Brown County District 3 race is a repeat of 2020. But now, Amanda Chu is the incumbent and Andy Nicholson the challenger
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify the status of Brown County's use of REDI Transport for criminal case defendants.
GREEN BAY - The 2022 race for District 3 on the Brown County Board will look familiar to people who followed the race in 2020: It's again a matchup of Amanda Chu and Andy NIcholson.
The most significant difference: Chu is now the incumbent. She unseated Nicholson in 2020.
The top vote-getter will win a two-year term representing District 3, on Green Bay's southeast side.
The Green Bay Press-Gazette asked each candidate background information. We asked them five questions, with a 100-word limit for the first four and 200 words for the fifth. Responses have been edited in some cases to remove unverified claims and attacks on an opponent that did not directly address the question.
For information about registering to vote and polling locations, visit the MyVote Wisconsin website at myvote.wi.gov/en-us.
Amanda Chu
Address: 1633 E. Mason St., Green Bay
Age: 38
Occupation and highest education level attained: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College farm consultant, small farm business owner; master's in business administration: supply-chain management
Relevant experience: In my first term on the Board of Supervisors, I have:
Successfully co-authored legislation to establish our Clean Energy Subcommittee.
Successfully advocated for the retention of the East Side library in District 3.
Voted against redistricting maps that favor incumbent interests.
Passed two budgets that successively lowered the property tax rate while paying down about $20 million in debt over the past two years.
Successfully co-authored a resolution to acknowledge that racism is a public health crisis, and established a Racial Equity Ad Hoc Committee.
Worked with the sheriff and jail captain to clarify costs and benefits of the jail's expanded phone and media services.
Identified a need, gained support and co-lead the ongoing development for an Emergency Food Response Plan for Brown Co.
Why are you running for office?
I am deeply motivated by my values rooted in family, community and stewardship. In my first term, I was heartened to see what an energetic person who respectfully seeks to find common ground can do in our county. I believe that I can continue to serve and offer a fresh lens to the straightforward and complex issues our community faces.
What makes you the better candidate in this race?
I offer a civil and collaborative approach to working with colleagues on the board and stakeholders in the community. In my first term, I have been able to prove my strengths as an accessible and effective representative who shows up to go the extra mile. For example, working to understand the issues, I was able to identify a need, gain support and co-lead the ongoing development of an Emergency Food Response plan for Brown County.
What are residents telling you are their most important issues, and how would you address them?
Residents overwhelmingly share with me that they are concerned about infrastructure and road safety. After serving for two years on our Planning, Development and Transportation committee, I better understand the thorough decision-making process for road and bridge repair at the county. For the residents of District 3, we are often concerned about city roads. As a supervisor, I take advantage of the opportunity to work with the city council members to address the concerns of residents we share. It takes collaboration and consistent communication to ensure that these concerns are addressed.
What are the top two issues the board should address, and how would you address them?
During a time when confidence in government is strained, two top priorities to address are engagement and confidence in county government. We need to see proportionate representation of community members of diverse backgrounds and experiences participating, where qualified, on the 50-plus county committees. We also need to affirm for the residents that the board is willingly accountable to the public. To begin addressing these issues, we can boost accessibility to County Board meetings. There is currently an effort in committee to create a plan for recording and sharing meetings, and if reelected I can continue to champion this work.
How would you rate the county’s response to the coronavirus pandemic? Would you have pushed for anything different?
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been nothing but impressed by our Public Health Department and Emergency Management teams, as well as the many health partners, in their coordination and leadership to address community health needs in a rapidly changing environment. Learning curves and takeaways continue to reveal themselves over time, and depending on the intention of the question, it can be useful to ask “what we would have done differently?" In hindsight, I would have supported investment in efforts to combat pervasive health misinformation that added pressure to an already taxed health care system, as well as advocate for more transparency regarding organizational challenges within our health care systems.
Andy Nicholson
Address: 800 Venus Drive, Green Bay
Occupation and highest education level attained: Graduate of Preble High School, bachelor's from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. My real life educational experience comes from being a small business owner and former law enforcement officer. I also have real life experience as a father, husband and public servant.
Relevant experience: As the former chairman of the county Public Safety Committee I helped start and fund the county Drug Task Force to get drugs and illegal guns off our streets. I’m not loved by any local government administrator because my accomplishments have been holding them accountable when it comes to cutting waste, providing services and fighting crime.
Why are you running for office?
I'm running because the lack of government accountability. Our community is seeing increased crime, increased spending, reduced services, deteriorating neighborhoods, and lack of development. We can't wait any longer and need proactive versus reactive leadership. We need to focus on core priorities, joint services, and not political agendas for those who may be seeking higher office. As a lifelong resident of Green Bay, I want to ensure that all families have the opportunities that I and my family had while growing up in a safe and strong community. I have a proven record to do that.
What makes you the better candidate in this race?
I have the fortitude to hold local government accountable. On Amanda Chu’s watch, county spending (within two years) increased by $46 million, grew government and created three new "ad hoc" committees that have brought nothing to the County Board to act on. As a former police officer, I have a plan to reengage the county’s drug task force to crack down on illegal activities in Green Bay and help create safer and strong neighborhoods.
What are residents telling you are their most important issues, and how would you address them?
The major issues have been the lack of services, increased crime and the poor road system in Green Bay. While the county doesn’t have oversight on these matters, the county could play a role. Through the county drug task force, we could enhance services and target problem neighborhoods in the city. In addition, the county could provide policing contract services to the city due to their recruiting/retention issues. Having served at the city and county level, I also know what shared services could be joined to save funds and enhance services.
What are the top two issues the board should address, and how would you address them?
REDI Transport provides prisoner-transport service; one of its employees failed to stop a charged murder suspect (in a Chicago case) from walking out a van's door un-cuffed (in Indiana), although REDI said he escaped through a window. The second issue involves the latest gruesome murder in Green Bay. Why was the alleged killer out on parole and why didn’t law enforcement track her down prior to the killing for removing her ankle bracelet? There needs to be accountability — I can provide it.
(Editor's note: Nicholson declined the Press-Gazette's request to more specifically address what he would do about these issues if elected. Also, the Brown County Sheriff's Department has suspended its use of REDI Transport for nationwide extraditions following a recent escape by a defendant in a different case involving drug possession, bail jumping and property damage.)
How would you rate the county’s response coronavirus pandemic? Would you have pushed for anything different?
The health department’s COVID resolution allowed administration to keep essential service and county operational including the power to create and man a regional supply center for other municipalities and health care providers in northeastern Wisconsin.
These are all good things that occurred — however ... there should have been County Board involved, or at least oversight in Department of Health community actions. That way, the people through their representatives could have had a greater say in getting into meatpacking plants earlier, spending resources on helping the most vulnerable as opposed to wasting money on weeks old contact tracing, discussing shortfalls in Health Department policies, providing constituents direct feedback to public health, providing better guidance to businesses, and getting kids back into schools safely. All the things the public was demanding. I would have fought to hold government accountable and not given up my oversight rights.
Contact Doug Schneider at (920) 431-8333, or DSchneid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PGDougSchneider.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Brown County District 3 election pits Amanda Chu versus Andy Nicholson
