On Monday, March 29, Progress North hosted a digital candidate forum for contested City Council races in Ashland and Superior.

In Ashland, Ward 6 candidates Eric Lindell and Elise Kehle as well as Ward 10 candidate Emerson Ziehr fielded questions from our moderator specific to their goals if elected. Ward 10 candidate Dick Pufall was unable to join us due to an unforeseen family need and we wish them well.

In Superior, District 10 candidate Lindsey Graskey responded to our moderator’s questions about her vision for Superior if elected. District 10 Kevin Keener, Jr. was not present although he had indicated he would attend.

Below is the recording of our event as well as an auto-transcribed narrative for anyone who may need it.

Thank you to all candidates who attended, as well as the large audience who tuned it! If you have questions for the candidates, their contact information as provided is:

Eric Lindell
elindell82@gmail.com

Elise Kehle
ekehle1972@gmail.com

Emerson Ziehr
emziehr97@gmail.com
(715)225-5487
facebook.com/ZiehrFor10

Lindsey Graskey
lindsey.graskey@gmail.com
(218) 428-3114

VIDEO RECORDING

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Each candidate will get a two minute opening statement, the facilitators will ask a total of five questions and candidates will have two minutes each to answer.

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If the candidates go past the two minute mark during their responses the timekeeper facilitator facilitator moderator will use their mic.

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There will be a timer count down from two minutes with a warning bell at the 32nd mark and a more abrupt Bell when the time is actually up the timer will be pinned to the zoom screen next to the candidate that’s speaking.

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So everybody and the candidate should be able to see.

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Each candidate will get a two minute closing statement. And after the superior candidates are done we’re going to thank the candidates and ask them all, and their campaign staff to jump out of the zoom meeting, so that we as a community can have a brief

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discussion around the importance of local elections.

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Unfortunately tonight Deke who fall has had an unforeseen family emergency so he won’t be making it.

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Just wanted to let everybody know before we get started, and then we’ll get into some general guidelines for using zoom in general when folks are speaking it’s helpful to have your sound on mute to keep all of the outside noise to a minimum.

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We want to give the person speaking the entire floor and the space to say what they plan to, especially with the responses being timed.

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So until the discussion portion of our event at the end, we will ask that community members are listening and remain on mute or we will meet you on our end, just to keep things running smoothly.

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You can use the chat to comment.

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However, all the comments should remain respectful and we have the right to reserve the chat to turn off the chat.

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If the comments don’t remain respectful under different circumstance stances if we could have held this forum in person we would be in community, and we’d be feeling togetherness, and we want the zoom for him to feel the same.

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However, the chat will not be a space for candidates to answer or respond to any questions.

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If you have additional questions for the candidates, you can utilize their contact information and reach out outside of the forum.

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If you’re having trouble seeing who’s speaking in the top right corner of zoom.

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There’s a button that will say speaker view. When you click that you’ll only see the speakers and the timing video panels.

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And the button will then change to gallery view if you want to click that button, it’ll bring you back to seeing everybody in the meeting.

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We want this to be a protected and sacred space and we know that we want everybody to feel safe to share and be respected in this meeting.

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This includes the candidates.

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If somebody is being derogatory racist harassing or otherwise disrupts the group as moderators are folks will remove them to protect the sanctity of our group in the forum.

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The forum will be recorded like I said and shared on our social media afterwards. So any comments that are made are going to be public, and understand that anything in the chat is going to be visible.

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We have another rule called snaps know collapse.

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We have another rule called snaps no claps, because the sound is tricky on video calls if you’re excited about something that somebody says we encourage you to visually snap, or to use the React buttons, just in case you’re not muted and you’re not clapping

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we don’t want to hear any of that when people are trying to get points across.

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You can also use the React buttons that’s in the bottom right corner of the zoom action panel at the bottom.

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And it’ll show you a little emoji that will pop up on your video panel and it’s just a quiet and fun way to show support so you don’t interrupt anybody today.

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During our discussion. You can also use the rain, raise hand option that should also be in the section under the reactions button at the bottom.

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And that way we can see that you have something to say and we’ll do our best to answer your questions.

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While the candidates are speaking again we we hope that that goes interrupted and so we won’t be using the raise hand option during the form itself, only during the discussion time.

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If you don’t have that option you can also type stack into the chat, and we’ll know that you have something to say.

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And we ask that everybody has patience and understanding in the technical world.

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Though we have all kinds of great facilitators and moderators with us tonight and technology is not perfect.

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Even over a year into the pandemic we all still have technical fumbles, and we want to remind everyone that we’re on different levels. When it comes to using devices the internet and apps like zoom so we ask that we’re all just patient, if any technical

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troubles do pop up.

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And lastly, we want to err on the side of best intentions. We know that as human beings, We are continuously learning in this work and there will be times when we disagree.

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And when in conversation with each other we want to speak with the best intentions and listen and respond, the best intentions.

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So that’s all we have for the, the guidelines of how tonight is going to go and how zoom works.

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And then I will start by kind of introducing, what we’re here for today and what’s going on.

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The team here at progress north, our northern Wisconsin nights and like our neighbors, we have a deep sense of community in our small towns and rural communities, or a deep sense of identity in our, in our small towns and rural communities and we know

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that each one of our small towns is unique in their sensibilities, though. We also know that across the region we hold common values and ideals. We want to make northern Wisconsin a great place to call home for everybody.

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In Progress North has a clear vision of a better future for our region state and country where everybody is safe and free by connecting northern Wisconsin nights across the divides of race, class, gender, ability sexual orientation and generation, going

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all in together we can ensure that everyone, black, brown, white native newcomer or lifelong local can earn a good living and live a good life.

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We sent her all of our work around the acute around the values of equity people centered democracy and the common good.

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And know that participating in our democracy on any scale is a matter of public health, safety, security and success.

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We as community members as folders and as advocates can have the most impact on a local level.

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The progress North team are working to make it easier on northern Wisconsin nights to find the information that they need, become educated on local elected positions and the role that they play in our communities, create relationships with local candidates

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and have the tools available to them to participate in all levels of democracy.

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To ensure the success and the safety of all of our communities.

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So now I am going to kick it to Cheyenne so that she can start off the Ashland forum.

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With our first round of candidates.

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Everyone so I am going to do the names of all of the candidates that are in attendance tonight and if you could come off mute, and just let me know you here just so I can make sure before we get started.

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Your son was little goofy there but it just came back.

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It’s still a little off.

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Can you try saying something one more time.

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No.

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Okay sorry Oh,

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like I said, well have technical fumbles.

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This was just bound to happen as soon as I said it. All right. Can you hear me now.

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Yeah, Here we are. Is it.

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Is it. It’s great. It’s perfect. So before we get started by asking the questions I am going to ask that, I’m going to stay the candidates name and I can’t see everyone on the screen so I just want to make sure everyone is here.

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So when I say your name, can you just say like here, or Hello, Eric Lind L and at least kale, either here and ready. Awesome Emerson’s here.

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Awesome Lindsay grassy here.

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And then Kevin keener Jr.

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Kevin Are you there.

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Okay, well we’re going to get started with Ashton candidates will hope that he can jump in, he did say he was going to be here so we will just hope to see him before we make it there.

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Right.

