Thursday, December 7, 2006
Barron County Courthouse

Chairman Cecil Kippenhan called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Twenty-six people attended.

Beth Ager read the Secretary’s report. Minutes passed as read.

Clarice Fall gave the Treasurer’s report showing a beginning balance from November of $3,495.37. Deposits totaled $1,915.00, including a $500.00 donation from Bob Jauch. Expenses totaled $3,886.33, including newsletter and HQ expenses, leaving a December balance of $1,524.04. The report was approved as read.

Old business:
Having received a request from the town clerk, Chairman Kippenhan asked if there were any volunteers for election inspectors for the town of Rice Lake.

Kippenhan read a thank you note from the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Barron County for the donation of $62 sent by members of the party.

New business:
Jim Heerey suggested working with other county parties a year from now to organize and coordinate candidate rallies for 2008 so that candidates might visit several area rallies in one day.

Heerey also read a proposed letter to Governor Doyle about the necessity of effecting real change in health care policy and suggesting forming an advisory committee of people unconnected to the health care interests. Heerey made a motion for the party to approve and send the letter to Gov. Doyle, with Marge Lindemann seconding.

Fred Bannister distributed a paper to members showing how an extension of BadgerCare would simply shift costs to health care consumers rather than provide the intended relief.

Toby Paone suggested that the letter also suggest a solution. Jim Heerey stated that the letter was intentionally open-ended.

Ron Brewster made a motion to table the letter until January, and more party members had the chance to evaluate it. Dee Taylor seconded the motion, which passed.

Willie Williams spoke of the need for the party to address larger issues in a local context, and suggested school funding as one jumping off point. Because of current formulas, Barron County struggles more than most to fund its schools, and would bene fit from a new tack, which Williams described. He asked interested members to contact him.

Toby Paone briefed members on the recent meeting of the Wisconsin County Chairs Association meeting in Stevens Point. New WI-08 congressman Steve Kagen showed up to address the group, as did new State Senator Kathleen Vinehout. Both have considerable expertise in health care.

The 2007 DPW convention comes at the end of June (29–30?) in Milwaukee at the Hilton. “It will be the best moment to speak to presidential candidates face-to-face,” Paone said, relating his conversations with candidates in 2003.

The meeting covered the recent elections as well as things that the DPW could do to improve its organization. The consensus is that the DPW is working much more closely with its county branches than in previous years.

Officeholder reports: Registrar of Deeds Joyce Kaseno reported that everything is going well in the deeds office.

Sheriff Tom Richie expressed gratitude to the voters after the recount and narrow victory. He said he would be making some changes. When asked what those changes would be, he replied that he would spend more time in public, with local police departments, since he was now less constrained by the demands of setting up the new Justice Center.

Nominations for the 2007 constitutional officers went as follows, with no distinction between the ranking of the two vice chairs:

Chair: Toby Paone
Vice Chair: John Banks
Vice Chair: Cecil Kippenhan
Secretary: Beth Ager
Treasurer: Clarice Fall

All the officers were elected by unanimous ballot.

Fred Bannister thanked Chairman Kippenhan for his three terms of service to the party. Members stood and applauded the outgoing chair.

The Barron County Democrats meet next on January 18th in the Friendship Room of the Rice Lake Public Library, at 7:00, p.m.

At 8:13, Ron Brewster made a motion to adjourn.

Respectfully submitted,

Lizbeth Ager
Secretary