May 16, 2021 – Washington Co., Wi – On Monday, May 17, 2021 the 22 – 4 vote taken last week by the Washington County Board will go before Washington County executive Josh Schoemann. As county executive he has the power to pass or veto the resolution which was to improve safety on CTH S at STH 175 and Highway 83 while leaving the CTH W extension off the table.
Click HERE to read the four supervisors who voted against the amended resolution
Click HERE for the final vote tallies
Below is an email exchange between Ron Naab, a resident of the Town of Addison, and County supervisor Chris Bossert who has requested the county executive veto Wednesday’s final vote.
Dear Washington County Citizens,
The vote taken by the Washington County Board on Wednesday; May 12, 2021 has become quite the “hot pot” of discussion in this county. I for one was a person that felt this plan to extend CTH W through three (3) working farm parcels that support a very productive dairy operation, was irresponsible. My personal opinion is our country needs to consider preserving farmland, NOT destroying farmland.
I also found it very interesting a majority of the county board voted in favor this reconfiguration and extension of CTH W are either from the City of West Bend and the City of Hartford. My question to these supervisors is this—“What do your constituents get out of this project.”
I have been told by Supervisor Chris Bossert this proposal is necessary because the county will attempt to make the intersection of CTH S and STH-175 to only accommodate 200 cars per day. It is anticipated that without the CTH W extension, this intersection will have 1,700 to 2,600 cars per day.
I ask, “How many cars go through this intersection now?” I travel this intersection every day, it is an intersection that is challenging to transverse now. Why and how would you make an intersection more dangerous than the one that exists now?
Mr. Bossert went on to say that they wish to close WI-83 north of CTH S to STH-175. Not very long ago a good deal of money was spent on reconfiguring this intersection, why would you close it. If you limit the traffic at CTH S and STH-175 to 200 cars per day. How will the traffic on STH-175 get to travel on WI-83?
Lastly, I found Supervisor Bossert’s comments disturbing, “Leadership is not about doing what is popular, it is about doing what is responsible. The board’s actions on Wednesday night were well-intentioned, but irresponsible. A veto is the only way to fix their actions and is therefore the responsible thing to do.”
Has our county government now become one that governs the people and not the people govern the government?
Maybe Mr. Bossert you and your partners that want this project to be a positive SOLD it with statistics of accidents and hazards and how this project is viable even though it destroys good, productive farmland.
Respectfully,
Ronald Naab
Town of Addison Resident
Below is a letter from Ron Naab on May 13, 2021 and the response from Supervisor Bossert on May 16, 2021.
Ron, you are a former County Board Supervisor. You should fully understand the problems the board created on Wednesday night. This is no longer about HWY W, this is now about undoing the well-intentions but reckless, and irresponsible, actions the board took on Wednesday night.
Scott had put forward plans to reconfigure the crossing at HWY S to safely accommodate 200 cars per day on HWY S. The board’s action Wednesday night will instead send 1,700-2,600 cars per day through that reconfigured intersection. As a former County Board Supervisor, I would be shocked if you did not recognize the problems this creates.
We also spent 4 months telling neighbors in the subdivision that abuts the north side of HWY S east of HWY 175 that this plan would reduce traffic on HWY S to 200 cars per day. The board’s actions on Wednesday night will instead increase traffic on HWY S to as many as 2,600 cars. We gave them no opportunity to voice concerns about this new plan that increases traffic in their back yard. As a former County Board Supervisor, I would be shocked if you did not recognize the problems this bait-and-switch approach creates.
The responsible thing for Josh to do at this point it to veto this plan, so we can start over. If we are going to keep all that traffic at HWY S, we need an intersection that this properly designed to accommodate that traffic. If he does not veto it, there is no changing or undoing what the board did Wednesday night.
Leadership is not about doing what is popular, it is about doing what is responsible. The board’s actions on Wednesday night were well-intentioned, but irresponsible. A veto is the only way to fix their actions, and is therefore the responsible thing to do.
Christopher Bossert
Contact county executive Josh Schoemann 262-306-2200 or County.exec@washcowisco.gov
Click HERE to contact your county supervisor.