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Perfect. Okay, so Ashlyn Ward six candidates, Elise cow and Erica and Belle.

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We’re going to start with you, and you’re going to get two minutes to introduce yourself. And I’m going to kick it to at least to have her two minute introduction.

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Hi. Thanks Diane.

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I’m really glad to be here tonight so thanks to progress north and Jade and Chelsea and Cheyenne for putting this on.

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And I guess I’ll just get right into it, Ashland is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen most beautiful place I’ve ever lived in.

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And I love the people that I live with I love the people that I’ve worked with, and I am running because I want to be a partner in City Hall. For folks like Philomena folks like Parker who are doing such fantastic organizing work.

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Folks like Gina old books and.

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And I’ve been really really impressed with what I’ve seen from Ashland activist community and Ashland the organizers, and I want to be a receptive voice for when the community saying that we need something or we don’t need something.

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This means you know, making sure doing I’m doing everything I can to get the city to commit to not going another winter without having a homeless shelter.

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This means doing everything we can to make sure we’re making the best use of our available resources and safeguarding our link. This means being a good neighbor to folks in bad river Redcliffe Bay field Washburn and doing anything and doing everything

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we can to help Ashley recover from the panda.

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And then and build a resilient economy that works with tourism and other things as well. So we’ve got really a chance to thrive into the 21st century.

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Thank you so much for the chance to be here. And, again, this is a great community and I want to give it my best.

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Awesome. Thank you, Elise, and I’m now going to pass it to candidate Eric lindo for his two minute introduction.

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Thank you Cheyenne, my name is Eric when del and I go by his in him. And before we begin tonight I want everyone to know that our community is, is, is suffering.

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Kevin Roston is still missing and my thoughts and prayers are with the law enforcement agencies and all the volunteers I was out there on Saturday. And it’s very rugged terrain and I just pray for a good outcome for that family.

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My wife and I moved here four years ago from superior. And I’ve gotten to know so many people in this community, and we were Welcome to this community and I’ve learned so much from people from small business owners people that have moved here recently,

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people have learned lifelong residents and I’m running because our government needs greater transparency and how our budgets are created. We need to have our people have a bigger say and how our tax dollars are spent our economy and infrastructure, he

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went to work want their roads fixed they want their sidewalks fixed and they don’t want see what’s going into the bay. And so we need to be making sure that we’re leveraging all of our resources to make sure that we’re applying for grants and using our

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money wisely on projects to protect our natural resources. We need to increase our access to housing, which is why I support the time was timbers project which is going to bring in almost 50 affordable housing units.

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And so I hope that by the end of tonight that I can earn your vote and I look forward to your questions. Thank you.

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Thank you, Eric and welcome to Eric and Elise, we’re going to get started with some questions. One of the things we hope to help our communities with is better understanding the roles and responsibilities of the different levels of elected positions,

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please frame your answers to all of these questions in the lens of what you would hope to accomplish at the City Council level, as it pertains specifically to your role if elected.

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And we’re going to start with the first question.

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Ward six and Ashlyn contains the city’s historic downtown and along with it, the heart of small business economy and much of the tourist center. After a year of grappling with the pandemic.

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What role would you as a city councilor play and helping action continue to operate responsibly. While adapting and recovering as vaccines roll out, and we’re going to pass it to Eric, to answer the question first, you have two minutes.

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Thank you, Sharon. I think the biggest thing that awards been lacking last couple years is really a cheerleader someone that highlights the different events and shows up to those events advertises those events, goes into small businesses and talks to

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those small businesses and builds a relationship with the Ashland city chamber to make sure that we’re promoting and doing everything we can to promote and diversify our economy and making sure that we’re advertising, the different events and what we

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have to offer here in Ashland, all too often I’ve heard small business owners they feel disconnected from the city, or they don’t feel like their voice is being heard and so they want to see the roads and downtown fixed, they’re concerned about you know

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what’s going to happen during those ongoing repairs. And so we need to clear line of communication and we just need to be there for them and make sure that we’re working with, you know, making sure that if their state and federal funds from the carrier’s

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act that they can apply for that, you know, we’re connecting them to resources and making sure that, you know, we talk, and bring them in, with the city administrator and make sure that their voices heard and that they feel,

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you know that we’re doing everything to help them and sometimes you know it’s frustrating when they have a big event, and there’s no city councilors there.

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And so I think sometimes it’s just showing up and and helping them as best we can. Thank you.

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Thank you, Eric. And I’m now going to pass it to at least kale and if you need me to repeat it just let me know. I don’t want to mess you up, since it’s been a couple minutes.

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Yes.

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Well, as far as you know supporting Main Street, the men, especially as we’re dealing with the pandemic. I think everyone, especially the small businesses who were doing their best to stay afloat.

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Want to see fairness, they want to see that, you know, they’re getting rewarded for taking the pandemic seriously and trying to keep their customers safe, so I’m going to be a voice for fair enforcement to make sure you know over the next few weeks, that,

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you know, we’re actually not giving a perverse incentive for businesses to do things needlessly dangerously. But, again, vaccines are coming on, you know we’re all going to be able to you know we’re all going to be eligible on May 1 which is fantastic.

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And, you know, we’re all going to be able to you know we’re all going to be eligible on May 1 which is fantastic. And so the the the pressure is very quickly going to turn towards you know, bringing more attention bringing more tourism to Ashland, and

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school I really think that this is a beautiful place to visit and shop anytime of the year, and I would very much like the city council work with our with our friends in the private sector and our community leaders to have some events, every month of

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the year. I know that the the the ski race reroute last month turned out to be quite successful even under the pandemic. So I want to make sure that we’re working on that.

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Then to try and make sure we’re always generating new reasons for people to come to Ashland.

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But the big thing is that it’s not just a lack of tourists it’s not just a lack of of enthusiasm from, you know, from local customers that are hurting our local businesses.

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There are some cases where we’ve done infrastructure projects that have been very poorly timed and very poorly placed for our business community and I wants to work with residents and businesses to make sure that infrastructure products are done in the

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best way for the community and Wm a business. Thank you.

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Thank you, Erica least we’re going to now move on to the second question.

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After tragic events this winter brought the topic of homelessness in Ashland to the forefront. Many residents have identified this as a priority in times of serious budgetary concerns.

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What specific ideas would you propose for next steps towards solutions and how would you go about accomplishing that. And we’re going to pass it to at least to answer answer first.

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Thank you. Yeah, this winter showed how completely ill prepared we were for something of this scale. And if we’d been trusting in, we have been trusting in private humanitarians and charities for years and they’re doing their best, but this was not adequate

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this year, and we had people left out in the cold, and we had. And we had city government saying that we have no homeless folks, even while our surrounding counties were opening up their public their public buildings for emergency shelter.

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I wants to see Ashland open, at the very least a warming shelter, hopefully, the start of a full comprehensive community service and, you know, and housing program.

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By the end of the year.

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We recently spent millions of dollars on new police station and jail, and by refinancing by we’ve that we were able to shave a quarter million off of the planned expenditures of that my thinking is if we’re willing to spend millions of dollars on locking

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folks up, we can at least spend that quarter million we’d originally budgeted on getting a building and getting getting it renovated and hopefully a down payment on staffing it.

