Butkus responds to Moore

To the Editor:

Regarding Mr. Moore’s article, it is a fair treatment of my mistake. And I can hardly blame those who forwarded the emails to Mr. Moore. However, the article can be somewhat misleading. First, a group of citizens interested in what happens at the county level isn’t at all surprising. We should be thankful citizens are engaged in local affairs. It helps with transparency. And while our copy list contains some notable individuals, again, not a surprise. Not everyone can attend P&D meetings. They rely on summaries to keep them up-to-date.

Secondly, the article overlooked the fact that I am a lakefront property owner in Oneida County. While I currently reside in Waunakee, our Oneida County property has been in our family nearly 70 years. It served as both our vacation home and our residence. It passed to my sister and me after our mother’s passing. I continue to be interested in shoreland issues in Oneida County as a property owner there. It is true that I am the President Wisconsin Lakes, a state-wide environmental advocacy group. Wisconsin Lakes’ members include individuals as well as lake associations and lake districts. These groups are entrusted with taking care of our state’s greatest natural resource, our lakes. My activities in Oneida County are mostly as a property owner. Anytime I act on behalf of Wisconsin Lakes, I am careful to make that notation below my signature. I have even addressed the county board as president of Wisconsin Lakes. But most of the time, I am speaking to the county as an individual property owner, just as my involvement with the “secret group that isn’t secret” is as a property owner.

I felt that I should make that clear.

Dan Butkus

Oneida County property owner

Waunakee