District 1 - Steve Carrow
Personal Background
Currently hobby farming and planting lots of nut and fruit trees.
I have volunteered in the past in Boy Scouts, Sierra Club, the environmental commission for a Chicago suburb, and currently volunteer at our local food pantry and the Driftless Folk School.
Vision for Richland County
While retired, I still have time and energy to give to the community. A democratic Republic won't work if we are all spectators and defer to Madison or Washington. All need to step up as they are able, and participate so we can maintain and even improve what has been handed down to us.
What are your main goals or priorities for Richland County?
My goal is to help our county prepare for a future that will be filled with change. The county board will be making hard choices to direct tax funds to those priorities that best enable us to become more self reliant, resilient, and able to ride through potentially rough times.
I think that working for a stable, sustainable economy; one that meets local needs with local resources when possible, while continuing environmental restoration will be my main focus.
A balance between population ( all demographics, particularly the working demographic), housing, and adequate jobs to afford said housing would be the ideal to strive for.
Key Issues
Identify key issues facing Richland County and your proposed approach to addressing them.
As mentioned above, striving for a balance between housing, demographics, and adequately paying jobs. We should increase collaboration with Richland Center and other municipalities, as well as regional efforts. Zoning and other ordinances should be reviewed for any ways to add housing, for example Accessory Dwelling Units.
Working through the demographic imbalance as the baby boomers age out. This will take years. Finding ways to make Richland county a destination for young families will be key to improving and maintaining the size of the working age demographic . See what the county can to to help school districts.
Another key issue will be navigating a changing economic landscape as energy costs increase, and efforts to transition to more sustainable ways may be legislated. We can try to be proactive, and come up with ways of modifying our ways and means. We had a timely and fortunate improvement in the state revenue sharing this past year, but it was still not enough, and we will be likely faced with continuing hard choices to balance budgets while funding essential services,
Collaboration and Communication:
How do you plan to collaborate with other County Board members and local stakeholders?
I find it useful, and prefer to discuss issues one on one to really understand others' take on things. Committee meetings are not the best setting for bouncing ideas and slowly finding common ground.
I plan to do more of that, with the hope that when need for collaboration arises, we'll be better able to come to agreements and compromises.
Your approach to fostering open communication and transparency within the County Board and with the public.
We have improved a lot in the last couple years, but more can be done. The
ordinances became accessible on line, but we will want to do more awareness
effort, so the public knows about it.
Conclusion
Any final thoughts or messages to the residents of Richland County.
I take the role of supervisor seriously, but there is so much to learn and take in to account when doing the county's business. I'll just say that I try to prepare as best I can, but also need input from those I represent. Drop me a note or give a call sometime.