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Obviously I would very much want this to be a project of all stakeholders. If we can get support from the counties or grants that would be excellent as well.

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But the first thing is that based on looking at what we can do with that money that we were going to spend on a jail, and that and that starts with getting a building, we’ve got no shortage of suitable vacant commercial buildings in Ashland, and there’s

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no reason why we shouldn’t set up a homeless shelter here to make that guarantee that no one gets stuck out in life threatening weather conditions again.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Elise, and I’m going to pass it to Eric window to answer the second question.

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Thank you Cheyenne last couple years have been on the Housing Committee for Ashland and this February.

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I had commented on Facebook that one of my good friends from up north news about our push to try and get a homeless shelter and Michael bass for who is the director for the Interagency Council on Homelessness down in Madison contacted me wanting to know

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more information I put him in touch with Parker Sterling, I also passed on his email to the mayor, and the mayor has formed a task force on homelessness and the good news is, is that they are closing in on a building may have brought together people from

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the different nonprofits in our area that are working very diligently to use the carriers and provide funding to get this off the ground so my expectation is, if a lot longer hold them accountable on this and make sure that by the end of summer or by

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wintertime, we have a full comprehensive homeless shelter and I believe they’re moving in the right direction for that but at this point it’s about accountability and making sure that that does in fact happen and making sure that our homeless shelter

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is an access point for any rehabilitation if they need help getting a job they need help getting connected to a cell phone whatever it is they need that we connected, and then additionally we need to make sure that we’re connecting them to a permanent

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stay. If that you know they lose their home or they’ve lost their apartment that we connect them with affordable housing programs so I’m very confident city. I was outrageous winner that we didn’t do what they feel county did, but I am, we are in a fortunate

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position now finally with this direction and unconfidence going to happen. Thank you.

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Thank you, Erica Elise we’re now going to move to the third question.

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Many times, things we do locally, have more impact than statewide or federal mandates. So it’s important to position our communities, as the best representations of our values.

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Please talk about the role of a city councilor when it comes to preventing and responding to hate crimes, promoting anti racism and confronting other forms of discrimination that plague underrepresented people, ie sexism, and gender discrimination ageism

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able ism homophobia, etc. And I’m going to pass it to Eric when delta answer first.

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Thank you very much, Cheyenne, this fall on the side of my building, somebody decided decided in college to spray up kkk. Now it was on an alley and most people just say oh it’s graffiti just walk on by but I brought it to the mayor’s attention I brought

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it to the newspapers attention I posted it on Facebook. And I also shared it with the local media because people need to know this happens and it’s not okay.

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And when you have a position of responsibility, you can use that pulpit and say this is wrong and speak out against things and when people come to you you can help them if they’re, you know, experiencing ageism, how do you, how do we connect them with

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who can help them with their with their issue and making sure that accesses is fair to everybody in our community. But the biggest thing is just not ignoring the problem and pretending it doesn’t exist because it does exist.

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And so I think when you’re in a position of authority, you know you need to speak up and be protective and be a voice for sometimes people that don’t have a voice or they’re scared.

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You know I heard city council several years ago to pass a bill banning conversion therapy in our local community. And that’s something that I believe very firmly and is that, you know, that it’s very harmful.

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And so there’s little things that we can do. We shouldn’t wait on state or federal government didn’t do it we should act, and you know if that if I’m fortunate enough to get elected in a position like that cost me the next election.

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I’m fine I can put my head on the pillow and say, I’m okay with that voice for right now. Thank you.

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Thank you, Eric and I’m now going to pass the candidate at least kale, to answer the third question.

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Thank you, Cheyenne, and this is especially urgent now in you know the last week we’ve seen continuation of just the rush of missing persons cases coming off of out of our tribal communities and we know that that’s a case where there’s not that much accountability

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largely because they can’t prosecute crimes committed by non tribal members on tribal lands and that that makes it really really difficult. That’s what we could do here.

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It’s horrifying to see this at the same week that we saw what was very clearly a racist mass shooting in Atlanta.

00:25:11.000 –> 00:25:15.000
And I just,

00:25:15.000 –> 00:25:17.000
I’m transgender.

00:25:17.000 –> 00:25:20.000
I lived in the American South.

00:25:20.000 –> 00:25:25.000
I know what it’s like to walk a street always looking over your shoulder.

00:25:25.000 –> 00:25:33.000
I know what it’s like to see someone looking at me and wondering what they’re going to do. I have.

00:25:33.000 –> 00:25:45.000
I know what it’s like to suddenly realized. There are three men with rocks running after me, starting to hurl them. I know what it’s like to be grabbed when you’re walking past a bus stop.

00:25:45.000 –> 00:25:47.000
I’m going to listen to you.

00:25:47.000 –> 00:25:58.000
That’s what I want I can promise I’m going to listen to you and I’m going to work as hard as I can to make sure that city government is accountable, not just in actor problems but also in passive problems.

00:25:58.000 –> 00:26:10.000
I want us to get the numbers on who is having interactions with the Ashland police department. I want to get a numbers on our folks who are experiencing homelessness.

00:26:10.000 –> 00:26:20.000
I want us to look at everything the city does or fails to do based on the lens of what communities are getting affected most heavily by it.

00:26:20.000 –> 00:26:24.000
I.

00:26:24.000 –> 00:26:32.000
Sorry, this something I take very seriously and I’ve lived through a lot of this stuff. Thank you,

00:26:32.000 –> 00:26:36.000
thank you to both candidates. We’re going to move to question number four.

00:26:36.000 –> 00:26:50.000
As the state legislation prepares to the beat the budget, it makes sense to talk about our local municipal budgets. What would be your first priority for Ashley’s budget, and how would you suggest securing the funding for that project program or reallocation.

00:26:50.000 –> 00:26:56.000
Now I’m going to pass it back to least answer first.

00:26:56.000 –> 00:27:11.000
Well, the first priority is the homeless shelter, as we said, you know, that is something that really is extremely time sensitive. And I think, you know, we’re going to have to, you know, look and see But, again, this was a spending plan that we had some,

00:27:11.000 –> 00:27:27.000
a couple years back that we were going to borrow and spend an additional quarter million on the jail and police station. So I think we should look at that same source and see if that can set us up on a more resilient path and a more compassionate path

00:27:27.000 –> 00:27:33.000
with what will get getting a building and renovating it for for emergency housing.

00:27:33.000 –> 00:27:47.000
Beyond that I really want to diversify our funding stream and I want the city to study increasing the number of public businesses like a we have our we have our Marina, which turns a modest profit for the city and I want us to look and find more niches

00:27:47.000 –> 00:27:54.000
in the market where a public enterprise could succeed could provide an essential service to folks.

00:27:54.000 –> 00:28:12.000
What whether that’s going to be a, a public real estate business whether that’s going to be a store of some kind. In the event that you know that that cannabis is legalized I certainly would like the city to open and run a dispensary in.

00:28:12.000 –> 00:28:24.000
But the thing is is that increasing these not the number of these public businesses is going to increase the number of jobs that we can determine democratically will be paid well these are going to increase the number of jobs that are tied to what our

00:28:24.000 –> 00:28:28.000
community needs not what some out of the board of directors once.

