Meet the Candidates - April 5th 2022 Election

Last Wilderness Alliance contacted candidates for the April 5th 2022 election for County Board Supervisor in Ward 2 (Presque Isle/Winchester) and for the newly created judgeship in Vilas County and asked them to reply to our Candidate Survey. We hope their unedited responses will help LWA supporters make an informed decision on April 5.  Voting information about how to register to vote, vote absentee, and early voting is available on the following websites – piwi.us and winchesterwi.com

Vilas County Board Candidates

Patrick Eesley:  Mr. Eesley did not respond to the candidate questions and referred us to his candidate profile posted on the Facebook page of the Northwoods Review.

Richard Logan:

1. Please tell us why you have chosen to run for County Board Supervisor?

I’ve lived in Presque Isle and Winchester for most of my life. My adult life has been devoted to public service. I served my country when I was drafted into the Army in 1972 at the age of 18. I started working for the Wisconsin DNR in 1993 and continued to work there until I retired from the WI DNR Division of Forestry in 2014. Since my retirement, I have continued my commitment to public service. I have volunteered with the North Lakeland Discovery Center, in many roles over the years, most recently serving as the Construction Manager for a $3.9 million expansion and renovation of that facility to allow for year-round nature programming. Public service is in my blood. My father served on the Vilas County Board for 20 years. With the retirement of County Board Supervisor Chuck Hayes, I saw an opportunity to continue my commitment to public service and follow in my father’s footsteps. My father was an honorable man and if elected I will be honored to serve the communities where I have lived for most of my life.

2. Please provide a summary of your background and experience that you believe qualifies you for this position.

I know and understand our area thoroughly. I grew up here, I worked here, and I retired here. I attended the grade school which used to stand across from Headwaters State Bank in Presque Isle. I have been a voter here since I was 18 and a property owner and taxpayer since the late 70s. I now live in Winchester. My job with the Wisconsin DNR Division of Forestry required that I work with people with many different points of view. Collaborating with multiple stakeholder groups is one of my strengths. In 2008 I was chosen by the WI DNR Division of Forestry leadership team to attend the DNR Leadership Academy. I was not chosen so that I could learn leadership skills but rather to hone skills, which they recognized, I already possessed. I’m a team builder and an advocate for working through differences to find solutions that will address differing interests. I served on the Winchester Planning Commission for a number of years and I understand the challenges that small communities face as they attempt to balance the need to grow an economy that will support families and at the same time preserve the best qualities that small town America provides – an opportunity to know your neighbors and to preserve the natural resources that makes our communities so special. I also served on the Winchester Library Board and appreciate what a library means to a community. My motto as a member of the County Board will be Collaboration, Communication and Conservation. I think my background, experience, and volunteer service demonstrate that the voters can count on me to deliver on those principles.

3. Recent Vilas County Board members were faced with the question of whether a local municipality should be able to determine if the county roads should be open to ATV/UTV’s or if the county should have the final say over County roads regardless of the wishes of the local community. How do you feel about this issue?

Vilas County has traditionally worked with the local Town Boards to develop a partnership with the individual Towns. This partnership can lead to long term solutions to any issues regarding ATV/UTV use of county roads. I believe the ideal solution is to have the county board work to create and adhere to a plan that includes working with the local Town Board prior to any decisions being made regarding ATV/UTV use of county roads.  Clearly some communities in Vilas County have welcomed ATV/UTV users as a part of their economic development plan. Other communities have based their economic development on other activities such as biking and other silent sports. I believe that the solution will have a number of elements to it, while some communities may welcome on road use of ATV/UTVs some may welcome ATV/UTVs but only on designated trails and others may prefer to focus only on silent sports enthusiast while others may prefer some combination of all three. I believe that there is room for ATV/UTV users in Vilas County and that there is room for silent sport enthusiasts in Vilas County. One size doesn’t fit all. As a County Board Supervisor I will work very hard to re-establish that “Partnership of Trust” and to respect the wishes of individual communities to define their branding and their own economic development plan.

