Back to School

Thousands of teachers and students headed back to school across our district in this week. For many parents, it is a time to breathe a sigh of relief. As Sturgeon Bay School Board President, I always enjoyed speaking to our employees at the beginning of our annual in-service program. There was always a sense of energy and renewal among our faculty as they caught up with their colleagues, many of whom they had not seen throughout the summer.
 
Our schools across Wisconsin, and especially in the 1st Assembly District, continue to perform very well. Wisconsin ranked 2nd in the nation in ACT scores and our area schools consistently beat the state average. One of my top priorities as an Assemblyman is to continue this proud tradition.

This summer, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos created a Task Force on Urban Education, a Task Force on Youth Workforce Readiness and a Workgroup on the Future of Education, which I was named to chair. We have met with stakeholders throughout the summer to gather ideas and formulate action plans to strengthen Wisconsin’s public schools. One avenue we are exploring, along with the Youth Workforce Development Task Force, is improving the counseling our students receive concerning career and educational opportunities and the burden of student debt. As our high school Guidance Counselors become increasingly bogged down in dealing with behavioral and mental health issues, it is often a challenge to give our students and their families the guidance they need in making these important decisions.

Listening Sessions Summary

Over the last two weeks I hosted listening sessions in Gibraltar, Sturgeon Bay, Kewaunee and Luxemburg. The goal of these listening sessions was to update you on my progress while serving as the Assemblyman for the 1st District and discuss local issues and concerns. I was pleased by the turnout at every session, and even though the Capitol has been relatively quiet recently, the listening sessions were full of constructive discussions. Many important questions and issues were presented, but there were recurring themes. Conservation, small business, and education concerns dominated most of the listening sessions.

Conservation will always be a hot topic in our district and every session brought forward concerns from shore land development to water quality. Conservation was especially prominent during the Kewaunee and Luxemburg listening sessions as they continue to struggle with contaminated wells.

I was pleased to hear from many small business owners in Sturgeon Bay. Small businesses play a crucial role in our local economy and we are lucky to have motivated and active business owners. I was happy to hear their thoughts on how we might promote small business growth and attract young entrepreneurs. There was overwhelming appreciation expressed for the reduction in our property taxes over the past several years but many felt that there was more that could be done to help our businesses.

Many of my constituents expressed concern about the direction of education in our state. School report cards, standardized testing, funding and the expansion of school vouchers were all topics of discussion. There is a general feeling of pride and satisfaction in all of our local school districts but many worry that the constant political battles over education will begin to erode the quality of our schools.

I will be holding my final listening sessions of the season this coming week, before the Assembly goes back in session. I will be at the Danish Mill on Washington Island on Tuesday, September 8th from 1:00-3:00 PM. That evening at 6 I will be at the Board of Supervisors meeting in the Town of Scott in Brown County. They have put me on the agenda so that I can answer questions from the Board as well as constituents.

These sessions have been extremely valuable to me in hearing the concerns and priorities of our district. I cannot imagine that there is a more diverse district in our state, so it is important that I get to all of the areas. Thank you to all who came to my sessions and I intend to continue to do these on a regular basis.
 

Palmer Johnson Yachts

Like everyone in Sturgeon Bay, I was saddened this week to learn that Palmer Johnson Yachts would be closing its Sturgeon Bay manufacturing facility. PJ’s has long been a provider of great jobs and our entire community has taken pride in the world-class boats they have built.

Currently Palmer Johnson has 100 employees who will lose their jobs. Fortunately, our local economy is doing well and there are several hundred openings between the industrial park and Bay Shipbuilding. Additionally, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development is offering job training to help workers transition to a new career. Already, many of the workers have been absorbed into our local businesses.
 

Again, I am deeply saddened by this closing and I sympathize with those workers who will now need to find new work. My office will be happy to help any displaced worker in dealing with the DWD or finding job opportunities.

Gathering Waters Policy Maker of the Year

Gathering Waters, the Wisconsin alliance of land trusts, announced that I, along with Rep. Todd Novak and Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, will receive Land Conservation Leadership Awards as Policy Maker of the Year. I am to receive this award due to my role in restoring funding for the Knowles- Nelson Stewardship Program. In Door and Kewaunee Counties, the Stewardship Program has provided matching grants to conservation groups, allowing them to acquire and protect important properties, such as the Grand View property in Ellison Bay.  

It is a tremendous honor to receive this award. The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program has been vital to preserving important open spaces in our area and I am proud of the role that I played in saving it.  Concern for protecting the environment crosses party lines in our area. Our tourism industry as well as our way of life depend on preserving these lands and keeping our water clean.
 
The Land Conservation Leadership Awards will be presented on September 24, 2015 at Monona Terrace in Madison, WI. The event takes place from 5:30 to 8:30 PM.

Blue Books Available

We have received the 2015-16 Wisconsin State Blue Books. If you would like a copy, please contact my office:

Phone: (608) 266-5350

Email: Rep.Kitchens@legis.wi.gov

Mail: Rep. Joel Kitchens
          PO Box 8952
          Madison, WI 53708

In Closing...

Thank you for taking the time to read over my E-Update. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact my office. Have a Happy Labor Day Weekend and a successful start to the new school year!

Representative Joel Kitchens