00:28:28.000 –> 00:28:43.000
And I think we really should look at that there are examples all over the country, there’s a publicly owned and operated flour mill in North Dakota. Our neighbors and Redcliffe just opened a public fishing company, we’ve seen grocery stores we’ve seen

00:28:43.000 –> 00:28:54.000
liquor stores all of these operated publicly at for the, for the interest of the community by local governments, and I think that’s a model that we should look at expanding here.

00:28:54.000 –> 00:28:58.000
Thank you.

00:28:58.000 –> 00:29:06.000
Thank you, Elise and I’m gonna pass it to candidate, Eric Lin Delta answer. SHAN Can you repeat the question please.

00:29:06.000 –> 00:29:21.000
As the state legislation prepares to debate the budget, it makes sense to talk about our local municipal budgets. What would be your first priority for Ashton’s budget, and how would you suggest securing the funding for that project program or reallocation.

00:29:21.000 –> 00:29:27.000
Thank you. I think it’s very important to make sure that we work with the state government to make sure that we do secure the funding for the homeless shelter.

00:29:27.000 –> 00:29:39.000
But beyond that, once that’s accomplish what do you do increase our broadband access it’s a it’s a very serious thing when you talk about trying to homeschool kids right now with the pandemic and giving businesses, It’s the number one determined businesses

00:29:39.000 –> 00:29:50.000
moving here is broadband access so increasing our broadband access, getting our roads and sewage improved our pipeline, our underground pipes seem to be fixed as well.

00:29:50.000 –> 00:30:01.000
But I really think like when it comes to the budget what I’ve heard from people is they want a bigger say in their budget in the budget process and how we hold the city accountable for what their tax dollars are going.

00:30:01.000 –> 00:30:13.000
I don’t support, bringing in starting up government run businesses usually the only way they’re successful is if they’re the first one and the only one in our small business community is not running some out of state board of directors.

00:30:13.000 –> 00:30:24.000
They’re the people that live and walk in our business community and I want to fully support them in, in what they do and I think we’d yes we do need to diversify our small business community but we need to do it in ways that does not undermine them at

00:30:24.000 –> 00:30:30.000
the same time or put them in competition against the city at the same time I don’t think that’s a good use of our tax dollars.

00:30:30.000 –> 00:30:40.000
I do think that people want the streets and the roads fixed they do want to make sure that, you know, their houses that they’re living in one of the things I’ve talked to some older members of our community as they’re concerned about their property taxes

00:30:40.000 –> 00:30:55.000
going up. So what can we look at to ensure that we’re not causing those taxes to go up every year for them. And so I think that’s really where we need to follow the governor’s example of holding participatory but listening sessions and making sure that

00:30:55.000 –> 00:31:08.000
have a say in our budget process and that we’re responsible to that. Thank you, thank you to both candidates. We’re going to move to our fifth and final question for this. This word.

00:31:08.000 –> 00:31:22.000
So Ward six is arguably the most traffic dense portion of Ashland, and it’s no secret that the city has had to be very diligent in terms of planning for infrastructure maintenance and upgrades, if given the chance, what infrastructure projects would you

00:31:22.000 –> 00:31:30.000
prioritize for Ward six, and why. And I’m going to pass it to the candidate wind up.

00:31:30.000 –> 00:31:45.000
Sure. Thank you. Um, well I agree that our downtown business area needs to be redone and that’s going to take a lot of planning to make sure that we don’t negatively impact our business community so it may have to be done in portions but I think the people

00:31:45.000 –> 00:31:54.000
that sometimes the streets again forgotten about and Ward six are back on the everyday streets where people live, there’s large potholes. There are sidewalks overrun with grass.

00:31:54.000 –> 00:32:07.000
This is where our kids play this is where people drive every single day. And while I do care about what tourists see in our downtown community and where our business people shop I do want to make sure that the city is rolling out a plan to make sure that,

00:32:07.000 –> 00:32:19.000
you know, they’re fixing those roads in areas that people live and making sure that we’re providing the accurate information on when those projects going to be rolled out and why projects that are happening when they’re happening.

00:32:19.000 –> 00:32:33.000
So that to me would be the priority is making sure that residential areas are fixed first because that’s where our people live, and I you know it’s it’s tough because you hear people say well the sidewalks downtown are bad repair tourists you know and

00:32:33.000 –> 00:32:45.000
I agree, when I moved here you know I noticed some of that too but at the same time, and I’m not negating the fact that people do live downtown and these do need to be fixed, but it’s a much bigger project than perhaps some of the roads and, you know,

00:32:45.000 –> 00:32:55.000
Third and Fourth Street and can be can be patchwork at least to make it so people aren’t going into potholes every spring, so thank you.

00:32:55.000 –> 00:33:02.000
Thank you, Eric and I’m now going to pass to Canada at least kale to answer.

00:33:02.000 –> 00:33:21.000
Thanks Cheyenne, my first priority is as you saying the sixth Ward is probably the highest traffic to area, and that’s that, to me, that means that we’ve got the most the most urgent burden to protect the lake from our award, which is, we need to make

00:33:21.000 –> 00:33:35.000
sure we’re protecting protecting the lake against run off my first priority for infrastructure would be barrier gardens or rain gardens of plants that can catch run off like the sustainability Commission’s been pushing for set up between our roads and

00:33:35.000 –> 00:33:43.000
parking lots and the bay, so we can cut down on motor vehicle pollution affecting the water.

00:33:43.000 –> 00:33:54.000
By the same token, of sewer repair and renovation would be one of my highest priorities The lake is our future. Our future for water or future for tourism, everything.

00:33:54.000 –> 00:34:10.000
The so protecting the lake has to be our first priority. As far as fixing the fixing streets and access, that’s I think the case where we want to do participatory budgeting because that’s what I’m hearing most from folks is that they are not pleased with

00:34:10.000 –> 00:34:22.000
how the city has been allocating infrastructure repair on roads potholes sidewalks. So that is something that I think we should take directly to the voters and present them with different plans of spending on different roads.

00:34:22.000 –> 00:34:34.000
So in, in, in a referendum, they can choose directly, which ones they want fixed first so that way we’re going to have public input, every step of the way.

00:34:34.000 –> 00:34:42.000
Beyond that, you know, coming back to the lake coming back to, to barrier gardens sewer repair.

00:34:42.000 –> 00:34:55.000
I would also be very interested in solar rising, because we’ve got some great roof exposure and anything we can do to avail ourselves of that and encourage the use of more solar power in terms of infrastructure.

00:34:55.000 –> 00:35:08.000
I also want to make sure that we’re getting a feedback from surrounding communities, including the tribes about whether a project has negative consequences for them.

00:35:08.000 –> 00:35:17.000
Thank you. And that wraps up our five questions for Ward six and I do want to take the time to thank Eric and Elise, are both being here and answering our questions.

00:35:17.000 –> 00:35:27.000
You’re welcome to stay we actually encourage, we want to encourage with this forum solidarity regionally, some of the same issues that affect Ashlyn are affecting superior and vice versa.

00:35:27.000 –> 00:35:39.000
So, I find it super important that we’re in this together, despite this being to two separate city councils. So, thank you for your time and I’m now going to move to action award 10.

00:35:39.000 –> 00:35:42.000
This is candidate stick profile and Emerson’s year.

