David Van Zeeland resigned from his District 29 seat on the Oconto County Board in October, creating an open seat in the April election.
Cody Schaal and Brenda Carey-Mielke, both of Mountain, will face off April 7 for a two-year term on the board.
Both were sent questionnaires about their candidacies. Schaal did not respond.
Why are you running for County Board?
Carey-Mielke: Honestly, it comes down to this: Our northern towns deserve a strong, steady voice at the county level. Over the past few months, several residents and local officials encouraged me to step forward. I care deeply about this community, and I want to make sure our rural needs are heard, respected and understood. County board supervisor seats in Wisconsin are nonpartisan, because the work is supposed to be practical, local and service‑driven, not ideological. Counties manage things like roads and infrastructure, public safety and emergency services, human services, land conservation, zoning appeals, public health and budgets and taxation at the local scale.
None of these responsibilities benefit from party labels. They benefit from competence, fairness and collaboration.
What experience do you bring?
Carey-Mielke: I have been serving this area for years — town chair of Mountain, chair of the Mountain Ambulance Commission, president of the Mountain Historical Society and a member of two inland lake district boards. Before moving to Oconto County, I served 12 years in county government in another Wisconsin county. I volunteer with Mountain’s Circle of Friends and the Lions Club of Mountain/Crooked Lake. I know how county budgeting works, how committees function and how to get things done. I am ready to hit the ground running.
What is one of the biggest challenges we face?
Carey-Mielke: Rural counties are being asked to stretch every dollar further than ever. Costs keep rising, but our small towns do not have the same tax base as larger communities. One of my priorities is making sure resources are distributed fairly and that county policies do not place unnecessary burdens on rural residents. Effective communication between the county and our local towns is essential.
How do you approach the budget debate?
Carey-Mielke: I believe in being responsible with taxpayer dollars. Before we talk about new revenue or cutting services, we should look for efficiencies and partnerships that save money without hurting residents. A fitting example is Mountain’s recent partnership with WisDOT (Wisconsin Department of Transportation) — we completed a full engineering study at zero cost to taxpayers. That is the kind of creative, practical problem‑solving I want to explore further. There is a reason the county board supervisors’ seat is nonpartisan, the reason is quite simple — and it goes to the heart of why county government exists in the first place.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
