Welcome, everyone, to Midday magazine for this March 20th, 2024.
Have your host, James J. Mailoff here at Part 2 today at 330.
We're to welcome in Wisconsin Senator Patrick Teston looking forward to talk with him.
Right now, we have Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Shane Blazer with us.
Good to see you, Shane.
Oh, damn, I'm sorry about that.
Hey, good to have you.
All right, thank you.
I'm just the number two being open here.
I'm sorry about that.
Appreciate the time, Shane.
We'll talk more with you in a moment.
I want to thank our good friends over at Wisconsin Rapids Community Meeting.
Big shout out to you guys.
We appreciate you.
Do yourself a favor, go to YouTube, type it into your search bar,
Wisconsin Rapids Community Media, subscribe to their page and keep up to date
and all the great work that they are doing over there.
Shane, we have been doing a lot of interviews this past week.
A lot of candidates.
It's a political time of year for us, certainly with the April 2nd election coming up.
We've got a lot of candidates we've been having on the air
and a big thank you to all of them for joining us.
And of course, Pam Hilke and the scheduling, she does with that.
But with that going on and with this being,
you're last official time with us as mayor and this position.
One of the things that I thought would be good to do is something you and I
really challenged the community about doing more public service,
being a part of the communities, being on boards, a lot of that.
I've been asking all of our candidates how they have enjoyed the experience,
how it has been for them.
So I'm going to kind of do the same thing with you for a second here.
As you're wrapping up your terms as mayor,
how have you enjoyed the experience?
How was campaigning?
How has it been being mayor?
Well, that's a big question.
Big question.
The first one out the gate, man.
Yeah.
I've enjoyed it overall.
Campaigning obviously is campaigning.
It's tough, it's not always enjoyable.
And it's expensive, advertisements and print are not cheap.
But you got to do it to barely get your kind of platform out there.
And if you don't have those finances,
it does make it a little tougher.
Or fortunately, people locally will donate to help that.
And so if you have people donating to your campaigns,
it definitely helps.
And if you don't, then maybe it's a message that maybe you're not doing
something right, but especially in a mayor's race.
Automatic race is really aren't that expensive.
Pretty easy to do.
As for my time as mayor, overall, I've definitely enjoyed it.
Staff is talking to Taylor here.
Staff has been a very important part of it for me
because I believe our staff is our connection
to the residents and that customer service end of it.
And so I felt that if we have a good strong staff,
and I always said if I can steal good employees from other communities,
we're doing something right.
And unfortunately, we've taken a lot of employees
from other communities and in whether it be in fire and police,
also lateral transfers and things like that.
So it's about creating an environment
because I believe in the stronger employees that we have,
the better product, hopefully we can put out there to the public.
People I always say people are asking me and matter of fact,
even this morning, I was on a phone conversation.
People and problems kind of just kind of exhaust you after a while,
though.
And a lot of times you don't hear from the positive.
Once a while we have people stop in.
I'm thankful the dog park has been so well received.
And I've received a lot of positive comments that kind of helped
I've pushed out some of the negativity,
but yeah, it's exhausting.
And for me, I was able to deflect it for a long time,
but then you start internalizing it sometimes after a while.
And finally, it just got to the point
that it was just no longer worth it.
And my health suffered and I was putting on weights
and it's just kind of taken on a little too much.
And I started taking that in.
But generally overall, it was a very good experience.
I've met a lot of great people.
We do have a great community.
We have a lot of amazing people in this community.
I do a lot of things for the community.
Yeah, and getting involved is very important.
And so even in my office, we're working
on trying to transition document for the next mayor
about even just the appointments that they need to make.
And as soon as the election is over with getting that document
to that person and having them build a start on that.
And instead of showing up the first day
and trying to figure out, I need these positions filled.
So I'm having to hear that overall the experience
was a positive for you and appreciate
all the transparency as always.
Always all of our conversations have been that way.