00:35:42.000 –> 00:35:51.000
As mentioned earlier, disc profile was unable to make it tonight, but we do want to allow Emerson, the opportunity to share their responses to the questions that we do have.

00:35:51.000 –> 00:35:55.000
So I’m now going to kick it to Emerson’s here for a two minute introduction.

00:35:55.000 –> 00:35:59.000
One second Cheyenne they didn’t do their closing statement.

00:35:59.000 –> 00:36:02.000
Oh, thank you.

00:36:02.000 –> 00:36:04.000
Thank you. What we’re going to go back.

00:36:04.000 –> 00:36:14.000
I think you should soon, but regardless Thank you, Eric and Elise, you are going to have a chance to your closing statement so I do apologize for missing that and thank you to whomever shouted that out.

00:36:14.000 –> 00:36:19.000
So we’re going to go to.

00:36:19.000 –> 00:36:28.000
We just went last at least it so we’re going to kick to Elise for your two minute closing.

00:36:28.000 –> 00:36:47.000
Well, as you’ve probably heard, I’m Elise Kaylee and I’m running for city council Ward six, I really think this is a great opportunity for us to work on providing homes, increasing the number of jobs and making sure we go about go about Ashley’s recovery

00:36:47.000 –> 00:37:04.000
in the most democratic way possible. I want everyone to be involved in this, and I want everyone to feel they’re being heard. I’ll be restarting the, the week in the event I when I’ll be restarting the weekly listening sessions at you know coffee shops

00:37:04.000 –> 00:37:15.000
small businesses as soon as it’s safe to do so, online if it’s not, but that at this point, it looks like that should be viable by late spring early summer.

00:37:15.000 –> 00:37:29.000
The promise I want to make to same product same promise I made at the first forum which is that you’re not going to be ignored. I recognize that a lot of our struggles dreams and work is going to be different.

00:37:29.000 –> 00:37:35.000
And I recognize that we have a lot of different experiences and I just want to make a promise that I’m going to listen to everyone.

00:37:35.000 –> 00:37:50.000
And I want everyone to feel as welcome in Ashland as I have I mentioned before, how the some of the things that I’ve experienced in other places, and fact that that hasn’t happened to me here is an incredible gift.

00:37:50.000 –> 00:37:57.000
This community has welcomed and I think even protected me, and that.

00:37:57.000 –> 00:38:06.000
That means, I will be doing everything I can to make sure everyone else feels that way.

00:38:06.000 –> 00:38:20.000
Again, this is a beautiful place, and I want to make sure that the good experiences I’ve had here can be shared with everybody else and I recognize that with that that’s not always been the case, my goal is that that’s my goal.

00:38:20.000 –> 00:38:30.000
Listen to everyone and make sure everyone can feel welcome and safe and Ashley Wisconsin. Thank you very much.

00:38:30.000 –> 00:38:33.000
Thank you.

00:38:33.000 –> 00:38:39.000
You’re, you’re closing, so I’m going to pass it to Eric for his two minute closing. Thank you.

00:38:39.000 –> 00:38:45.000
Thank you very much Cheyenne on Thank you progress North for hosting us today and thank you everyone for coming out.

00:38:45.000 –> 00:38:57.000
I’m running tonight because we need greater transparency and how our government operates we need to give people a bigger say in the budgetary process and I want to hold public forums and listening sessions and I have to deliver a weekly newsletter I’ll

00:38:57.000 –> 00:39:09.000
hand deliver it and pay from the stamp edge myself but it’s something I’m committed to is making sure that people know what their city councilors are doing and making sure we’re utilizing technology like zoom or go to meetings to host listening sessions

00:39:09.000 –> 00:39:20.000
because all too often last couple of years, policies been created with hardly any input from the public. I’m committed to making sure that our small business community feels that they’re being listened to and forming those partnerships to support them

00:39:20.000 –> 00:39:33.000
and working with Northen college and Ashland Chamber of Commerce to see what green technology jobs we can bring to our area and how we can diversify our tourists don’t want this to become a destination not just you know, I work in the work at a local

00:39:33.000 –> 00:39:44.000
hotel and why people are just you know they’re passing through or they’re visiting for a day and wanted to be someplace they spend a couple of days out and go kayaking and go parasailing and enjoy the bay like we enjoyed all year round.

00:39:44.000 –> 00:39:57.000
You know I’m also running because I want to make sure that we have access to affordable housing I’m proud to support the time was timbers project. It’s a much needed and realistic policy it’s a public partner, public private partnership and I’m committed

00:39:57.000 –> 00:40:08.000
to forming those partnerships that I’ve experienced bringing people together to get things done to build a stronger community and that’s really what this is about is bringing people together to form realistic policy goals, and making sure that everybody

00:40:08.000 –> 00:40:18.000
has a seat at the table and feels heard, and I’ve knocked on people’s doors and have my opponents yard sign. And I know they’re not going to vote for me but I told them, I said, If I win.

00:40:18.000 –> 00:40:29.000
Come see me on your voice. I will represent you, so please don’t feel like you know we’re on opposing sides because we’re in, we are all in this together to build a stronger community and I’m committed to that for everybody so thank you for your time

00:40:29.000 –> 00:40:35.000
tonight and I hope I earn your vote. Thank you.

00:40:35.000 –> 00:40:52.000
All right, thank you, again, once again thank you to candidates Elise kale and candidate, Eric Lindell. I am going to move us along to ward 10 or 10 candidates are decal fallen ever sincere sincere is here with us tonight and so they’re going to get a

00:40:52.000 –> 00:41:10.000
get a chance to answer these five questions, and I’m going to pass it to Emerson zero for their two minute introduction.

00:41:10.000 –> 00:41:15.000
I remember sincere and running for Ashland Ward 10.

00:41:15.000 –> 00:41:29.000
I use them pronouns. I am a union worker at a small area at one of the local coffee shops. And I’m working to unionize my workplace,

00:41:29.000 –> 00:41:32.000
as a representative for Ward 10.

00:41:32.000 –> 00:41:39.000
It’ll be my aim to bring greater democracy to the people in my ward.

00:41:39.000 –> 00:41:56.000
At this current moment Deke goofball who I’m sorry cannot join us tonight and offer my sincere condolences for the family emergency and hopes that it turns out in a positive regard

00:41:56.000 –> 00:42:02.000
is my goal or decline fall has held this seat for 30 years.

00:42:02.000 –> 00:42:07.000
And also represents our word on the county board.

00:42:07.000 –> 00:42:19.000
It is my aim to democratize that further and bring in further more voices to provide more adequate representation to all of the people of my word.

00:42:19.000 –> 00:42:40.000
In addition to that, I will be focused on participatory budgeting and engaging with my constituents on the ground level in a day to day basis, either through weekly coffee hours, or by knocking on their doors and continuing to Canvas throughout my term

00:42:40.000 –> 00:42:45.000
as an older person.

00:42:45.000 –> 00:42:50.000
Thank you.

00:42:50.000 –> 00:42:57.000
Thank you, Emerson and just a heads up the first bell is just the warning, I just wanted to make sure folks know.

00:42:57.000 –> 00:43:08.000
Alright so we’re going to move into the question portion. As mentioned before, one of the things we hope to help our communities with is better understanding the roles and responsibilities of the different levels of elected positions.

