Outgoing County Board Supervisor Katie Rosenberg Reflects on Her Top-10 Favorite Stories She Wrote for Wisconsin Central Time NEWS

WICentralTimeNEWSeditor,

Written by Katie Rosenberg

Here I am, at the end of my tenure on the Marathon County Board of Supervisors, and I’m finding myself contemplative about this whole experience…

The County Board is an interesting place because you have a lot of folks who spend years — decades even — honing their knowledge of County policymaking and statutory obligations. And there are also people who serve only partial terms. There are also plenty of people — like me — who serve just a term or two. Since there are 38 supervisors — the largest County Board in the nation — this body comes with a wealth of personalities, agendas, age ranges, experiences, and skillsets.

I’ve enjoyed almost everything about serving on the Marathon County Board the last 4 years, but writing for the County’s monthly eNewsletter — Wisconsin Central Time NEWS — has been one of my favorite parts. Over the last 4 years, I’ve written 27 articles and had the opportunity to interview my colleagues to find out the inner workings of County functions.

I’m proud to share 10 of my favorite featured stories posted on Wisconsin Central Time NEWS…

  1. Town of Holton’s Hemingway :: Richard Gumz
Richard_Gumz-Selfie
Richard Gumz’s first-ever selfie, taken alongside Katie Rosenberg. (Photo courtesy of Katie Rosenberg.)

When it comes to personality, 30th District Supervisor Richard Gumz takes the cake. By some strange stroke of luck, I was seated next to Rich for my entire tenure. In 2018, I asked him if he’d let me write about him and he not only agreed, but he set up a fantastic outdoor picnic at his Town of Holton farm. He showed me the oldest tree in Marathon County, and I fed his cows, too. (Read the article here.)

  1. Marathon County Board Supervisor Ka Lo :: Student of the Past. Agent of Change for the Future.
Ka_Lo-with-parents-at-UWMC
Ka with her parents, Choua Thao and Lee Lo, celebrating her graduation from the University of Wisconsin–Marathon County. (Photo courtesy of Ka Lo.)

Supervisor Ka Lo’s parents were Hmong refugees. Her experiences growing up as the eldest child in a solidly working-class family inform her goals of access for all. (Read the article here.)

  1. Supervisor EJ Stark’s American Dream
EJ_Stark-Family-2
TOP LEFT: EJ (baby) and his Uncle John in a refugee camp in Germany.
TOP MIDDLE: EJ as a baby dressed up in a costume.
TOP RIGHT: EJ (in his mother’s arms) and his family in front of the administration building at the camp.
MIDDLE LEFT: EJ’s crib.
BOTTOM LEFT: EJ’s Uncle John, 21, who always doted on young EJ.
BOTTOM RIGHT: EJ’s father, Joseph Jr., in his makeshift darkroom; he made extra money in the refugee camp by taking and developing photos. (Photos courtesy of EJ Stark.)

Supervisor EJ Stark was born in a Hungarian refugee camp. Stark says he is grounded in the values that his parents instilled in him growing up as an immigrant in 1950s Milwaukee. His life’s course forever changed when his future parents escaped the Hungarian Stalinists and landed in a refugee camp in Germany. He reflected: “I come from humble beginnings. My family was forced off their farm in Hungary by the communist regime — they were forced to leave everything and moved into a dislocation camp. My brother and I were both born in there.” (Read the article here.)

  1. Marathon County Board Supervisor Ashley Lange 2.0
Mandela
Board Supervisors Katie Rosenberg, Alyson Leahy, and Ashley Lange with then-candidate for Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes at the Hmong Wausau Festival. (Photo courtesy of Ashley Lange.)

Former Supervisor Ashley Lange inspired me with her authenticity. She’s been able to pivot challenges that would normally knock someone out of the game into a passionate rallying cry for participation in the political process. (Read the article here.)

  1. John Robinson’s Political Playbook
Rosenberg-Robinson-Collage
John Robinson and Katie Rosenberg — THEN & NOW. (Photos courtesy of Katie Rosenberg.)

I’ve known Supervisor John Robinson longer than anyone else on the board. He, in fact, has known me for longer than I’ve had memories, so it was a joy to talk to him about how he approaches the work of the County. (Read the article here.)

  1. The Past, Present, & Future of Care at Mount View Care Center
Don_and_Lois_Rosenberg
My grandma (Lois) visiting my grandpa (Don Rosenberg). She always made sure to kiss him when she said goodbye. (Photo courtesy of Katie Rosenberg.)

For 30 years, I always had 3 living grandparents. Then over the last 4 years, I lost all of them. The first, my grandpa Don Rosenberg, spent his last 5 years at Mount View Care Center. At the same time, I had the honor of serving as the Vice Chair of the Mount View Care Center Committee. Before the Board voted on major renovations, I wrote a story about the facility and its residents. It was very meaningful and even cathartic to write this piece. (Read the article here.)

  1. Get a Front-Row Seat to a Snow Plow Ride-Along in Marathon County
marathon_county_snow_plow_ride-along_2
The view from the passenger seat window while plowing County Road R. (Photo courtesy of Katie Rosenberg.)

Then there were the ride-a-longs . . .

One snowy Saturday, I spent 4 hours with Marathon County plow driver Kody Carr. I don’t know what I expected, but plows go a lot slower than I realized and as the passenger, I didn’t have a hydraulic seat, so it was backbreakingly bumpy. But it was definitely worth it to see how the 600 miles of County roads get plowed. (Read the article here.)

  1. Dog on Duty :: Riding Along with One of Marathon County’s K-9 Units
Marathon_County_K-9_Unit_Monty
Marathon County K-9 Unit Monty. (Photo courtesy Marathon County Government.)

I also hit the road with Sheriff’s Deputy Daniel D’Aquisto and K-9 officer Monty. (Read the article here.)

  1. A Day in Judge Moran’s Courtroom I Won’t Soon Forget
Judge_Michael_K_Moran
Judge Michael K. Moran in his courtroom. (Photo courtesy of Katie Rosenberg.)

Sitting in during intake with Judge Michael Moran opened my eyes to how justice is administered in Marathon County. (Read the article here.)

  1. Corporation Counsel Scott Corbett Is the County’s Legal Voice — From the Simple to the Supreme
Scott_Corbett_At_Desk
Marathon County Corporation Counsel Scott Corbett at his desk piled with legal pads, folders, state statutes, and resolutions.  (Photo courtesy of Brad Karger.)

And if you want to know who has the messiest desk, look no further than the Corporation Counsel’s office. Scott Corbett works on cases small and large — last year presenting a winning oral argument to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. (Read the article here.)

*  *  *

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve on the Marathon County Board.

I’m sad to be leaving, but I was just elected Mayor of the City of Wausau, so I know there are opportunities to partner with these fine folks in our future!

Katie Rosenberg - County Board Supervisor District No. 1

Katie Rosenberg

Marathon County Board Supervisor |  District 1

Katie Rosenberg is a Marathon County Board Supervisor representing District 1. She is passionate about engaging the community and is active on social media and in organizing neighborhood constituent meetings with her Wausau City Council counterpart, Alderperson Pat Peckham. In her free time, you can find Katie enjoying the outdoors with her husband on bike, on roller skates, and in trail shoes. She also enjoys attending all manner of political events, traveling the world, and cooking up a mean vegetarian soup.  Email Katie Rosenberg. 

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