4. If you were to be appointed to a county board committee to try and resolve the differences between motorized recreational vehicle users, (for example ATV/UTV’s ) and silent sports users, (for example bikers, and hikers), what would be your approach?

I believe that my job as an elected representative from Presque Isle and Winchester is to reflect the wishes of my constituents and not to impose the views of other County Board members on them. As I said in answer to Question 3 above, one size does not fit all. Framing an issue as an either/or solution is a recipe for conflict. If I were appointed to serve on a County Board Committee to try and address the different points of view between ATV/UTV users and silent sports users, I would use my experience as a Collaborator and a Communicator to help re-define the issue from that of an either/or win/lose dynamic to that of a win/win approach by broadening the options and looking for solutions that reflect the wishes of my constituents.

5. What other issues would you expect to be working on as County Board
Supervisor?

The population of District 2 is increasing in age and balanced meals plus social interaction are critically important for the overall health and wellbeing of seniors. The Vilas County Aging Disability Resource Center has a low cost meal program in Boulder Junction but this does not meet the needs of seniors in our area – especially during the winter months. The Winegar American Legion Post 480 has been helping with this and as a veteran I support their efforts but I think Vilas County can do more to help these local groups provide services to our growing aging population. I am also very interested in our County highway system as these County roads are the only means in and out of Presque Isle and Winchester. While County Highway B has been re-surfaced and upgraded, improvements to Highways W, P, & J are also critical to assure the safe and secure travel of residents and visitors. This will be one of my goals as County Board Supervisor. And because of my career in protecting our natural resources, I am eager to contribute to other County Board Committees such as Land and Water Conservation and Zoning and Planning.

6. Do you have any other comments that you would like to share with the voters?

Vilas County is a very large and diverse County. With a budget of nearly $38 million I will be committed to balancing the need for services with that of respecting the finances of our taxpayers. I am prepared to do the hard work necessary to represent the people of my District. Public service is a part of my family tradition. I am grateful to everyone who supports my candidacy and hope that you will Vote for me on April 5 and encourage others to do the same. I am committed to working hard and working for you.

Logan “Meet and Greet” events:  

Presque Isle- Sat. Mar. 19 2pm-4pm  Presque Isle Town Hall

                      Thurs. Mar. 24 10am-Noon Presque Isle Town Hall

Winchester – Sat. Mar. 19 10am-Noon Winchester Town Hall

                      Thurs. Mar. 24 2pm-4pm Winchester Town Hall

Vilas County Judge Candidates

Meg O’Marro:

1. Please tell us why you have chosen to run for judge.

My decision to run for judge was born out of the respect I earned from county and state officials and my love for Vilas County. After working 3 years, 8 months for Vilas County, I was approached by Vilas County Board Members who asked me to run. I was later contacted by a retired Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice who also encouraged me to run. The Board Members and Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice observed my legal work for the county and believed I would be an excellent judge. They understood that I had fought difficult cases for Vilas County and won. One of those cases involved a company that wanted to bring 3 tanker trucks a day to Presque Isle, fill those trucks with Carlin Lake water and transfer that water out of state to a bottled water plant. Through my legal work, I prevented this from happening. Had I lost this case, a terrible precedent would have been set for the industrialization and commercialization of Vilas County lakes. Another difficult case involved Vilas County’s Universal Addressing System. Vilas County adopted a Universal Addressing System to combat the problem first responders often faced when they responded to 911 calls and came to a property that had multiple buildings and roads but only one address. Because it was difficult for first responders to know which building to respond to in a crisis, a Universal Addressing System was necessary. The Universal Addressing System required the assignment of address numbers to every habitable building and the assignment of road names to every road. A resort in Presque Isle refused to abide by the ordinance and actually obstructed county workers who attempted to install address numbers and road names. I fought the resort owners in the Circuit Court, Court of Appeals and the Wisconsin Supreme Court and won. As a result, first responders can do their job more effectively and Vilas County residents and tourists can get the help they need quickly. As Assistant Corporation Counsel, I protected vulnerable children and adults from abuse, neglect and mental deterioration and often worked with Native Americans through the Indian Child Welfare Act in this capacity. After having received support and encouragement to run by county and state officials, my decision to run was made easy by my love for Vilas County. This love stems from my father who was beaten as a little boy. At a young age my father mentally escaped his abuse by dreaming of the family he would have one day and the love and experiences he would provide that family. Vilas County made my father’s dreams come true. Over 50 years ago, my parents bought a property on Rest Lake in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin. Whenever my father was teaching my 5 siblings and I to waterski, fish, etcetera, he was teaching himself. The beauty and quiet of Vilas County kept my father’s traumatic memories at bay. He was always at peace in Vilas County and so was my family. At age 83, my father had been retired one year as a dentist. He was scheduled to have a major heart surgery that he would have either not survived or, if he survived, he would have required ongoing care. At that time, my father cancelled his surgery without telling anyone, shut off his phone without telling anyone and drove to Manitowish Waters. After not hearing from my father, I drove to my parents’ home on Rest Lake and found him face down in the snow. I retraced my father’s steps the evening prior and discovered he had a wonderful time at Ye Old Sheleighly talking to people and telling stories like he loved to do. My father was my hero and like a hero he went out on his own terms in the place he always found peace. When I found my father, I promised him I would do something very special for the place he loved most. Becoming a judge and serving the county is an excellent way for me to do that.

