January 202115 20 27 1 Is There a Company That Insures Only Cities and Villages?
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TheMunicipality Your Voice Your Wisconsin. January | 2021 LAW ENFORCEMENT Legislative Gridlock A Day in the Life How Small 20 Years of Presents Why We Feel Qualified Immunity of a Wisconsin Communities Changes in A New Way Opportunities So Right Doing Acknowledges Legal Police Officer Provide Police Service Policing to Look at EMS and Challenges the Wrong Thing Realities 4 6 8 The Municipality12 | January 202115 20 27 1 Is there a company that insures only cities and villages? Oh yes, dear Why LWMMI, of course For 33 years, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities Insurance Program has responded to the coverage needs of local cities and villages, saving them substantial amounts of money in the process Protecting The Communities We Live In. 608.833.9595 | www.LWMMI.org A Mutual Company Owned by Member Cities and Villages. TheMunicipality The Municipality Official Monthly Publication of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities Volume 116, No 1, January 2021 January | 2021 Editorial Offices 131 W. Wilson St., Suite 505, Madison, WI 53703 Dial (608) 267-2380 Feature Fax: (608) 267-0645 e-mail: [email protected] How Small Website: www.lwm-info.org First Things A Day in the Life 20 Years of Communities A New Way First of a Wisconsin Changes in The Municipality serves as the medium of Provide Police to Look at EMS Happy New Year! Police Officer Policing exchange of ideas and information on municipal Service affairs for the officials of Wisconsin cities and villages. Nothing included herein is to be construed as having the endorsement of the League unless so specifically stated. The 3 4 6 8 12 Municipality (ISSN 0027-3597) is published monthly at $25 per year ($5.00 per copy, back issues $5.00 each) by the League of Wisconsin Legislative Municipalities, 131 W. Wilson St. Suite 505, Why We Feel So USGS Report on Municipal Gridlock Presents Flood Resilience Madison, WI 53703. Periodical postage paid at Right Doing Leaf Management Forestry Funding Opportunities Scorecard Madison & additional offices, WI. POSTMASTER: the Wrong Thing and Phosphorus Source Survey Send address change to: The Municipality, and Challenges 131 W. Wilson St. Suite 505, Madison, WI 53703 15 20 23 25 26 OFFICERS President, Todd Schmidt, Administrator, Village of Waunakee 1st Vice President, Justin Nickels, Legal Mayor, Manitowoc 2nd Vice President, Maureen Murphy, Administrator, Mount Pleasant Past President: Zach Vruwink, Rhinelander Qualified Immunity HR - Legal Legal Acknowledges Remote Work FAQ Caption DIRECTORS Legal Realities Emily Berge, Council Member, Eau Claire Steve Genisot, Mayor, Marinette James Grigg, Mayor, Horicon 27 30 32 34 Danny Helgerson, Mayor, Westby Chantia Lewis, Alder, Milwaukee Emily McFarland, Mayor, Watertown News/Updates/Training Randy Meyer, Mayor, Sheboygan Falls Mary Motiff, Mayor, Washburn Mark Rohloff, City Manager, Oshkosh 2021 Upcoming Tomika Vukovic, Alder, Glendale Board President, Events & Transitions Todd Schmidt Anissa Welch, Mayor, Milton Workshops Yee Leng Xiong, Trustee, Weston STAFF 35 36 36 Executive Director: Jerry Deschane Deputy Director: Curt Witynski Legal Counsel: Claire Silverman Assistant Legal Counsel: Maria Davis On the Cover Member Engagement/Communications Director: Gail Sumi Director of Marketing & Administration: Milwaukee Police Officer Tracey Geniesse talks with a child Robin Powers at the Cops and Kids Foundation “Brat with a Cop” event. Event Manager: Carrie Jensen The picture is a child raising her right hand taking an oath Project Manager: Elizabeth Kazda to make good choices from her heart, then she was given a badge sticker to place over her heart. Staff Accountant: Tracy Kern Administrative Assistant: Sandy Scott Thank you to the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association for sourcing the photos accompanying many of the articles on policing in this magazine. 1 TOGETHER WE BUILD WISCONSIN WISCONSIN HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.wheda.com 2 The Municipality | January 2021 Feature First Things First Happy New Year! Jerry Deschane, Executive Director, League of Wisconsin Municipalities It’s fitting that our first magazine of the year focuses on first Speaking of announcements, we’re excited to roll out a new responders. There are few municipal services as visible to online training program this winter. Next month, we will debut citizens as their police departments, fire, and EMS providers. the first Winter Chief Executive’s Workshop. If you’re a mayor, This month, we teamed up with the Wisconsin Chiefs of village president, manager, administrator, or other municipal Police Association to take a look at policing in our state, chief executive, plan to spend the afternoon with us Thursday, starting with a virtual “ride-along” with Oshkosh Police Chief February 25. We’re still nailing down the lineup, but it will