Representative Krug to testify at public hearing for AJR 26

State Representative Scott Krug will testify before the Assembly of Judiciary and Ethics on August 18th in support of Assembly Joint Resolution 26. AJR26 is deleting from the constitution the offices of Secretary of State and the State Treasurer (first consideration).

The State Treasurer Kurt Schuller enlisted the help of Representative Krug to help eliminate his own position. “I met Kurt Schuller last fall on the campaign trail. He proposed then to get rid of the State Treasurer position and I respect that he is living up to that promise.” states Krug. “It’s clear to me that voters spoke on this issue when Kurt was elected and we will let them do so again.”

In the 2011-2013 budget the Secretary of States office lost control of the Notary Public commissions and registering trademarks. It was transferred to the Department of Financial Institutions. The State Treasurers office lost control of EdVest (college savings tool) and LGIP (Local Government Investment Pool) to the Department of Administration. All the Secretary of State is left with is mostly ceremonial tasks such as authenticating government seals. While the State Treasurer is left in charge of the Unclaimed Property in Wisconsin.

With both offices stripped of most of their duties the final decision is up to the taxpayer. “I am bringing forth this resolution at the request of the State Treasurer to have your voices heard.” states Krug.

Community involvement key in superintendent search

Contributed by Brian D. Kalish

Stevens Point–According to Stevens Point School Board President Renae Sheibley, action will likely be taken at the next board meeting to decide which consulting firm will assist the district in the search for a new superintendent.  Sheibley said that either of the two firms still in the running would be an excellent choice to help find a superintendent who has qualifications that meet the needs of the district. The two remaining firms are Ray & Associates Inc. from Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and School Exec Connect from Highland Park, Ill.

Sheibley also defended the board’s decision to hire a consulting firm after receiving some criticism from community members about the $20,000 price tag for doing so.

“The most important thing that we do as a school board is to hire a superintendent,” Sheibley said.  “We want to do what’s right for the district to move us in the right direction.  Hiring a consulting firm will allow us to find a candidate whose qualifications meet the specific needs of the community, and that’s very important to us.”

Both of the remaining firms have said that they will assist the district in finding an interim superintendent free of charge.  The decision to hire an interim superintendent will give the district adequate time to perform a thorough search and allow community members to be involved in the process.  Sheibley said the consulting firm will conduct surveys in the community and hold sessions that will allow residents to give input during the hiring process.

Community involvement is key to the overall success of the search, according to Sheibley.

“When you think about it, the superintendent is really a stabilizing force in the community,” Sheibley said.  “When people look to relocate or a business looks for a new location, one of the major factors in those types of decisions is the strength of the school system.”