To the citizens of Jefferson:

My name is Paul Keller. I am married to Cyndi Keller, who has been your Parks, Recreation and Forestry director for the last six years. I am writing this article because Cyndi is too professional to do so. I am employed by the City of Lake Mills in their Parks and Forestry department and graduated in 1986 from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a degree in Finance and Business Management.

I am compelled to write to you because I know things that you may not, but need to. As you probably know, your Common Council will be voting on Mr. Chris Gang’s proposal to eliminate the Parks and Engineering departments next Tuesday, November 16. I am compelled to write to you because Mr. Gang’s proposal is not only unsuitable for the people of Jefferson, but for the people of any community in Wisconsin.

Mr. Gang’s proposal would amend the city’s organizational structure to eliminate the above departments, in a “bold, and visionary” manner, to rescue the citizens from “desperate” financial times. Also backing the proposal are fellow councilmen Dave Olsen, Dave McGrath and Bob Coffman. Despite their frequent claims that this proposal is not an attempt to remove the City Engineer, and Parks Director for personal reasons, I am here to tell you otherwise.

Mr. Olsen’s past problems with Cyndi are well documented, as are Mr. Coffman’s with Dan Ludwig, City Engineer. Mr. Gang has had long-standing issues with my wife’s management style, as expressed at many Park and Recreation commission meetings. Despite the opinions of many valued community members, Mr. Gang believes your current Parks Director is ineffectual, and needs to go. The rest of the Park and Recreation commission members disagree.

In tight fiscal times, responsible managers eliminate capital spending, don’t spend money on new budget items, and ask department heads to reduce their budgets across-the board. Mr. Gang, Mr. Olsen, and Mr. Coffman have done none of these. Despite Mr. Gang’s promise of a “zero percent” tax increase, he has added many purchases and increased expenditures in many areas. To make up for this increased spending, he has inflicted his own personal set of priorities upon the citizens of Jefferson through his ill-conceived proposal. Perhaps Mr. Gang has had more schooling than me, but I was taught the last resources any successful enterprise removes from its asset list are its key, highly trained professionals. When times are desperate enough to eliminate such people, you’re done. I sincerely hope Jefferson is not “done”.

Jefferson’s Parks and Engineering Departments were formed because existing personnel lacked the expertise and focus to deal with issues pertaining to these fields. Mr. Gang’s proposal would give responsibilities back to staff with no experience and expertise. For example, Mr. Gang proposes the hiring, training, and supervision of the aquatics staff (lifeguards and instructors), be taken over by Cyndi’s half-time administrative assistant. While a fine person, Mary Acketz has no experience in any of these areas. Mr. Gang’s vision of Jefferson’s future places the maintenance of a million dollar facility and the safety of the communities’ children in the hands of someone with no experience or expertise.

Mr. Gang’s proposal places budgeting responsibilities for parks, recreation, forestry, senior and aquatics centers on the shoulders of the current recreation supervisor. Tom Sukow is another fine person, but has no budgeting experience.

Mr. Gang’s proposal places the supervision of the parks and parks staff among the public works superintendent’s responsibilities. Mr. Haffelder has expressed his displeasure of adding 65 acres of parkland and two full-time and four seasonal employees to his busy schedule. What also remains unclear is who will have the time to work with local service organizations such as the Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Lions, Tackle Football Association, Friends of Jefferson Area Seniors, Chamber of Commerce, Little League Booster club, etc. These organizations have been key in developing and improving park and rec programs in Jefferson. Also unclear is who will work to keep partnerships with the Jefferson School District, Jefferson Community Foundation, and Jefferson County alive and thriving. You may not realize it, but all of these people and organizations work with Cyndi to improve your quality of life.

Another shortcoming of Mr. Gang’s proposal is it places no one in charge of Jefferson’s public tree resource. This resource was recently valued at $9.6 million by a professional appraisal firm. Mr. Gang and his supporters would leave this resource unsupervised by a trained professional. I ask you, would any of us leave a 9.6 million dollar mutual fund unmanaged? I think not! We would be called irresponsible and frivolous.

Mr. Gang’s proposal calls for the dismissal of the least-senior union employee. His fellow employees will give him a hard time about it, but Ben Sikhart is arguably the hardest working union employee on staff. What a shame it would be to lose him. A “super-employee” with HVAC, plumbing, and electrical expertise would replace him. Whether this employee would be union, salaried, or even how much this person would cost has yet to be specified by Mr. Gang. I know Mr. Gang would never suggest that electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work be performed by an unlicensed person. Licensed and certified plumbers, electricians, and HVAC personnel don’t come cheap. Perhaps that is why this number has never been included in Mr. Gang’s proposal.

Don’t even get me started on saving money by contracting out public services such as grass mowing. It has been proven time and again, that public employees provide quality, low cost services. Mr. Gang’s proposal supplied two estimates for mowing of a limited portion of your park properties. The second bid is twice the lowest bid. Red flag? Shame on you Mr. Gang! You need a minimum of three bids for city work of this size.

If Mr. Gang’s true objective was the financial side of this proposal, he would have tied up all of the loose ends in this regard. Once his objectives of removing Cyndi and Dan Ludwig from their positions were addressed, he moved on. When one proposes major change in the way a municipality does business, one dots all of the i’s and crosses all of the t’s. Mr. Gang and his associates have done neither.

Responsibility for this budget debacle needs to be shared with the newly–hired, still-on-probation, city administrator, Mr. Bruce Bierma. In a very short period of time he has proven his ability to alienate himself from his own city staff, staff from the city council, union personnel from management, and help guide Mr. Gang and his comrades in the entirely wrong direction. A more astute administrator would have shut down an ill-conceived proposal such as this before it left the first illegal meeting! The common council needs to look no further than this position to save tax dollars.

When public, elected officials such as Mr. Gang, Dave Olsen, Dave McGrath, and Bob Coffman ignore the pleas of local, respected individuals to abandon this poorly planned, shortsighted proposal, you look deeper at their personal objectives. There is no room in public service for personal agendas. They always rear their ugly heads for all to see in the end.

My own personal agenda does not include worrying about Cyndi’s future employment options. She has done a big job, admirably well, for the citizens of Jefferson, for many years. Her commitment has remained constant, and has earned her much respect from valued members of this community, as well as her peers who serve other communities in Wisconsin. Some other community in southern Wisconsin will snatch her up in short order. I will say that these proceedings have been hard on her emotionally, as anyone who has been in a similar situation can attest. It is hard to do your job and keep your chin up when powers with ill intent are targeting you. Thanks to everyone who has given her encouragement in the past weeks. My sympathies to Ben Sikhart, and Mr. Ludwig along with his family for what they’ve been through.

The resolution for passing Mr. Gang’s proposal has been written by the city administrator, and awaits final approval as early as next Tuesday. Members of the Common Council believe they have the votes to pass it. Only Mr. Tim Bare, Mr. John Wagner, and your mayor Mr. Collin Stevens have voiced their opposition to it. As of January 1, 2005, the parks and engineering departments will cease to exist. Short-term visionaries such as Mr. Gang, Mr. Olsen, and Mr. Coffman and whomever else votes for this proposal won’t pay the long-term price for it’s consequences. You, your children, and future generations will. If this proposal passes, these representatives will continue to move the people of Jefferson back in time, rather than forward.

If you care about the future of your seniors, your parks, your trees, your aquatic center, and your recreation programs, and believe that they are important enough to be professionally managed, you need to get involved in their future. Talk to every one you know in Jefferson. Be at Tuesday’s meeting if you can. Expect to stand in the hall, the parking lot, the street if need be. Let the powers-that-be know that this will not stand!