be Dean Smith. Rice Lake Chief Steve Roux gives us a tour of interesting and of great practical value. policing in a small community, and Jefferson Chief Ken Pileggi For those of you who, like me, like to meet face-to-face, don’t considers how policing has changed over the last 20 years. I despair. We intend to host the usual Summer Chief Executives spent a fascinating afternoon in West Allis to learn more about Workshop along with the big event, the League’s Annual Community EMS where they are taking “ambulance service” Conference, in-person. For your safety, we are prepared to shift to the next level. gears back to virtual events if necessary. (But I’m really hoping Being the first of the year, it’s also time to renew our legislative we don’t have to.) agenda. Curt Witynski lays out the League’s priorities for 2020 taught us a lot. We learned how to pivot and respond to 2021. Eric Giordano, Executive Director of the Wisconsin our members fast-evolving needs. We learned how to do things Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS) has authored well online and we learned how not to do things. (Remember another helpful article in his ongoing series on Conflict those early conference calls with the mute buttons that never Management. And there’s a lot more. seemed to work?) And we were reminded once again that A quick announcement about League training during 2021 municipal clerks are amazing. Our clerks demonstrated to all (see page 35). We’ve decided not to tempt fate (or infect local of the nation nobility in the midst of chaos as they conducted officials), by moving all League training online for the first half three elections that combined “social distancing” with record- of 2021. breaking mail-in voting. Farewell, 2020. Welcome, 2021. The League appreciates the support of the following Business Members: • AARP Wisconsin • incrediblebank • WEA Trust • American Fidelity • MSA Professional • Weld, Riley, S.C • American Transmission Co. Services Inc. • Wisconsin Housing & • Boardman & Clark LLP • Municipal Property Economic Development • Ehlers Associates Insurance Company Authority (WHEDA) • GRAEF • SEH • Zerology • Stafford Rosenbaum LLP For more information, contact Robin Powers: [email protected] | (608) 267-2383 The Municipality | January 2021 3 Feature A Day in the Life of a Wisconsin Police Officer Dean Smith, Chief of Police, City of Oshkosh - In Collaboration with His Officers When thinking about a day in the life of a police officer, the first thing to remember is the wide range of types of expertise in the profession. Police officers’ career paths are as diverse as the many types of people who take the important responsibility of serving their communities. Officers choose their career path in a variety of ways, through learned experience, training, or recognition of skills. Officers may work as a forensic officer, narcotics investigator, detective, motor officer, K-9 handler, traffic enforcement, or lead criminal investigations to name a few. Many times, officers take on ancillary roles that build on the basic skills they learn early on as a police officer and continue to give back by adding new skills to enhance their ability to serve. Often an officer simply wants to excel at being the best patrol officer that they can be. They give of themselves; to the community they serve, for a career of ups and downs. Chief Smith, Officer Kate Mann and a member of the community at the Unity in Community event in Oshkosh prior to COVID-19. The city of Oshkosh, where I serve as Chief of Police, is much what happens. At the same time, the unspoken knowledge of like other Wisconsin communities. Though Oshkosh is a the unknown dangers that may present themselves that shift is mid-sized city by Wisconsin standards, it very much has a palpable. small-town feel. Working-class people come here to raise their children, commute to their jobs, and enjoy the beauty of our Then we are in our squads and out on the street. The day area. Our officers are here to enjoy the same benefits and keep begins with a welfare check on an elderly woman living in her home. A family member wanted us to check in on her after they our area safe for everyone to enjoy. did not connect during their weekly call time. These calls from Across the board, police officers serve a wide range of roles loved ones are quite common. People who move out of the in our department with a desire to make their communities Oshkosh area still want to make sure their family members are doing well whenever there might be a change in their standard better. I asked one of my officers to share what the day in the routine. The woman was home and doing fine – we had a life of a police officer looks like. I knew this was a large ask pleasant conversation about things going on around town. and I commend this officer for sharing their experiences and thoughts. What was troubling to me was that the officer asked Half an hour later, I am responding to check on a woman who me not to share their name.