00:43:08.000 –> 00:43:22.000
Please frame your answers in the lens of what you would hope to accomplish at the City Council level as it pertains specifically to your role, if elected, with the first question will begin by revisiting a topic from our last session, please talk about

00:43:22.000 –> 00:43:39.000
the role of a city councilor when it comes to preventing and responding to hate crimes, promoting anti racism and confronting other forms of discrimination that plague underrepresented people, ie sexism and gender discrimination ageism able ism homophobia,

00:43:39.000 –> 00:43:44.000
etc. And I’m going to pass it to Canada and we’re sincere you have two minutes.

00:43:44.000 –> 00:44:01.000
One of the primary functions of a city council representative, is to act as a conduit from their citizens to the services they need a citizen should feel comfortable and confident reaching out to the city council person at any time about any issue as

00:44:01.000 –> 00:44:08.000
a city council wrap it would be my goal to provide that conduit for for my citizens in need.

00:44:08.000 –> 00:44:17.000
If a citizen was, or if a constituent was feeling or had experienced discrimination in their workplace.

00:44:17.000 –> 00:44:31.000
I would want to be able to help connect them with the services they need to address those concerns and receive the Justice they need within their workplace.

00:44:31.000 –> 00:44:42.000
I also recognize that a lot of hate crimes and discrimination happens on a systemic level, and needs to be addressed at that level as well.

00:44:42.000 –> 00:44:48.000
One. One of those concerns is through the police force.

00:44:48.000 –> 00:45:02.000
I, I suspect, or. It is my belief that the police in Ashland are most are in their jobs out of a good place, they want to help the people in the city, and they want to serve the people.

00:45:02.000 –> 00:45:13.000
Sometimes the underlying biases can get in the way. bias training will make or is a route worth pursuing within the police force.

00:45:13.000 –> 00:45:26.000
Additionally, like, additional social services need to be funded the homeless shelter that has been being proposed would be a great step in that direction.

00:45:26.000 –> 00:45:40.000
Additionally, direction needs to be provided towards the services we already have one of the big hate crime problems going on in our region is that highway two is a major conduit for human trafficking.

00:45:40.000 –> 00:45:47.000
And that can be limited more by

00:45:47.000 –> 00:45:55.000
intentional enforcement of traffic laws and stuff.

00:45:55.000 –> 00:45:56.000
Do you ever send.

00:45:56.000 –> 00:46:12.000
And we’re going to move forward to question number two. So 110 is home to a large piece of land ready for development on highway two between 22nd Avenue and 23rd Avenue East, it is sparked a lot of community conversation about what kinds of developments

00:46:12.000 –> 00:46:25.000
should be in certain places, what kinds of developments the city truly needs and what, if any role the city council has on attracting certain kinds of developments to Ashland for either publicly or privately held land.

00:46:25.000 –> 00:46:37.000
please talk about your role as a city councilor if elected in terms of future development goals. What priorities would you advocate for what incentives would you deem appropriate for developers, and I’m going to pass it back to Canada Emerson’s here you

00:46:37.000 –> 00:46:41.000
have two minutes.

00:46:41.000 –> 00:46:49.000
My priority in the new development, would be to get my constituents feedback on it.

00:46:49.000 –> 00:46:56.000
I want to hear from every single person in the ward as to what they would want to see in that area.

00:46:56.000 –> 00:47:00.000
I do not want to be making that decision on my own.

00:47:00.000 –> 00:47:05.000
I don’t think that I know the best solutions for the city.

00:47:05.000 –> 00:47:17.000
But I think that as a representative, I can collect the voices of my constituents and bring them together to create a solution that works for everyone.

00:47:17.000 –> 00:47:30.000
I am open to a lot of different options as far as how that land is developed and don’t necessarily have my own personal priority on it.

00:47:30.000 –> 00:47:34.000
What

00:47:34.000 –> 00:47:39.000
the second part to that question is what kind of

00:47:39.000 –> 00:47:47.000
tools, should this are appropriate for the city to use in drawing in developers and development.

00:47:47.000 –> 00:47:49.000
I think it depends on the type of development.

00:47:49.000 –> 00:47:53.000
There are lots of different ways that he said he can develop.

00:47:53.000 –> 00:47:59.000
And it is important to emphasize things that will be here for the long haul.

00:47:59.000 –> 00:48:08.000
Stuff that will still be around and assisting in our community, seven generations from now.

00:48:08.000 –> 00:48:28.000
In that vein, I would not support, personally, offering large contributions to multinational or even national corporations to come into our town and develop businesses that may only be here for a few years, will also causing competition for many of our

00:48:28.000 –> 00:48:32.000
small businesses.

00:48:32.000 –> 00:48:35.000
Thank you.

00:48:35.000 –> 00:48:37.000
Thank you ever son.

00:48:37.000 –> 00:48:51.000
We’re going to move to question number three. So let’s go back to budgets. What would be your first priority for Ashton’s budget. And how would you suggest securing the funding for that, for that project program or reallocation, And I’m going to pass

00:48:51.000 –> 00:48:53.000
it back to Emerson, two minutes.

00:48:53.000 –> 00:49:02.000
Yeah. Again, my first priority would be to get full constituent input on any aspect of the budget.

00:49:02.000 –> 00:49:14.000
One thing that I’ve heard from the people in my ward as I have knocked on their doors canvassing is that the sewer system is a big priority. They are concerned about it.

00:49:14.000 –> 00:49:33.000
We need to address that as soon as possible, a sewer system will last generations, and does don’t need to be updated every more frequently than every hundred years by finishing the sewer renovations in a timely and efficient manner.

00:49:33.000 –> 00:49:48.000
That will provide protections to the lake. And, which, which is the source of all the tourism for area.

00:49:48.000 –> 00:49:55.000
Additionally, I think that we need to explore all avenues possible for revenue generation.

00:49:55.000 –> 00:50:00.000
At this point, City budgets are tight.

00:50:00.000 –> 00:50:04.000
and often need tax Rep.

00:50:04.000 –> 00:50:08.000
That often ends up with calls for increasing tax revenue.

00:50:08.000 –> 00:50:19.000
I don’t know that tax revenue is necessarily the best source, especially when they implemented through regressive taxes like wheel taxes or

00:50:19.000 –> 00:50:31.000
sales taxes, those taxes, do not necessarily benefit everyone and cut into the money that everyone needs to survive in the day to day.

00:50:31.000 –> 00:50:51.000
I think we need to explore other alternatives including grant funding and potentially municipal business as a way to increase revenue overall through throughout the future with businesses that will be with us for the long haul and provide for the needs

00:50:51.000 –> 00:50:58.000
of our constituents.

00:50:58.000 –> 00:51:02.000
Thank you, Emerson, and we’re going to move to question for.

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So following Ashton’s recent adoption of a new comprehensive plan. There has been much talk about the East End some feel it should be more connected to downtown and the West End.

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For example, extending six street across the bay city quicker than others felt that the slight separation from the rest of town created a unique section of the city.

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That should be preserved. Meanwhile the East End has seen a lot of development and changes have not only changed the way it looks, but drastically increases the amount of activity and traffic, especially along the highway to quarter.