2. Please provide a summary of your background and experience that you
believe qualifies you for this position.

Currently I’m a state prosecutor. I’m an Assistant District Attorney for Milwaukee County and prosecute CHIPS (Children in Need of Protection or Services) cases. My work duties include court hearings, jury trials, legal research and motion drafting. I’m fortunate that Milwaukee County has allowed me to work remotely in Vilas County and to run for Vilas County Circuit Court Judge. From August, 2017 until April, 2021, I was Assistant Corporation Counsel for Vilas County. In that role, I prosecuted CHIPS cases, Adult Protective Service cases, Guardianship cases, Truancy cases, Mental Health Commitments, Complex Forfeiture cases and ordinance violations. I have experience litigating cases in court, researching legal issues, drafting legal briefs, litigating cases to the Circuit Court, Court of Appeals and the Wisconsin Supreme Court. I also have experience advising county department heads on legal matters. Prior to working for Vilas County, I operated a private law practice entitled “O’Marro Law Office, L.L.C. for over a decade. Through my law firm, I handled hundreds of cases in the following areas: Criminal Law; Probation and Parole Law; Juvenile Justice Code; Children’s Code; Family Law; Civil Law; Probate Law; Property Law; Substance Abuse, Disability and Mental Health Law; Guardianship and Conservatorship Law; Protective Service and Placement Law; Municipal Law; Public Health Law; Zoning Law; Bankruptcy Law; Administrative Law; and Appellate Law. Also through my private practice, I tried hundreds of cases to courts and juries and, I researched, drafted and argued hundreds of legal briefs. I’m qualified to serve as Circuit Court Judge because I have extensive litigation experience in several areas of the law and in every level of Wisconsin’s Judicial System. I have tried numerous cases to courts and to juries. My work has brought me into prisons, juvenile detention centers, hospitals, schools and government offices. I have worked with key actors in the legal system including probation officers, district attorneys, public defenders, medical practitioners, law enforcement officers, social workers and judges. As a result, I have strong knowledge of the court system, court procedure, the rules of evidence and constitutional law. A judge must have the knowledge and experience I have to sit on the bench and make rulings that affect the lives of others.

3. It has been proposed that the new judicial branch will be in charge of Drug Court. Please tell us your thoughts on this and any experience that you have that would help you in this capacity.