On one side of it, I do think it's no worthy
and important for people whether they're thinking
about running for office, but maybe even more importantly,
if they're not, or just a normal citizen, if you will.
Because it's becoming harder and harder
to get people to do public service,
to run for offices, to be on boards for the right reasons.
We, our whole lives have seen the one issue candidate,
the person who has this one thing.
So they think that that makes them,
not only worthy of being on a board or mayor or president
or something like that, but that's all they got.
And that doesn't really help our community
or help a board or something like that.
There's a lot of keys to this job, to doing this.
And I appreciate the transparency of showing some of that.
But I also think it's important to note these things
because if we're gonna ask people to run for office,
accountability is key.
And I'm not at all saying that there doesn't need
to be accountability.
I don't think anybody that's an adult out there
doesn't believe that there shouldn't be accountability.
But the idea of being a keyboard coward,
the idea of just being a dog that barks
and not having any positive things to say
or anything to bring to the conversation.
You and I deal with this a lot.
I think in our job separately where you have the person,
hey, you're doing this wrong.
You're doing, okay, what is your suggestion?
Oh, I got nothing.
You never do.
Yeah, yeah.
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
If you got a complaint, you better have a solution.
Otherwise, what are you doing?
And if we want people to run for mayor,
we want people to be on school boards and these things.
We have to walk that line in that balance of,
yes, accountability and speaking our mind
as we are Americans and everything.
But also, they're a human being.
They're a neighbor.
They're somebody's up kid.
They are the parent of somebody possibly.
These are human beings.
And getting back to that,
we're gonna lose more and more people like yourself
or the more we don't notice these things
and do something about them.
Yeah, you know, I always say we elect our leaders
through a democratic process,
but we don't lead by being democratic, you know?
It's so, for me, I was elected by the people,
but my leadership, I don't take a poll and then decide,
you know, I take in information,
especially from department heads,
they're the ones that are knowledgeable in the field
or from the citizens, but just because one person elected me
to the office doesn't mean that whatever they say,
they get to decide.
It's really about, okay, this is,
I've been elected, I kind of, this is who I am.
And this is kind of what I believe,
but, and I might do things that way.
And, but I'll take in information.
So it's really important to remember that
just because you vote for a candidate,
now you don't get to decide what that candidate does
and doesn't do.
It's really, it's really not how it works
and nor can it work because it's impossible
because everybody's got an opinion.
So it's really about trusting the person
and hoping that, you know, when we elect them,
that they'll follow through at least be the person
that they are portraying, that they're being
and then go forward.
But yeah, we, we've, I've always believed that, though,
you know, and that's how I've tried to lead to.
And just, and sometimes I've had struggled with it
just because there's a department head that says
and believes that we should do something or, or achieve,
you know, it doesn't necessarily mean
that that's what we're gonna do, you know,
it's really about us taking that information in,
whether it be council or the mayor or county board.
Well, all, all of our elected offices
and it's really about taking that information
and trying to make the best decision,
but can't always do what they want to do.
Are you glad you ran?
I am, I am, you know, I, you know,
I think it's important, you know,
I disagree to it with the leadership at the time.
And so it's, put your money where your mouth is.
Yeah.
Stop complaining and do something about it
and then I ran and I won, you know,
and it was just, I always say that, you know,
leadership has its time.
And so at that time, the community decided that
we needed to go in a different direction.
And I knew I wasn't in this for a career or a lifetime
and two, three terms of my mind kind of what I was thinking
and it's now it's time for me to step away
and let new leadership come in and bring something fresh.
Cause with that change, you have new fresh ideas
and different things.
And so, and it's easy to get stale and stagnant
and I'm there, you know, and unfortunately I'm there
and it's time for that change.
And I recognize that change.
It's time for somebody else to take a turn.
Not a lot of people catch that when it happens.
I think I admire that you did and then you have
and you care that much about the community
and the position to do something like that.
We know the construction, there's a couple of things
that we know it springs around the corner,
baseball, construction, those orange cones.