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If elected to represent the ward farthest east, what would your philosophy be and what would you do to represent and highlight the unique charm of the East End.

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And I’m going to pass it back to Canada and we’re sincere, you have two minutes.

00:51:49.000 –> 00:51:57.000
Um, I would encourage the development of unique east and personality and community.

00:51:57.000 –> 00:52:07.000
One thing that has been lost. Over the past few decades, maybe even the last century is local community cultures.

00:52:07.000 –> 00:52:25.000
I would promote expansion of local community festivals, or even picnics, as a way to meet neighbors and build a community within the neighborhood,

00:52:25.000 –> 00:52:37.000
which would be a great way to encourage further investment from the residents of this Ward into the success of the ward in the future.

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A lot of the best ideas for how to change our society and change the way that our community would function, have to come from the members of our community.

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And that those ideas are best generated through collaboration.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Emerson, and we’re going to move to question number five.

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So we’ll close by revisiting the topic of homelessness nationally and what specific ideas would you propose for next steps towards solutions. And how would you go about accomplishing that and back to you Emerson you have two minutes.

00:53:28.000 –> 00:53:29.000
Yeah.

00:53:29.000 –> 00:53:45.000
The first step is getting something underway, a comprehensive homeless shelter, like Eric Linda was talking about in the previous portion of this forum would be a great first step, and it sounds like the Housing Committee is already on that task, and

00:53:45.000 –> 00:54:06.000
has started to take the first steps necessary as a representative of this Ward, I would lend my full support to that project, and work to get the funding secured and ready to go for that project to advance it before the next now flies.

00:54:06.000 –> 00:54:12.000
In addition, I think it’s important to work with the community groups that are already in place.

00:54:12.000 –> 00:54:29.000
The Ashland homeless Health Group. That is largely run by General books and and Parker Sterling is doing great work right now, and I believe that they have many of the ideas in place already for how we can take some of the next steps in addressing homelessness.

00:54:29.000 –> 00:54:45.000
And we’d like to work with them to find the solutions that work for the people they’ve been working with and work with the people that they’ve been working with directly to hear what they need and how best to suit those needs.

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Thank you.

00:54:51.000 –> 00:55:01.000
My apologies Emerson the timer didn’t show up on the screen so I do apologize for that. But thank you for your answer and we are going to move to a two minute closing.

00:55:01.000 –> 00:55:13.000
So I understand you have two minutes to offer your closing statement and I do encourage all candidates when you are doing a closing. Please drop your contact info in the chat once you’re done so if anybody has additional questions they can reach out.

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So two minutes to Emerson.

00:55:15.000 –> 00:55:19.000
Yeah, thank you. Shannon Thank you progress North for hosting this forum.

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It’s been nice to talk to you all, and I hope I gave you a sense of who I am as a candidate, and how I can play a role in representing the people I am running for running to represent.

00:55:36.000 –> 00:55:44.000
If you want to get in contact with me. you can either contact me@facebook.com slash

00:55:44.000 –> 00:55:48.000
zero for 10

00:55:48.000 –> 00:56:03.000
or EMZHR, nine seven at gmail. com or by phone at 715-225-5487.

00:56:03.000 –> 00:56:07.000
And I will post all of those in the chat as soon as I’m done speaking.

00:56:07.000 –> 00:56:21.000
Thank you all for joining us. And it’s been a pleasure to speak to you.

00:56:21.000 –> 00:56:35.000
Thank you, Emerson and I do want to extend a very much thank you for joining us in joining with us today. It’s been great to have you and I’m now going to move us in to the superior district 10 race.

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I just want to say thank you. I had a couple bumps with technology so thank you all for your patience. I am going to pass it to Jackie more.

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She’s going to facilitate the candidates for superior. Thank you. Well,

00:56:51.000 –> 00:57:04.000
good evening everyone, my name is Jackie Moore Thank you, Cheyenne for facilitating the last debate. Before we begin, I just want to clarify that are candidates are here.

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We are speaking with superior district 10 candidates and earlier we did confirm we have lindsey graham ski on the line is that correct, yes. Hello. Hello.

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and I do we have a Kevin keener Jr.

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on the line.

00:57:25.000 –> 00:57:34.000
Kevin Are you with us.

00:57:34.000 –> 00:57:49.000
Alright, I’m going to proceed as though Kevin is not here. So just as we did with Ward six and Ashlyn Lindsay I will be presenting you with with the questions, and we will start with your two minute introduction.

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So you can take it away.

00:57:51.000 –> 00:57:52.000
Okay, great.

00:57:52.000 –> 00:57:59.000
My name is Lindsey Graham ski. I live and own a business and district 10.

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It’s actually located in superiors Old City Hall on Broadway and Hammond, I grew up in superior I went to college here with a marketing and public relations degree with an emphasis in public arts.

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I’m highly involved in volunteering with food distribution and our area, along with bringing awareness to those resources and those opportunities to folks.

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I continually work on fundraising efforts by utilizing by public platform with my small business for our city.

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I’m running for city council to use my community involvement, along with my passion for our city to build a strong voice to advocate for district 10 here.

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I’m a champion for small business and I want to work on recharging our local business community, along with help attract types of businesses to our area and district 10 specifically.

00:58:48.000 –> 00:58:58.000
I also plan to build and develop connections for planning public art ideas for city that in allowance will help build an identity and otter historical routes and help build tourism.

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On top of that, So, thank you.

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And thank you so progress north, one of the things that we hope to help our communities with is better understanding the roles and the responsibilities of the different levels of elected positions.

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Please frame your answers in the lens of what you would hope to accomplish at the City Council level, as it pertains specifically to your role, if elected.

00:59:26.000 –> 00:59:28.000
So we’ll start with the first question.

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Let’s begin with the question that we are asking each of our candidate groups, please talk about the role of a city councilor when it comes to preventing and responding to hate crimes, promoting anti racism and confronting other forms of discrimination

00:59:47.000 –> 00:59:57.000
that plague underrepresented people, for example sexism and gender discrimination ageism able ism homophobia, etc.

00:59:57.000 –> 00:59:58.000
Lindsay.

00:59:58.000 –> 01:00:08.000
Okay, um, as a city councilor and playing in the role and understanding that these things are a necessity to understanding all types of folks in our community.

01:00:08.000 –> 01:00:20.000
I would like to see myself. Use my public platform as a way to connect people and have some understanding built through our city, even more as we generally generationally grow.

01:00:20.000 –> 01:00:42.000
I would love to see a lot more interaction and have the confidence built to have people step forward in order to be able to help and facilitate and basically create a ground for people to understand that what’s asked of us as a community and many other

01:00:42.000 –> 01:00:46.000
ways and just one way. So, thank you.

01:00:46.000 –> 01:00:51.000
Alright, The next question is continuing with that theme.

01:00:51.000 –> 01:01:07.000
Some time ago, it was proposed in the city of superior to add Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as a paid holiday for city employees, and never made it out of committee and the Council, and to the council floor for a vote.

01:01:07.000 –> 01:01:16.000
Would you support this measure, if it were revisited Why or why not.

01:01:16.000 –> 01:01:21.000
I would absolutely support, having this be brought back up to the council.