Vilas County has been in dire need of a Drug Court because substance abuse is an ongoing problem in Vilas County. As Vilas County Assistant Corporation Counsel, I was on the Drug Endangered Children Task Force and looked for methods to safely remove children from drug infested homes and for methods to ensure social workers and law enforcement officers were protected when they went into those homes. Many of the CHIPS (Children in Need of Protection or Services) cases I handled in Vilas County and currently in Milwaukee County involve parents who abuse substances. I am aware of the catastrophic effect substance abuse has on the family and the services that are necessary to stop the cycle of abuse. Milwaukee County has a Drug Treatment Court that many of the parents in the cases I handle are admitted to. I have experience working with those parents and social workers and monitoring their progress or noncompliance that warrant sanctions. My work as a criminal defense attorney gave me experience working with people with significant AODA issues. I have worked with medical professionals and probation officers to identify the mental health and substance abuse issues of the offender and to develop a treatment plan. I have also worked with District Attorneys to devise plea agreements that provide incentives for an offender to achieve and maintain sobriety. As a mother of five children, I understand life brings challenges to everyone. In order to help someone overcome those challenges, there are times when you need to be gentle, times when you need to be strict, and times you need to motivate the continuance of good behavior by praising work well done. These times are ongoing in Drug Treatment Court.

4. Do you have other ideas that will help the delivery of court services to our
county?

With the onset of COVID-19, Vilas County began to conduct a majority of its hearings by Zoom. This trend toward virtual justice must be done very carefully and a committee of court officials, lawyers and judges must be devised to develop rules that regulate when a hearing can be conducted virtually. These restrictions are very important because the U.S. Constitution guarantees the Right to Due Process of Law, the Right to a Fair Trial and the Right to Confront and Cross Examine Your Accuser. In light of these rights, a jury trial or evidentiary hearing should never be conducted virtually because there is no way to prevent someone off camera from influencing a juror or witness appearing virtually. In addition, it’s impossible to confront and cross examine your accuser or determine the credibility of a witness who appears on a screen. I also believe Vilas County should establish a Help Desk for pro se litigants. There is a growing number of individuals who represent themselves in court because they cannot afford a lawyer. This trend congests the court with legally insufficient pleadings and ineffective hearings. The Help Desk has been created in many other Wisconsin Counties and has proven to be effective in addressing the problem of pro se litigation. The Help Desk would be staffed by attorneys from the local bar association who agree to give two hours of their time a month to meet with pro se litigants, review their court pleadings and coach them on the legal process so that they are prepared for court, know what to expect, and know what to bring.

5. Do you have other comments that you want to share with the voters.

Yes, I am the more experienced candidate in this election for Branch 2 Circuit Court Judge. I am the only candidate who has jury trial experience, experience as a state prosecutor, county attorney and private practitioner. I am also the only candidate who has delivered positive results for Vilas County and those results involved tough fights in the Circuit Court, Court of Appeals and Wisconsin Supreme Court. I have done more for Vilas County than my opponent. To prove this, I went to our Clerk of Courts, Beth Soltow, and asked for an accounting of the number of cases I handled in the 3 years, 8 months I was Vilas County as Assistant Corporation Counsel and the number of cases Daniel Overbey handled in the 18 years he lived and worked here. The results are shocking. In 3 years, 8 months, I handled 969 Vilas County Cases. In 18 years, Overbey handled only 56 Vilas County Cases. I have several years of experience working with Native Americans under the Indian Child Welfare Act and understand the challenges Native Americans face. Based on my experience, qualifications and service to Vilas County, I ask that the voters vote for me on April 5, 2022

Daniel Overbey:

1.  Please tell us why you have chosen to run for judge.

For the last six years, I worked closely with the Sheriff, Tribal Law Enforcement, and Courthouse personnel both in my capacity as Vice-Chairman of the Civil Service Commission and as Court Commissioner. I have been on the bench many times filling in for Judge Nielsen and now for Judge Milanowski. I understand first-hand the responsibility and dedication that the job requires. I have seen the small changes that I have been able to make as a Court Commissioner and look forward to doing more as a Judge. When the second branch was created, the Sheriff, Chief Deputy, Patrol Commander, and others in the Courthouse and in the community encouraged me to run because of what they have seen me do on the Civil Service Commission and as Court Commissioner.