We've got some construction going on in the area
and one of the led everybody know about.
Yeah, you know, there's a street closure
that went out for Lincoln and Chestnut.
So if you've been on Lincoln Street,
A, if you've been on it previously, you know,
it's probably one of the, it's a rumble track.
It's rough, it was horrible.
So it's set to be redone this year
from the Expressway to Grand Avenue
and it's got all the new infrastructure, all new road
and obviously in Lincoln, in front of, sorry,
in East junior high, I used to be Lincoln High School,
East junior high or the middle, or the high school,
or the middle school, the junior high school there.
All the trees were cut down and unfortunately
that median is no longer going to be part of that
and there's just no need for it
but there's going to be a recreation trail
on the west side of the road.
I believe it's the west side of the road
and it's going to be nice when it's done.
Yeah, and so, but it's going to be, it's a main road
and so it's going to be kind of a mess
and it's going to be detours
and I'm sure they're in, you know,
in front of a quick trip there,
it's going to be a little bottleneck
but they'll get it done as quick as possible
and it'll be much better for it.
And anybody over the age of five
out there understands construction
that you have a date that you'd like to end
in the date that you possibly will end.
Do we have an idea of like,
how long this project might take?
Just ballpark?
I couldn't even guess it.
Yeah, I think fortunately though
and unfortunately, because of the weather,
they were able to get a lot of stuff done
and you know that I saw the gas company
and they ran all new gas lines in there
and so a lot of work has been able to get done.
I had a time and unfortunately now
with winter coming back for a little bit,
you know, that's going to kind of put that on hold.
But I would think given the area,
the busyness of the road, they're going to be portioned.
Yeah, it's going to take some time.
Yeah, they're going to push it though
and push it to get it done quick.
Well, and accordingly, everybody,
if you're a rapids resident,
one of the things you learn right away
is how to get around things.
Like especially the trade.
Like you just learn these things
so keep that in mind, everybody.
And look out for our workers.
Please, please, please slow down.
Look out for our construction workers.
All they're doing is trying to make our roads safer.
Yeah, let's go.
You go out to our engineering website.
You can, they have project updates up there,
up there and they'll have project plans
and for the projects and they'll have timelines
and then weekly updates.
You can sign up for updates for a road project updates
and you can get all that information
and stay on top of it.
And they keep that updated
and I like the word updated today.
And keep everybody informed there.
It's a really good spot.
Speaking with Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Shane Blazer
along with our friends
and Wisconsin Rapids Community Media
and Shane, there was some city council meeting yesterday.
Any highlights from that?
Any notes from that?
Yeah, you know, the fire department had,
there was a discussion on needing to rep,
we've had a ladder truck here.
I'm sure everybody's seen it.
It's 30 years old and it's starting to cost money,
start not to be the safest piece of equipment.
And so last night, the council voted seven to one
to approve replacing that.
And the fire department came forward with,
they also have another engine that needs replacing
within the next year or so.
And so what they've kind of concluded is that
our old ladder truck and our old engine
to take those out of service
and just replace it with one new like ladder truck engine.
So it's kind of a two for one deal
and I think it's very financially responsible.
Obviously that ladder truck is gonna see more time on it
than it previously did
because it's gonna have a dual purpose.
But yeah, so replacing those two,
the problem is we're talking potentially up to four years
before we get that ladder truck.
I cannot believe how long it takes for them to build that.
But yeah, once it gets in queue, it's about four years.
But I think it makes financial,
it's about 1.5 million I believe for that truck.
And but replacing one truck with,
well replacing two trucks with one truck
makes great financial sense
and I applaud the fire department for looking at that
and really looking at the needs of their equipment
and making that decision
and cause it's gotta be done.
Either way, if we don't have a ladder truck
all of our, especially our commercial,
their insurance rates will change
and it'll cost them more.
By us having that certification with a ladder truck here,
it benefits all of us on our,
even our personal property insurance
and things like that.
