Dear fellow Grand Chute residents:

I am running for Grand Chute Supervisor #1 to help ensure that your voice is heard and respected on issues that affect you. 

Why is this important to me?  Because my neighbors and I on Elsner Road have experienced firsthand the financial peril and hardship that can be caused by a Town Board with its own agenda, and with no interest in listening to the concerns of adversely affected residents. 

Some of you may be familiar with the “Doomed Dozen” families of Elsner Road.  If not, I invite you to watch the video clip of our experience.  Watch the Doomed Dozen video.  Our Town Board levied special assessments of more than $772,000 against the 12 property owners on our road to fund an urbanization project it forced upon us against our wishes. 

Common sense and fairness suggests that where there are great differences in positions, all involved parties need to work together. This is especially important when it involves local government leaders and the people they are entrusted to serve. Listening to each other, gaining an understanding of needs, rationale and concerns, then working collaboratively towards a solution reflects the interests, and respects the concerns of each side. 

Instead of taking this collaborative approach, our Town Board members chose to dictate their position to us, and then refused to hear any of our concerns or input.  It became obvious to us that our Board members have forgotten that the primary reason they hold office is to serve and provide for the needs of the people.

Shortly after the Board acted in our case, we learned that similar costly urbanization projects were also recently approved on Spencer Street, McCarthy Road, Gillett Street and Evergreen Drive.  We discovered that special assessments made against families for these projects typically ranged from $15,000 – $35,000, while small businesses were being charged $60,000 – $400,000.  These amounts were in addition to our annual property tax levies.  How many families and small business can afford to pay that much money for public road projects and improvements?

The common element discovered with each of these road projects is that the affected families and businesses did not want or need the level of improvements that were forced upon them by our Town Board.  In each case, Town leaders failed to listen to the affected people.  Yet, those same people whose input was ignored were forced to pay large special assessment amounts to fund Board approved projects.

It is my belief that government exists to serve the will of the people.  When elected officials are interested in listening to the people they are elected to serve, better decisions will be made, better outcomes will be experienced, families will not need to worry about losing their homes and retirement savings and businesses won’t be placed in peril.

I look forward to serving you, and all residents of Grand Chute, with respect and in the best interests of all concerned.

Ron Wolff

I will appreciate your vote on Tuesday, April 6.

Ron Wolff for Grand Chute, Supervisor #1
Paid for by Wolff for Grand Chute, Ron Wolff Treasurer