By Steve Arveson
For The News-Chronicle
Incumbent Alice Daul will face off against middle school teacher Joe Backmann in the race for Brown County Board District 17 supervisor and both have money - your money - on their mind.
Backmann said he is running for office primarily because of some of the decisions Daul has made during her most recent term.
"I want to make sure that fiscally responsible people are elected to the board. I think the board did an excellent job this last year but I'm concerned that, with elections every two years, you never know what is going to happen," Backmann said. "Alice Daul voted against the budget that reduced my tax rate. I was concerned because I did vote for Alice last year and I thought she supported lower taxes. In my opinion, she did not fulfill that."
Backmann's pledge to fiscal responsibility trickles down to his ideas about everything from development to the Mental Health Center.
"The Mental Health Center is big. We have to do something there but we have to be fiscally responsible," Backmann said. "We have to take care of those who are most in need in our community and we have to make sure that if other counties are getting involved, they also have to pitch in and pay their fair share."
And with state funds in potential jeopardy for county and municipality projects, Backmann said the board needs to watch the purse strings now more than ever.
"Shared revenue is always in question so if that comes down the pike again we need to look at all of our programs," he said. "It's also important that we retain our suburban and rural atmospheres. We want to be careful. People move to those areas for that feeling and we don't want to lose that."
"The concern of everybody is to keep taxes down and working toward a goal of a zero-percent property tax increase is what we need to do," Daul said. "But we also need to provide adequate services that the people are entitled to."
The key in doing so, she said, is open lines of communication between the county board and they different department heads.
"You have to examine the programs very carefully and you evaluate what is needed," Daul said. "Department heads are willing to work with you but you need to listen to them as well. It's easy to cut something but sometimes you're cutting off your nose to spite your face."
Daul said public safety is one of her top priorities and said she supports the sheriff's department on whatever needs they have. She also said any changes at the Mental Health Center need to be in the best interest of the patients' care.
"I've learned a lot in the past two years and I know a lot more than I did when I started," Daul who served two nonconsecutive terms on the board, said. "I've learned so much more about county government. I've had many experiences that helped me make decisions and I want to be able to put this knowledge to work. I have the time to put in and I'm available all the time."
And Daul said she will spend both her free time and county time trying to improve the residents' image of their board.
"I would like to see the county board have a much better image than it has right now," she said. "It's embarrassing sometimes and I want to work to have a board that the county can point to with pride. I hope to see some changes."
Brown County Board District 17
Name: Joe Backmann
Age: 37
Occupation: Teacher, Washington Middle School
Community involvement: Volunteer coach for various athletics including soccer, baseball, basketball. coordinated Hoops for Heart fund-raiser.
Family: Wife, four children
Name: Alice Daul
Political experience: De Pere School Board, 1984-90; Brown County Supervisor, 1990-92 and 2002-present; Supervisor on Rockland Town Board, 1997-present
Community involvement: Rockland Board of Appeals chairman, Chair of Brown County Survey Office Committee, Chaired Planning and Development Committee and member of Executive Committee. Brown County Taxpayers Association, Brown County Fair Association, life member of FFA Alumni.
Family: Four children, six grandchildren
Door
County news 
