KFIZ News Monday 12/19/16

Jim McNabb Retires As FDL County Emergency Management Director

Fond du Lac County Communications and Emergency Management Director Jim McNabb retired last week. County Executive Al Buechel says McNabb came to the County in 2010 and has done a good job for it. He says McNabb is originally is from Baraboo, Wisconsin and came here from Columbia, Missouri. Buechel says McNabb got to the point in his life where he chose to retire. McNabb succeeded Erin Gerred as Emergency Management Director when Gerred became the County’s Director of Administration. Bobbi Hicken has been named interim Emergency Management Director. She started out as a dispatcher with the North Fond du Lac Police Department moved on to Fond du Lac and eventually the County when it took over dispatch. She has been with the Communications and Emergency Management Department since 2010 working lately as Communication Operation Manager. Buechel says she will be considered for the permanent director’s role. He says he will be working with the Administrative Review Board next month on whether to recruit someone for the position or give it to Hicken.

New Operations Superintendent For FDL Public Works

Dick Flynn has been selected as the City of Fond du Lac’s next Operations Superintendent in its Public Works Department.  He has served as Waupun’s Public Works Director since 2004.  Flynn is replacing Steve Kees  who is retiring on January 13th after 15 years of service to the City.  The position oversees a crew of over 60 full-time and seasonal employees. 

Two Former Corrections Workers Waive Preliminary Hearings

Two former corrections workers recently waived their preliminary hearings in Dodge County Court on charges that they sexually assaulted or abused inmates. Forty-four-year-old Jennifer Stehling of Fox Lake is suspected of sexually assaulting an inmate while she worked as a nurse at Fox Lake Correctional. Meanwhile 45-year-old Thomas Lukas is accused of abusing an inmate while he worked as a guard at Fox Lake Correctional. Both Stehling and Lukas will be arraigned next month.

State Representative Thiesfeldt Working On Education Legislation

State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says he will be working on education legislation in the next session. The state lawmaker from Fond du Lac spent 22 years teaching, the latest stint teaching at Winnebago Lutheran Academy in Fond du Lac. He also chairs the Assembly’s Education Committee. He hopes one of his bills will make classrooms safer for teachers. He says when problems come up where teachers are in fear for their safety there should be steps that can be taken and teachers should be supported by their administration. He also would like to see standardized testing narrowed down. He wants to see a bill created that would help inform parents about the tests their kids take and another that gives them an option to opt their kids out of some testing.

Downtown Properties Available For Development In Ripon

City officials in Ripon are hoping to develop eight adjacent properties in downtown Ripon. Ripon Administrator Lori Rich says the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation is giving them a hand to try and market the properties. She says the properties include the former Mapes Building and the American House, two vacant properties where they had a fire a couple of years ago, and four vacant residential structures. The American House was an assisted living center. The Mapes Building used to have apartments with a tavern on the lower level, but it has been vacant for years. She says more recently the fire department has used it for fire training. She says it is not in very good shape. She says whether it can be salvaged is questionable because it is in pretty bad shape. Rich says those who would like to know more can contact her at (920) 748-4914 or email lrich@cityofripon.com.

Drug Free Communities Benefits From The United Way

Drug Free Communities of Fond du Lac County is one of the organizations that benefits from Fond du Lac Area United Way allocations. United Way Executive Director Amber Kilawee says Drug Free Communities fulfills one of their priorities. She says they come under the building a health community priority. A ninth drug drop box was added in the County last week. Ellen Sorensen of Drug Free Communities says the Village of Rosendale paid for the drug drop box and installed it in the lobby of the Rosendale Municipal Building. She says it was a pretty big deal for the village to recognize the need. Residents can drop off their old and unused prescription drugs in the drop boxes for safe disposal.

Manufacturers Of The Year Nominees Announced

A few area companies are among 26 nominees for Manufacturer of the Year awards. Organizers of the awards say the nominees include Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation in Beaver Dam, Columbus Chemical Industries in Columbus, SACO AEI Polymers in Sheboygan, and Sargento Foods in Plymouth. The awards will be presented during a black tie ceremony at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee on February 23rd.