NAME:Brian Kapanke
ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBER:608-486-4606
E-MAIL:bangorbrian@charter.net
AGE: 46
NUMBER OF YEARS LIVED IN
FAMILY: Wife - Jane,
EDUCATION: Graduated from
OCCUPATION (if retired, former occupation): Currently
employed by VT Griffin, Contractor for the US Government at
contract specialist.
ELECTED OFFICES HELD (include years served):
Supervisor,
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND MEMBERSHIPS:
A. Why do you want to serve on the La Crosse County Board?
A chance to get involved and meet other people who have the similar likes as I do about participating in local government.
B. What are the two most pressing issues facing
what do you think
Continuing rising costs of health insurance and its effect on the yearly budget and the cost to taxpayers. Until the industry changes or is mandated to change by the federal government, all we can do locally is to continue to work with the local suppliers and insurer's on ways to reduce insurance costs as they have done in the past.
The Future Budgets and the effects on taxpayers - With no visible
evidence that state and federal government will cut spending or its size, the effects this will have on taxpayers.
A new
existing building nearing and the costs to re-model the existing building (Asbestos removal, fix internal structure, etc) and comparing that to costs to build a new building as well as a new location will be a major decision for the board and future boards.
The next several questions will ask your feelings about past and future actions by the county board. Please answer by putting an "X" next to the statement that most closely reflects your view. Then, please explain your reasons in writing
1. Do you support or oppose reducing the size of the county board by
half?
Strongly Support
Support- X
No opinion
Oppose
Strongly Oppose
Reason: I can support reducing the size of the board as long as the reduced size board continues to operate like the current board, that the reduction will not allow the remaining positions to become full time positions.
2. With the switch to a county administrator four years ago, how satisfied are you with the county board's new role as a board of directors that makes policy decisions rather than operational decisions?
Very satisfied - X
Satisfied
No opinion
Unsatisfied
Very unsatisfied
Reason: The Board does not need to be involved with the day to day operations of the departments; such involvement would lengthen the already long time it takes for things to happen. That's why we have department heads, to make the day to day decisions.
3. How satisfied are you with the county administrator's new four-year contract?
Very satisfied - X
Satisfied
No opinion
Unsatisfied
Very unsatisfied
Reason: Steve has done an excellent job in my opinion, with the past
few budgets being regulated to increase only so little, Steve has and continues to look farther out in the future to see what is coming and what can be done now to reduce the impact on current and future budgets. Steve has done a lot to save money, instead of handling the problem just for today by saying, "let's just cut each department by 5% and wait til next year" he's constantly looking ahead and reviewing what other counties and states are doing as well.
4. How satisfied are you with the proposed "smart growth" comprehensive
plan scheduled for county board approval in coming months?
Very satisfied
Satisfied - X
No opinion
Unsatisfied
Very unsatisfied
Reason: I feel it will make the townships more involved in the decision making prior to the application process being approved, than they had in the past.
5. Do you support or oppose having the county board hold a referendum before borrowing money for buildings or other capital projects?
Strongly Support
Support
No opinion
Oppose -X
Strongly Oppose
Reason:
6. Do you support or oppose
of its vacant Lakeview Farm
property in
Strongly Support - X
Support
No opinion
Oppose
Strongly Oppose
Reason: The property is owned by the County and employs people very capable of handling these type of projects.
7. Do you support or oppose
Strongly Support
Support - X
No opinion
Oppose
Strongly Oppose
Reason: I feel that if an individual has no prior records and makes a mistake (ie-Drunken Driving, etc) for the first time, that this person does not need to be interned in the county jail for a long extended period at a cost detrimental to taxpayers. Allow the individual to be ticketed and go home to await their time in court with the least amount of time in the county system and with minimal costs to taxpayers.
8. Do you support or oppose spending more of the county's budget reserves to reduce the property tax levy?
Strongly Support
Support
No opinion
Oppose - X
Strongly Oppose
Reason: I support using reserves and have voted for it as it has been done in recent budgets. But not at drastic amounts which then would not allow any reserves available if and when it is needed in budgets and events in the future and the effects that such drastic usage may have on the counties ratings.
9. Do you support or
oppose the state of
Strongly Support
Support- X
No opinion
Oppose
Strongly Oppose
Reason: I support this based on my past voting that has approved past budgets that this cap has taken effect on, if I didn't support it I would have voted against budgets. I would only hope and wish that the State would also adhere to what they have mandated. I foresee that future budgets may require and I can support the elimination of programs that serve a small population of individuals. If there are programs that are run by the county that do not serve over 50 individuals that these programs should be eliminated.
10. Do you support or oppose the county's plans for a $29.5 million jail expansion?
Strongly Support - X
Support
No opinion
Oppose
Strongly Oppose
Reason: The jail expansion was needed; if anyone disagrees they only need to tour the existing woman's facility. Any construction project is not going to be simple or inexpensive today. The project should now concentrate on using the best design and technologies available to ensure that the future costs of operating, heating and cooling the building are optimized to alleviate as much future costs for these items.