La Crosse County Board candidate Q&A: Frost vs. Mader for District 30

The Q&As will be published daily in order of responses, not in numerical order of districts.

Responses for candidates running for District 30 are below.

Dustin Frost

Age: 38

Education: Not given

Occupation: Husband/Father, Insurance Producer, Assistant Wrestling Coach, Class A Commercial Driver

Political experience: Active follower of local, state, national and international news and politics; no political offices held.

Why do you want to serve on the La Crosse County Board and what is something you’d want to accomplish if elected?

I believe District 30, the town of Shelby, does not have strong enough representation on the board. The Executive Committee, six of the nine members are from the city of La Crosse and there are no rural members. I would like to see the town of Shelby and other townships/municipalities have a seat on this committee.

I would like to set goals for improving our roads, bridges, and overall infrastructure of the county, especially in all rural settings. We have had heavy rains recently that create washouts on roads in my district, I would like to see permanent fixes instead of patches.

One of my other main goals is to support public safety while on the board. I will represent the town of Shelby and I believe the township and all other townships and municipalities can take care of their own public safety responders, which includes their own police departments. They do not need La Crosse County creating a police oversight to encompass all the townships and municipalities.

La Crosse County has received nearly $22 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The current board has already divided the funds into categories, but what do you think is the most important project this unprecedented funding should be spent on?

Hands down, this should be used to help improve the infrastructure of La Crosse County. This is a one-time source of monies. There are many needs in our county but setting up permanent new programs that will need to be supported financially for years to come will only put pressure on the taxpayers of the county in the years after these monies run out.

By investing in clean water, roads, bridges, and infrastructure we can make improvements that last for decades without burdening the taxpayer. I was amazed that none of the funding went to the town of Campbell to help with the PFAS issue in the wells of those homeowners. Our county government should have helped. Especially when the ARPA funding specifically says it can be used for clean water. It seems very little of the ARPA money will be spent in rural La Crosse County and we have serious needs for broadband expansion, road repairs and support for first responders.

What ideas do you have on improving the collaboration and regionalization between the county and municipalities?

I believe we need to have multiple inputs from multiple townships and municipalities. Meaning we need to have representation from these different townships and municipalities on all committees. Critical thinking, disagreements and different viewpoints usually breed best practices and outcomes. As I mentioned above regarding the Executive Committee, it is not appropriate to have a committee dominated by one municipality. We all have to do our part to represent our constituents. The La Crosse County Board cannot do that if we don’t have a seat at the table. I will work with other representatives from other rural districts to ensure our needs are met.

Dillon Mader

Age: 30

Education: High School Diploma from Central High School; Bachelor’s Degree in English and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse; Master’s Degree in English from the University of Colorado-Boulder

Occupation: Instructor at Western Technical College, Learner Support and Transition and Project Proven

Political experience: First-time candidate but long-interested and -involved in the issues

Why do you want to serve on the La Crosse County Board and what is something you’d want to accomplish if elected?

As a third-generation teacher and public servant, I believe deeply in service, learning, and collaboration. For years I’ve considered political representation; now, with an open seat in District 30, and after learning more and more about our county, I am ready to step into this role. I was born and raised in La Crosse, and, every day, I work with the county’s systems and services. Not only am I invested in this community but I also see what it is and can be. This vision, which is really a shared one, includes sustainability and energy independence, better work and education opportunities for all of our residents, and support for our neighbors who are struggling in one way or another. I intend to make informed decisions on issues that matter to all of us. I will be a responsible representative who listens, builds relationships, and helps make our county better.

La Crosse County has received nearly $22 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The current board has already divided the funds into categories, but what do you think is the most important project this unprecedented funding should be spent on?

First, I appreciate the process that the County Board used to form the categories, deliberately seeking community-member input through multiple channels. In that way it made the most of this unique funding opportunity. All of the categories are critical, including childcare, housing, trades training, and infrastructure. That said, I believe the most important ARPA-funded projects fall within the sustainability category. County solar investments will help reduce emissions, and green infrastructure will help manage the increasingly severe impacts of climate change, particularly heavy rains and flooding. Following experts, I think we need to act now to start drawing down our emissions level. I also believe that government can and should be a leader in implementing these kinds of proactive, win-win solutions that lead to not just sustainability but also workforce development and deeper community collaboration.

What ideas do you have on improving the collaboration and regionalization between the county and municipalities?

Representation matters. I intend to show up at town meetings when possible and engage in dialogue to ensure that county and township are in contact, working together. Similarly, I think housing, sustainability, infrastructure, and other projects provide fertile ground for governmental collaboration and, more specifically, resource-sharing. The issues that matter in Shelby often show up in other municipalities, and only by working together can we find viable solutions for our township, county, and community.