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SELL YOUR HOME EASIER! Local, Experienced & Trusted Get the RIGHT Real Estate Advice... Get Geiger JASON GEIGER It’s your paper! (608) 277-2167 Friday, February 13, 2015 • Vol. 1, No. 11 • Fitchburg, WI • ConnectFitchburg.com • $1 Office Next to Great Dane - Fitchburg GeigerRealtors.com adno=388244-01 Inside Chaplain serves Oakhill inmates Page 2 Community Future of Fitchburg Days in dispute Page 3 City Roach is retiring Photos by Samantha Christian Page 5 The Fitchburg Star hosted a mayoral forum on Feb. 5, with about 50 people in attendance at the senior center. Shown from left are Ald. Steve Arnold, Mayor Shawn Pfaff and former Lacy Heights neighborhood president Janell Rice. Not present at the forum was former mayor Jay Allen. Schools Oregon, Verona decide on referendums Narrowing the field Pages 9-10 Sports Candidates disagree on growth, taxes ahead of Feb. 17 primary SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group Three mayoral candidates – incum- bent Mayor Shawn Pfaff, Ald. Steve Arnold and former neighborhood president Janell Rice – spent more than an hour-and-a-half discussing the city’s growth, access to city ame- nities and taxes in front of nearly 50 attendees at a Feb. 5 mayoral forum. A fourth, former mayor Jay Allen, did not attend despite previ- ously confirming his availability. The next morning, Allen cited a Kussow signs to “personal emergency,” and he later clarified to the Fitchburg Star that play football at it involved a medical appointment Drake for someone close to him that last- ed much longer than expected. ‘I’m concerned about ‘Leadership is about Page 13 “Things just dragged on, and I was not able to get there,” Allen said. the equitable delivery of listening and empowering ‘The top issue that I hear “I was very sad to not be able to be services.’ people.’ is taxes.’ Business there, but I guess (there are) times when you have to do the thing that is Steve Arnold Shawn Pfaff Janell Rice the most important at any moment.” The Star hosted and moderated the debate at the Fitchburg Senior Spirited debate Pfaff spent much of the debate Center in advance of the spring pri- Rice, the only one of the four can- focusing on how the city has Questionnaires mary election, which is Tuesday, didates with no municipal govern- changed in his four years as mayor, Feb. 17. The top two vote-getters ment experience, focused her push citing the library and splash pad Mayoral and District 2 will advance to the April 7 general for votes on bringing a fresh face to opening as new places that have election. city government. She said people brought the city together, along alder primary candidates The debate was broadcast live had approached her who “wanted with the Fitchburg Faith Network on the Feb. 17 ballot Gymfinity grows on FACTv. It will replay multiple an option” other than the candidates and City Leaders group. times before the election and is who were currently holding office “Fitchburg is becoming a place,” Pages 22-24 available on demand on the FACTv like Pfaff and Arnold. Page 20 media channel. Turn to Forum/Page 25 PRSRT STANDARD 1 0 - ECRWSS 7 5 4 US POSTAGE 3 9 3 = o PAID n UNIFIED NEWSPAPER d GROUP a NESTLED IN NOBEL PARK WOODS Brought to you by Walk to coffee shop, restaurants, parks and the library from your apartment! 608-441-9999 2611 Gallagher Drive, Fitchburg avanteproperties.com 2 February 13, 2015 The Fitchburg Star ConnectFitchburg.com ‘We work on hearts’ Chaplain has served Oakhill inmates for a decade SETH JOVAAG The son of a train con- to Milwaukee after he was Star correspondent ductor, Okoye grew up in a called to work at a church Nigerian village before try- there. He obtained a social For the past decade, the ing his hand in business in work degree and worked Rev. Emmanuel Okoye has Lagos, Africa’s largest city, with people struggling with served as chaplain of Oakhill in his early 20s. But he felt addictions to alcohol and Q Correctional Institute north called to be in the ministry. drugs before becoming chap- of Oregon. “When I was growing up lain at Oakhill in 2004. From an A-frame chapel … I do have an inclination in Okoye met with the Star in & at the northeast corner of the my heart that there is some- December to talk about his 100-acre grounds, Okoye thing special about my life,” role at Oakhill. Responses leads church services, orga- he said. were edited for clarity and A nizes religious study groups He became a Pentecostal length. and counsels prisoners one preacher, and later moved on one. his wife and three children Star: What’s the goal of your job? Okoye: Our goal is just one: to help the