2009. Those eligible must apply by Oct. 21, 2010 to receive compensation. Survivors of service members who were under 'Stop Loss' orders are also entitled to the benefit. An estimated 145,000 service members, veterans and beneficiaries are entitled for the retroactive pay.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brenda Essie, a military personnel supervisor with the Wisconsin National Guard, said the application process is not difficult, especially if the eligible party has computer access.

"If they contact us, we can get them the forms required," she said, noting that the service member must submit the application with supporting documents. Most documents are available through iPERMS, the individual permanent record management system.

Hebert said the Defense Department wants to ensure everyone eligible for the special retroactive pay is compensated.

"We only have three months left for individuals to apply for this benefit," he said. "It's time to [apply] and get their application in. Notify anyone you've served with, even if they have separated, even family members of separated folks to apply."

Essie said her office has completed an initial mailing to known discharged service members, but more than 100 of those letters have been returned. She urged members and veterans who qualify, or think they are eligible for the special pay, to call Staff Sgt. Jay Sass at 608-242-3432. Additional information about the program and procedures can be found at defense.gov/stoploss

So far $111 million has been paid out to 25,000 troops and veterans affected by 'Stop Loss,' Hebert said. The average payout is $3,000 to $4,000 per claim, he added.The Pentagon has about $423 million left in the fund.

"Congress authorized a fairly generous number, so we're not concerned about the money running out," Hebert said. "We are concerned about individuals getting their applications in."

Essie agreed.

"We want to make sure everyone gets the payment they're due," she said. "I'd hate for someone to contact us Nov. 1 and there would be nothing we could do for them."

The Pentagon and individual services have been reaching out to qualified members, veterans and beneficiaries through direct mailings, veteran services organization, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the media. Those efforts will be ongoing through Oct. 21 as there is much money left to be claimed, Hebert said.

"The services have been doing tremendous outreach trying to get to all the eligibles," he said.

Initially there was a large response for claims under the program, Hebert said, but applications have since slowed down.

"Applications have tailed off," he said. "We suspect that some individuals are either engaged or busy or haven't taken the time to apply. Part of our continuing efforts is to remind them that they only have about three months left to get their application in."

Still, Hebert said he expects a surge of claims as the deadline nears. He urges those who are eligible for the retroactive pay to take advantage of it now.

"Congress authorized this for a one-year period," he said, noting it would require Congress to pass a new law in order to extend the program. "This is firm, so individuals out there who think they might be entitled to this benefit need to get their application in."

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates maintains the authority to extend military service during a period of national emergency, an authority that dates back to 1983. Many of these "Stop Loss" troops were extended involuntarily in order for their units to preserve manpower and readiness in critical skill areas, Hebert said.

"The department uses it sparingly and only when it's absolutely necessary," he said. "It's contrary to the way we operate the all-volunteer force, but it's necessary in times when you have very high demands ... where you don't have a significant number of individuals with particular skills that you might need during a national emergency.

"It allows the department a bit of breathing room in order to re-establish additional personnel in those specialties," he added.

The Army is the only service with currently-serving troops affected by the 'Stop Loss' authority. But the Army is on track to have all involuntary service ended by March next year, Hebert said.

"['Stop Loss'] is a mechanism of last resort for maintaining forces during a national emergency, so while the authority for 'Stop Loss' will still exist, the secretary has made it very clear ... he wants the services not to use 'Stop Loss' at the current time," he said.

More than $145,000 has been awarded

"We are committed to helping Wisconsin's agricultural community by investing resources and taking some additional risk in helping young and beginning producers start up and grow their operations," says Bryan Stanek, program champion and team leader with Badgerland Financial. "It's important that we do our part to keep agriculture strong for years to come."

Launched in December 2008, the "Beginning with Badgerland" program is designed to help young and beginning producers acquire the financial resources needed to start their own agriculturally-related enterprise, expand one they already have, or increase their ownership position in an existing agricultural operation.

Plus, there are many other benefits to participating in the program, including eligibility for a Badgerland Financial grant to be used for expenses associated with business-related fees, professional services, training and education.

"What's truly unique about 'Beginning with Badgerland' is it goes beyond just providing financing," says Kevin Doherty, program champion and team leader with Badgerland Financial. "With the grant funds, we want them to take advantage of opportunities that they might not otherwise have, helping them achieve long-term success."

"Beginning with Badgerland" program participants also receive a semi-annual financial check-up, management skills assessment, customized training program and the opportunity to attend an annual educational and networking conference to share their stories, ideas and experiences.

All is meant to help them achieve the level of financial success they need to qualify for credit under conventional standards and graduate from the program.

In addition to the "Beginning with Badgerland" program, Badgerland Financial supported young and beginning producers by providing more than 3,900 loans totaling more than $336 million, in 2009. 

Those interested in participating in the "Beginning with Badgerland" program must meet three general qualifications to qualify. He/she must be 35 years of age or younger, have less than 10 years of farm income and be headquartered in Badgerland Financial's 33-county service area.

For more information, visit www.badgerlandfinancial.com or contact one of Badgerland Financial's 21 local branch offices (23 E. Chestnut St.,Chilton, 920-849-9369).