2.  Please provide a summary of your background and experience that you believe qualifies you for this position.

I have fifteen years law enforcement experience including as a detective and as head of a narcotics unit. I attended University of Notre Dame Law School and practiced White Collar Criminal Defense and Product Liability Defense at one of the large firms in Chicago. Since 2003, I have lived with my wife, Kristine, in Arbor Vitae in the State Forest and practiced law all across the Northwoods and Northern Wisconsin in approximately eighteen counties. As Court Commissioner, I have presided over hundreds of bond hearings and other proceedings including Initial Appearances, Juvenile Protective Custody, Mental Health Commitments, Traffic Court and more. I also review and authorize Search Warrants and Temporary Restraining Orders. I have strong relationships with law enforcement, Court and County officials, and the Tribal Council that will make it easier from me to “hit the ground running” if elected. The Sheriff, Judge Nielsen, and Tribal President Johnson are among my supporters.

3.  It has been proposed that the new judicial branch will be in charge of a Drug Court. Please tell us your thoughts on this and any experience that you have that would help you in this capacity.

I spent much of my law enforcement career dealing with drug dealers, drug users, and the countless victims left in their wake. In the areas I worked, most of the property and violent crimes were the direct result of the drug problem. The same was true for domestic abuse, child abuse and child neglect cases. I will work with Judge Milanowski to bring a Drug (Wellness) Court to all of Vilas County. If there is sufficient need, and I believe there is, I will work to develop a similarly-structured Veterans’ Court. I served in the military, I have two children that are serving now, and I feel a responsibility to do as much as I can for our veterans here in Vilas County. On a painfully honest, personal note, I have a close family member who is an addict and has been for all of her adult life, more than 20 years. She called me last week and sounded different. Very early in our conversation she repeatedly referred to herself as an “addict.” I was shocked. She has never once used that term before. I asked her what changed. She told me “I am in a drug court, taking my medications, doing everything I am supposed to do, and it is working.” If she completes the program and stays clean, I will bring her here to speak to our Drug Court.

4. Do you have other ideas that will help enhance the delivery of court services to our county?

I want to improve remote access to the Court. Also, when possible, I would like to get the Judge out of the Courthouse and into the communities. Our County is vast and our population is the oldest in the State. Many of us have little or no internet service. Others have good internet but no idea how to use video-conference technology. I am currently working with the Tribal Council and talking to some of the more remote towns about setting up dedicated terminals or laptops in their public buildings where people that need to appear in Court can come and have a quiet place with a good internet connection and a simple set up to use. I am not talking about expanding video appearance to contested matters, criminal or otherwise. Those require everyone to be in Court, in person. There are, however, minor matters that we already do by video all the time, including stipulated divorces, adjourned initial appearances and others. We need to continue that practice and make it easier for people to use it. Like many residents, I am concerned by the alarming number of defendants charged with serious crimes, many of whom are repeat offenders, being released over and over on signature or very small cash bonds. The law gives Judges and Court Commissioners considerable discretion in setting bonds. When on the bench, I have tried to tailor the bonds to accomplish the dual goals of insuring they appear in Court and protecting the public. I am already working with Law Enforcement to get additional information to the bench so that more informed decisions can be made. For example, in cases where the defendant is charged with crimes related to the sale of narcotics, I have asked that they include the street value of the drugs as well as the amount of cash the alleged dealer was carrying. This type of information allows me to impose more impactful and effective bond conditions. Likewise, I have been working with Tribal Police to identify alleged drug dealing defendants who have no ties to the Tribe and prohibiting them from being on Tribal Lands at any time while on bond.

5. Do you have other comments that you would like to share with the voters?

Practicing law for 23 years, being a Guardian ad Litem, and sitting on the bench for hundreds of proceedings gives me the experience and understanding to be a Judge. There is, however, more to being a Judge than just experience. The position requires Honor, Integrity, Professional Demeanor, and Humility. That is what I have always tried to do, whether I was in front of the bench or on it, and that is how I have been campaigning. I have lived and worked here for nearly two decades. I moved here when I met my wife, Kristine, and we have been married for almost 18 years. We live in a cottage in Arbor Vitae in the Northern Highlands American Legion State Forest. I am licensed in two states and we could live and work in either one of them but we have never considered living anywhere but right here. We hike, kayak and snowshoe all over Northern Wisconsin and the U.P. I tell people with all sincerity, I was not born here, but I will die here.