Yeah, yeah, it has a truck of that effect in its way.
And it's important to note with what's going on
and not too far from us in their fire department
and the lack of having people and all that,
how important it is to take care of our fire departments
to keep up the date on these things.
It's vital.
And big thank you to all of our firefighters out there
all of our big appreciation to all of them.
Yeah, as we talk about volunteers,
you know a lot of these communities outlining rap
it's rely on volunteers
and as people are volunteering less
than having less time available.
You know, what are these departments going to do?
And that's going to be something that's in the future
that's going to have to be discussed and decided,
but because they're going to still need fire service,
you know, you cannot not have fire service,
but Wisconsin Rapids cannot be the fire
and ambulance for everybody, you know,
because we as residents here, we pay a lot of taxes
and so yeah, you know, maybe I started already having,
mentioning that may, we need to create a fire district
and start looking at that down the road
as these departments start dropping off on volunteers
that we all will then contribute to one pot
and then the fire service will be provided in that district.
And it's an interesting idea.
It's going to be fascinating to see where it goes.
It's such an important one that's kind of been under reported,
I think, but it's definitely will be focused on that.
We'll be paying attention to how that develops.
Yeah, it's scary though, you know, because as we,
you know, as I spoke last night,
when we talked about our baby residency here,
you know, when I, when I applied at Rapids Police Department
in the late 90s, there was hundreds of applicants
and now we get like five.
And it's really because who wants to be a police officer
or a firefighter, you just watch the political atmosphere
right now and, you know, in some of these big cities,
oh, they're feelings, well, if I'm 18 years old,
that's, well, why do I want to go do that?
Well, you know, at some point here, if that happens
and it continues, that's to be the trend,
what are we going to do if we call 911
and there isn't nobody to drive the ambulance there
or a police officer that only takes severe emergencies
and a lot of the things, I don't know, you know,
it's, you know, luckily we're in Rapids here
and we're not at that point,
but there's bigger cities that are having problems recruiting.
Well, and this is, this was my point going back to earlier
about how we treat our people in these positions.
Accountability is important.
Nobody's saying that there doesn't need to be accountability,
but there's a difference of accountability
and being a baby, if I can just be blunt,
being just a whiny baby that just wants to sit there
and whine and complain.
That doesn't solve anything, that doesn't get anything done.
All it does is discourage good people
from going into these positions.
The industries that we're touching on here
have plenty of outliers and everything,
but the majority of people go into public service
because that's what their heart calls them to do.
We have an example right here of somebody
who was in public service and is leaving in part
because of the way people have this society
has been and everything.
So it's right in front of me.
I can't not touch on it and everything.
It's important that we treat each other with respect.
Yeah, and I think, you know, I would think
you maybe read Craig Berorne's resignation letter,
you know, and even in his position
outlining the negativity and what that does.
And the problem is I really believe
a lot of these loud people are into my minority,
but we're giving them more credit than what to do.
And we're allowing that voice to be the loud voice.
And you're right.
And we just need to stop and just not.
Like I said, I kind of got off Facebook here for a while
because I just got tired of it.
I took a break and I'm still on break
and it's kind of virtually nice.
But I did a post on March 7th
because my best friend was shot and killed in the line
of duty in 2003 and March 7th.
So I did a post and there's I do pictures and blah, blah, blah.
But this year I kind of decided that was going to do pictures.
But I said, we need to stop empowering people
by liking their Facebook page or liking their comments
or following them because some of these people don't realize it.
But we like and follow these people
because we find it entertaining and funny.
But the people, when they see those likes and follows,
they actually think these are people that are supporting me
and don't realize their audience really
is following them because they're a joke.
And so that's my mission when I get back on Facebook.
I'm just going to kind of clean it up
and I'm not going to follow that garbage anymore
because even for entertainment value or whatever
because it's funny, it's not funny in the long run.
Then we just need to stop.