01:01:21.000 –> 01:01:42.000
I think it’s a day of recognition that is formative to a lot of reasons for essentially just recognizing the empowerment of such a person in our society and I think that that recognition needs to be lied, and to be recognized as a community.

01:01:42.000 –> 01:01:45.000
So, thank you.

01:01:45.000 –> 01:01:47.000
Great, thank you.

01:01:47.000 –> 01:01:55.000
So superior is the largest municipality in our region, and it is unique in its position as a gateway to Minnesota border community.

01:01:55.000 –> 01:02:03.000
As such, the experiences there during the pandemic are different than other places and Northwestern Wisconsin.

01:02:03.000 –> 01:02:11.000
Please talk about what superior has done well in its response to the pandemic what it could have done better.

01:02:11.000 –> 01:02:19.000
And your thoughts on the correct path forward as our communities begin to recover both economically and socially.

01:02:19.000 –> 01:02:36.000
Well, as far as our response to us as a city. As far as the pandemic I think sticking to the state level of even just mandates and having that back I like the fact that our council was involved in those decisions as well as far as they represented many

01:02:36.000 –> 01:02:46.000
angles of our city in order to make sure that all communication levels are all types of folks are being understood through this instead of one agenda.

01:02:46.000 –> 01:03:14.000
I’m proud of our city and our council for making a grant program to help with businesses and helping them feel secure and confident and the next steps allowed, as we start to pull out of this lightly.

01:03:14.000 –> 01:03:32.000
an economy, and just making sure that there’s funds to help allowance as things may get very exciting but then there may be times where there’s going to be our or our self as a council that needs to make decisions that can help with the longevity of our

01:03:32.000 –> 01:03:47.000
community as far as putting them first and understanding their needs and wants just as we do now, but it’s specifically to the pandemic and its long lasting effects that it will help on our community and our economic growth.

01:03:47.000 –> 01:03:50.000
So, thank you.

01:03:50.000 –> 01:03:52.000
Great. Fourth question.

01:03:52.000 –> 01:04:17.000
No community, big or small, rural or urban is free from struggles with substance dependence, ignoring those challenges doesn’t work, and sometimes local headlines, bring them face to face with the public who relies on its elected leaders to find solutions

01:04:17.000 –> 01:04:28.000
As avenues of approach for building long term solutions to mental health and addiction issues, locally.

01:04:28.000 –> 01:04:47.000
Okay. Well, as I sit here with a personal experience, as many family members of mine, deal with addiction and a lot of mental health I couldn’t help more with working tremendously hard on helping bridge, these importance of understanding that this is

01:04:47.000 –> 01:05:06.000
something that is just being talked about but has been needed to be talked about. I believe there were options years ago and to see them go away but at the same time see that there is this discussion and it’s actually be input as a top priority is very

01:05:06.000 –> 01:05:11.000
very intriguing and recharging as far as for myself and my personal.

01:05:11.000 –> 01:05:17.000
My personal experiences. I’d like to take those and use that.

01:05:17.000 –> 01:05:32.000
I guess acknowledgement or education or things that I’ve been through on a personal level to help develop these types of settings such as even just in patient or even just an outlet for even just discussing.

01:05:32.000 –> 01:05:47.000
You know how to move past even just different ranges of mental health that I think many have maybe not even understood that they need to recognize or even just an outlet if they want to take the moment for themselves as a council member I would love to

01:05:47.000 –> 01:06:01.000
help with advocacy, I’m trying to connect and communicate and help to, you know, really build the communication standards that we need to start having in this community for lots and lots of reasons that probably need more than two minutes to discuss So,

01:06:01.000 –> 01:06:03.000
thank you.

01:06:03.000 –> 01:06:05.000
Thank you.

01:06:05.000 –> 01:06:15.000
All right, this is our last question before your closing for final question we will touch on health and public safety, outside of the realm of the pandemic.

01:06:15.000 –> 01:06:33.000
In recent years, superior has been faced with crises like the refinery explosion fires and floods that dominate news coverage in the region, and put a spotlight on the city’s response procedures as a city councilor what measures would you take to support

01:06:33.000 –> 01:06:51.000
the council’s collective roll toward an effective government response, both in times of managing crises, and then rebounding financially and otherwise afterward.

01:06:51.000 –> 01:07:05.000
I think it’s a collective role in order to understand these certain issues especially in the past 10 years I think with our comprehensive plan that is applied right now going throughout the city and even a survey for until the end of the month.

01:07:05.000 –> 01:07:24.000
I think we can drastically understand that in the past 10 years a lot has changed. Infrastructure Lee, I think that we need to recognize that, you know, putting a plan in place this order is where we would, you know, utilize funds and I would hope if

01:07:24.000 –> 01:07:36.000
there was in crisis as such, where the majority of the community was suffering due to flood or even just a reaction to the refinery I would hope that there’s a lot more measures that we need to understand.

01:07:36.000 –> 01:07:48.000
And that comes with complete communication with people in the community, their needs, their wants their, the things that honestly put them in a situation of feeling insecure.

01:07:48.000 –> 01:08:02.000
When it’s something that is kind of out of our hands or out of, you know, not in our control at that moment on a physical level I think that it should be adopted, and I think that it should be thought of and not just when it happens we will deal with

01:08:02.000 –> 01:08:22.000
it. And so I believe that a strong presence from the console to be on as equally distributed through all districts, on a plan if such things were to happen or to have a plan in place for those types of, I guess, actions.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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And lastly are closing statements.

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Okay so specifically I’m running for district 10 City console because of my passion for the city of superior. I essentially want to use this opportunity to be an advocate for the area that I live in and district 10 could use some recognition and to use

01:08:50.000 –> 01:09:06.000
this, I would love to use this platform as a way to, you know, inform our residents and get them more involved and feel more part of this community. Along with that, we have a large population businesses along in this district that I know that I can be

01:09:06.000 –> 01:09:13.000
a major representative for that just for what I’ve done majority of my life and also what I do right now.

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I want to make sure that there’s are participating level by the city, and really holding up the uniqueness that is held within North and I know that I am the one that understands this district best between me and my opponent.

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And along with bringing a fresh perspective and into city plans and PR and decisions being made is highly needed with the ideals of art to community involvement, to understanding that we need an identity for, first and foremost, and I think I bring an

01:09:45.000 –> 01:09:55.000
excellent opera, or an opposite, kind of, I just, I guess, approach to things.

01:09:55.000 –> 01:10:08.000
Then, some people on the council and I’d really love to represent that side of the majority of I think people feel about things that are city that are missing or lacking and and I really want to take this opportunity to really capitalize on that.

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I want to thank everyone for being here. Progress North especially for having this, and my Facebook is Gretzky for North End. My phone number is 218-428-3114, and my email is Lindsey Graham ski at gmail.

01:10:22.000 –> 01:10:33.000
com and please reach out to me. If you live in just want to connect and work together as community members, and we’re pressing thing.

01:10:33.000 –> 01:10:37.000
Excellent, thank you so much for being here this evening.

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They came to Lindsey Gretzky, and candidate for superior Ward 10 along with Kevin keener who cannot be here with us this evening. And I believe my role is done and I will pass it on to Jade.

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Thank you everybody for joining tonight. Thank you so much to our candidates.