Generations generate a fine forum

Whether a passionate candidate, a curious audience member, or an inspired student helping it happen, last Wednesday’s Rhinelander School Board Candidate Forum offered quite an educational opportunity.

Three of the school board’s nine seats are up for election April 7. Five candidates are in pursuit, and four of them – Bill Freudenberg and incumbents Duane Frey, Mike Roberts and Merlin Van Buren – took part in the candidate forum at Rhinelander High School’s Superior Diesel Advanced Learning Center, fielding questions from students and the community. The fifth candidate, Doug Artus, was waylaid by illness.

Senior Dylan Shefveland and junior Lorelai Aylesworth, president and vice-president of the RHS student council, moderated the nearly 90-minute session the student council held in cooperation with the League of Women Voters of the Northwoods (LWVNOW). This was the second consecutive year they have teamed up to produce the forum.

The candidates each had the opportunity to introduce themselves, speak about their qualifications, and give closing comments, in addition to being questioned on more than a dozen issues.

Chicago native Freudenberg, who retired after a 35-year career in manufacturing, is currently the vice president of the Rhinelander District Library Board of Trustees as well as of the Board of Directors for the Lights in the Northwoods.

“I understand the process, being involved with the school district in itself I’ve learned a lot ... I just feel that my qualifications are there and I would love to be part of this group.

“I give these three gentlemen a lot of credit,” he said of the incumbents. “I’d like to be on board with the school district myself one day — if not this election, then elections down the road.

“I just really want to be a part of this picture. I really have a passion for this district, and I love everything that’s taking place here. Learned a lot through the years coming to these board meetings.”

Frey, from Columbus, Wis., taught and was an administrator at Rhinelander Catholic Central, now Nativity, before finishing his career as Northland Pines District elementary principal. 

“When I retired, took about 15 months to get really antsy and I missed education,” he recalled. “I thought I could add something to the Rhinelander School Board, so I ran for the board. I’ve been on it 12 years, and I’m looking forward to another term.

“I know how schools should run, how boards should run, and I know how boards should not run,” he added. “The staff has been very good at letting us know what their wishes are and we try to stay within the limits we have for money.

“We have nine people on the board. Sometimes that’s like herding cats, but it’s interesting because of all the different perspectives and I think we do a very good job of coming to a consensus to do what we need to do for the district.

Roberts, an engineer who hails from Antigo, said he grew up as the son of teachers and coaches. He’s been on the school board about 15 years.

“We’ve done a lot for the kids and that’s really what it’s all about … because they’re the future of our community,” he said. 

“With my background in engineering and project management, it was one of the reasons why I decided to initially run for the school board … it gives a little different perspective not being actually in the education field,” he added. 

“I think we have a good board that communicates well … we keep politics out of it and we try to be intelligent about all our decisions, and I think for the most part … the community's been happy with our stewardship of the district. I don’t feel that I’m done yet, and that’s why I want to stay on the board.”

Born and raised on a small farm near Waupun, Van Buren came to Rhinelander 31 years ago after living 12 years in Chicago. He’s been on the school board 12 years and is currently the board’s CESA 9 representative. Both of his sons graduated from the Rhinelander School District. 

“I have been retired now for almost two years, and for fun I drive the bus for teams and activities for the Rhinelander School District,” he said. “I’m running for reelection because I want to continue to be part of what is happening in the Rhinelander School District. We have real momentum going in our district as we continue to move this district forward.

“I think a lot of it has to do with passion – you know, enjoying what you’re doing and wanting to help the community. I think all of us have that, wanting the best for our children … every student in this district needs to get the education that they need in order to be successful.”

The forum ran with impressive professionalism, prompting applause at its close that was every bit as much for its student council staff and planners, who’d been advised by Brevin Persike and Amber Laggis, as for the candidates. 

It was fulfilling as well as fun to do, the student council members told The Northwoods River News.

“I just like the ability to help voters know about who they’re voting for, and like making sure they vote for the person they really want to elect,” said Shefveland.

“I just enjoy getting to learn about all the candidates and just like the community aspect of it, how we get all the community members in here to just kind of learn about who they’re going to be voting for,” added Aylesworth.

Student council secretary Carlie Pudlowski, a senior, agreed. “I really like the months leading up to the forum, because we also spend a lot of time in our free time getting this together by getting questions ready and getting the voters prepared, and just everything with the League of Women Voters,” she said. “It is really fun to meet everyone in person and see what their answers are, and it really makes me think what I would vote for if I was voting.”

“I like the community involvement,” observed senior Blake Petroff, the group’s treasurer. “I like to see that we have different people coming together to vote together. It’s fun that it’s at the high school where the school board actually is, and that the upcoming candidates get a good representation of where they’re going to be and who they’re going to be working alongside of.”

“We get to see all the different perspectives from all the candidates,” added junior Skylar Leitl, the event’s media coordinator, “and the people really get to see the difference between who they’re voting for.”

Their efforts earned praise from LWVNOW president Debra  Durschslag, who served seven years on the school board herself.

“They moderate, they time, they write the questions. It’s impressive!” she said.

“Involving students in this process helps us to build the next generation of voters and community leaders, and that’s who we see here tonight, and it makes me very proud to be a part of that,” she added. “In fact, the work I love the best is when I get to come into the school for this … it makes me feel honored to be able to be here and to help provide a forum like this.” 

In closing, she reminded the gathering, “The even-number spring elections are for your local officials. They’re nonpartisan elections and it’s really important in these kind of non-sexy, non-dramatic elections that we get ourselves out there and we show up and we vote for important people like these candidates here who want to serve our community.”

Ardith Carlton may be reached at [email protected].