Well, Seth, I couldn't agree with you more.
I tried to do another thing on my page and with what I do.
And the danger, this is the thing that does give me hope though
because you're right about that barking dog.
It's a very small minority of people doing it
that is getting attention because of 24 hour new cycles
and it's easy reporting and that kind of stuff.
Blah blah blah.
What gives me hope is seeing more and more people
that are kind of like shaking it off.
And yes, it's frustrating, it's done.
But like you just said right there,
you could have easily said, I'm done with Facebook.
I'm not going back there.
Instead, no, I'm going to be part of the change.
I'm going to do some good.
There's more and more and more people
that are doing that, especially with the younger generation
where I don't like our local politics
instead of just sitting there complaining about it.
They're actually running for office.
They're actually doing something.
We're seeing more and more of that.
That does give me hope.
Maybe the last bit of hope I have in me,
but it gives me a little bit of hope about that.
As we're wrapping up, sir, I did want to touch on
the entrepreneur or business owners
looking to expand their ventures and everything in the area.
The city's got a lot of great opportunities for that.
So we want to encourage people
and they don't want to grow their business.
The city of Rapids is looking to do that
and looking to help with that.
To learn more, you can contact a director
or community development, Kyle Kerns,
our good friend Kyle Kerns,
encourage people to do so.
It's a great opportunity.
Yeah, exactly.
You know, you look at locally growing businesses
that have, you know, Thamil,
what front-stands learnings, H-H-A,
you know, there's a lot of great companies here
that have their products nationwide.
And yeah, I think, you know,
having that dream of landing a big business,
it's hard, you know, everything he's trying to do it.
But I think supporting our local businesses
and helping them grow, you know,
I won't give much, but I'm going to say that there are,
and I won't be here to, you know,
get across the finish line,
but the next council and the next mayor.
But we have a couple of great opportunities
that are kind of like just stepping through the doorway,
which is a good number of jobs
and a good number of economic or net new construction
and multi-millions that some investments
are probably going to be happening here in the next year or two.
And, but it's just kind of just starting out.
And yeah, they're opting these coming in.
I just think that's about all I can share on that.
I don't want to get you in trouble.
Right, exactly, or just way,
but there are some things that are coming forth
that are going to be good for the community.
And yeah, are there the shiniest thing out there?
No, but it will definitely help with some jobs
and some value here in the community.
And they're coming and commerce is commerce,
money's money, you know, we'll take it.
Jobs are jobs, we'll take it.
Doesn't matter of shiny or not.
Shane, this is our last official kind of time talking together
and everything.
We do hope to have you and our next mayor on together
as kind of a transition interview.
I look forward to that, but I did want to let you know.
And I'm speaking for a lot of our community here
that I've talked to, that I've pulled.
You're appreciated.
We've appreciated what you've done.
You took over this position at a time
when our nation was going through a pandemic.
This city was going through a number of different issues.
And we think we are better for having you as mayor.
Thank you for the time you are appreciated.
I appreciate it and like I told you beforehand,
I've always enjoyed our radio shows.
And you know, we do a half hour or so
and I figure we could even fill an hour.
It's just been really easy to do
and you're very good at your job
and very good at, you know, speaking and getting
asking questions and keeping the dialogue going.
And you know, that takes an act
and I've always enjoyed doing radio.
I have really good writers.
I have like a hundred writers that I go to.
I appreciate the time as always, sir.
Thank you, I got.
And a big thank you to our friends
at Wisconsin Rapids Community Media.
Of course, recording these and getting these out there
for people do amazing work
against subscribe to their YouTube page.
Sir, if anybody has any follow up questions,
wanna know more, how can they get in touch with you?
No, you can always email me at mayoratwirepids.org
or you can call my office at 15421-80202
is my drug line.
Great conversation.
Thanks again, as always, Shane.
Thank you.
We'll be back with more Midday Magazine coming up right here
on the Middays here at WFHR.
