From our readers

Letter to the Editor:

I could not help but notice that the County Board has voted themselves a raise. You may wonder how? Well they did this very cleverly by voting to allow themselves to collect multiple Per Diems for the same day. Normally people get one Per Diem per day.

The following is the definition of the term “Per diem” from the dictionary.

Per diem (Latin for “per day” or “for each day”) refers to a specific amount of money that an organization allows an individual to spend per day, to cover living and traveling expenses in connection with work. It is the allowance given to the employee/worker for completing a task or going on tour away from home.

Per diem pay eliminates the need for employees to create expense reports documenting the amount spent while traveling on business for reimbursement. Instead, employers reimburse employees at a standard daily rate without regard to the amount actually spent by the employee.

It says very clearly states in the common definition above that it is “per day” or “for each day.” Starting in April of 2012 in addition to collecting a salary of $2,400 per year, plus expenses and per diem of $50 for each full meeting and $25 for each committee meeting attended, the county board members will be able to collect multiple per diems for back to back meetings! They did limit themselves to collecting for only three meetings per day.

The County Board has given themselves a raise while increasing all our taxes 16 cents per $1,000 of equalized value. If you live in a town rather than a city or village you will also pay an additional 7 cents per $1,000 of equalized value for culverts and bridges aids. That is an increase of 23 cents per $1,000 of equalized value for many tax payers. Meanwhile your income may have shrunk or decreased through no fault of your own.

The full County Board is coming up for election next year. Is it time to vote them all out of office? I think so. Too bad few seats for county board are contested.

Sincerely,

Pete Pfankuch,

Crivitz

Dear Editor:

Saturday, Nov. 19 is a day of healing for Survivors of Suicide Loss, when AFSP will hold 250 simultaneous conferences throughout the United States. The 90-minute broadcast will be shown at www.afsp.org that day from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (EST). Anyone wishing to watch this broadcast may register at www.afsp.org under National Survivors of Suicide Day.

An annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk was held in Dickinson County through the AFSP (The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) on Sept. 17 at Iron Mountain City Park. It was a huge success due to businesses, volunteers and walkers that participated. Half of the money raised goes to help local efforts such as materials for schools, counseling centers, nursing homes, and anyone interested in receiving them. The other half goes nationally for research, training on mental illness and suicide prevention.

The Dickinson County Out of the Darkness Community Walk Committee for Suicide Prevention and Awareness will hold monthly planning meetings starting in February. The non profit group walk meetings are held every third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Dickinson County Library in Iron Mountain.

Sincerely,

Tina Tappy,

2011 Walk Co-Chair

Editor:

Eight years ago a Suring businessman, Jim Vollmar of the now closed Vollmar’s Trailside Bar & Grill, put on a Spaghetti Dinner following the Suring School’s Veterans Day Honor Program. At that time he had a fairly small turnout, but each year after that his dinner response grew.

With larger facilities at Black Bear Trail Golf Course, and the combination work of a few veterans, who formed the “Vets for Vets of Oconto County” organization, we had a wonderful turnout.

We would like to thank all who came out for the dinner. We fed over 350 people, 117 of them were veterans. Not bad when we planned on feeding 300. Next year we will plan to feed 400. Amazing how a small group of people could do this. Thanks to all the people behind the scenes, cooks, wait staff, bartenders, the band of OK Combo, and ticket sellers, and all contributors of prizes, etc. The organization is already planning on next year’s 10th Annual Veterans Day Spaghetti Dinner, which will be on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 at Black Bear Trail G.C. Thanks again to everyone!

Thank you,

Richard Genal

To the editor

Do we really want to recall Governor Walker? I say no� no�no!!! A little over a year ago the voters of Wisconsin overwhelmingly voted for change and more cost effective Wisconsin government. Now a recall election where a fraction of the voters typically turn out may overturn the will of majority.

Wisconsin tried it the Democrat’s way and it was an economic disaster. After the 2008 election state government grew by 6% while the state was deep in recession. Wisconsin lost 170,000 jobs while tax increases took in billions and billions of extra dollars from working families and small businesses all across the state.

After the people chose Governor Walker he championed changes to control costs and we have the first truly balanced budget in years and a promise to change the status quo and focus on jobs. Special interest groups and unions now want to kick him out instead of waiting for the normal election cycle. That is just plain wrong as recall elections have traditionally been reserved for criminal behavior, not political expediency.

Please refuse to sign any recall election petitions that are being distributed. Better yet, roll up your sleeves and help deflect the recall attempt. Contact family, friends and neighbors and urge them not to sign.

Finally, the cost of this special election will be borne by “we the people.” Enough is enough! Let’s spend our time working together to move on and heal the wounds of the last year, not further divide the people of our state.

John Brantmeier,

Townsend

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