inmates understand what has trans- pired in their life, what brought them here, and how Re-elect Mayor they can move forward. The goal is for them to integrate back into the community and not have to come back Shawn Pfaff to prison. So we want to see people changed, and move on with their lives and be on Tues, Feb. 17th better citizens. Star: Have you seen peo- ple change? Okoye: Yes, I have seen the power of transformation in people’s lives. While not Moving Fitchburg playing down the crime they have committed, we look at them from the area of forgive- ness, believing that there is Photo by Seth Jovaag Forward goodness in people. I’ve seen Rev. Emmanuel Okoye has been chaplain for a decade at Oakhill n Responsible Economic Growth people leave and they are doing well in the community. Correctional Institution. The minimum-security prison’s A-frame n Holding City Tax Rates Stable chapel was built by volunteers in 1965, when the facility was the Star: When you started the Wisconsin School for Girls. n Prioritizing Public Safety job, were you nervous? For Native Americans, we wait while they sob. n Embracing Our Diverse and Growing Community Okoye: Yes I was nervous. have a sweat lodge ceremo- There are things they n I went through a lot of train- ny once a month. For other want to be a part of, maybe Maintaining A Strong Commitment to ing, but I was still nervous religious groups, we have somebody’s wife is having Environmental Protection because the world, we look at them meet on their own time. the baby, or their mom is in prisons from the outside and Some practice in their rooms. the hospital, or somebody n Expanding Parks and Recreation Opportunities say, ‘Oh, there are criminals We offer religious services passed. Most of the time, it over there! They are aggres- when 1 percent of the popu- is the chaplain that breaks the Contact: [email protected] sive, they are bad people!’ lation (asks for it). We have news to them. It’s not necessarily that way. almost 700 prisoners. So if http://www.shawnpfaff.com 1 percent of a particular reli- Star: That sounds diffi- Authorized and Paid for by Friends of Shawn Pfaff, Tony McGrath Treasurer Star: You mentioned sev- gious group makes a request cult. en “umbrella groups” of reli- that they would like services Okoye: It is. Sometimes, gious faiths offered to Oakh- (for that religion), then we depending on the situa- ill inmates. What are they? begin to source volunteers tion, you yourself might be Okoye: We have Catho- (to lead those services). moved. We are all human lic, Eastern religions - which beings, regardless of where comprise of Buddhist and Star: You lead and orga- people found themselves. others from the east – then nize Christian services. Are You have to be there for we have the Islamic, we have prison services different them. That’s why we are Jewish, we also have Native from “normal” services? here. American, the pagan group, Okoye: I would say there and the Protestant umbrella is nothing different. It’s the Star: How do you feel group which comprises other same spirit of God, it’s the about your work? Christian (denominations). same holy spirit. We have Okoye: I’m not a medical For Christians, we have Bible studies, we have wor- doctor or a cardiologist, but church services Sunday eve- ship services. We have choir. I say we work on people’s ning, for Muslims it’s Friday. We do spiritual counseling. hearts. I feel fulfilled being adno=390314-01 We baptize people. The only part of somebody’s journey difference is just being in this in this situation where they environment. found themselves. And it’s We have vibrant church a joyful thing to see them go services here. Inmates sing, home or go to a work center they clap their hands, and out there where there’s no sometimes they lift their fence. hands to the Lord. I would SiennaCrest Assisted Living providesour elderly communityawide say they just forget their Star: Your home coun- range of personal services offered in ahomelikesetting where problems and praise God. try is tropical. Wisconsin’s privacyisrespected andindependenceissupported. Services are We have a lot of inmates cold winters didn’t scare you planned witheachresidenttoreflectpersonalneedsand choice. who have great skill. We away? have guitars. We have a bass Okoye: I have friends in guitar. We have drums. And other states, and they were these are played by inmates. telling me that it’s very cold in the Midwest, why don’t Star: Do you encounter I settle down somewhere a lot of anger or despair in else? I prayed about it, and inmates? my heart is telling me there’s Okoye: Yes I do.

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