County Executive Allen Buechel remembered for nearly half a century of leadership in Fond du Lac County
FOND DU LAC – Allen Buechel will be remembered as a significant leader of Fond du Lac County — with a legacy that spans even beyond the county border.
Erin Gerred, the county’s director of administration, broke the news Sunday evening that Buechel, 74, died suddenly earlier that day.
According to his obituary, he suffered an apparent heart attack the day before, and was surrounded by family as he passed at Ascension Calumet Medical Center in Chilton.
He was the longest-serving county executive in the state, elected in 1993, but even before that, he served on the county board for 17 years, according to the county.
"We have lost one of the finest, most capable and most experienced public servants in Wisconsin history," Fond du Lac County Board Chair Martin Farrell told The Reporter. "His contributions to county government and the quality of life generally are truly monumental. I, personally, have lost a dear friend and trusted collaborator of almost 30 years, which is very hard."
Among several state and county organizations, Buechel served most recently as chair of the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Commission, chair of the Group Health Trust Board of Directors and vice-chair of the Wisconsin Counties Association Board of Directors. We was also a member of the Public Finance Authority.
His time as county executive saw both growth and hardships in Fond du Lac, one of the most notable being the 1996 tornado in Oakfield.
Buechel supported clean-up and recovery efforts with other area leaders, and repeatedly vouched for disaster aid from the state, according to The Reporter archives.
When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Fond du Lac in March 2020, Buechel worked with other local officials in tracking the safety and financial impact of the virus, taking into account grant funds and county revenue to make sure the county budget reflected the best possible service for the county without layoffs or pay cuts for employees.
"Allen was an amazing advocate and friend of public health," the Fond du Lac County Health Department said on Facebook. "We are forever grateful for his support in our initiatives to improve the community’s health and will miss him dearly."
Much of his time in office kept him dedicated to economic development, supporting business initiatives and local ventures. A recent win for the area was the renovation and reopening of the Hotel Retlaw in 2019, for which Buechel attended the grand opening with other local officials.
"Allen's innovative approach to problem solving and true dedication to the businesses and people of our area was inspiring and he will be deeply missed," Envision Greater Fond du Lac wrote on Facebook.
He was also pivotal in the 2009 negotiations to keep Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac.
At the time, Mercury officials almost moved the entire company to Oklahoma due to economic hardships, but they were open to incentives to stay, according to The Reporter archives. Beuchel and other local and state leaders negotiated with management, settling on tax credits from the state, a loan from the county and wage compromises from union workers.
The $50 million loan from the county, under Buechel's leadership, helped win the bidding war with Oklahoma, preventing the loss of thousands of jobs.
“When I think back to 2009, it was so very important to the community to do what was right, make the right decision,” Buechel said last year, when the loan expired. “It was bigger than any of us, and we had to do what we had to do.”
He also led Fond du Lac through the transition into the 21st century, and helped modernize the county's infrastructure ever since, including the improvement of the airport, highways, fairgrounds, golf course, parks and trails.
According to the county, he also oversaw the consolidated dispatch center, jail expansion, creation of the regional medical examiner program and information technology, and piloted many programs, such as the Family Care and Welfare Reform.
"Allen was a supporter of the tourism industry as well as heavy industry," Craig Molitor wrote on the Destination Lake Winnebago Region Facebook page. "Allen was an advocate for celebrating history as well as advocating for groundbreaking modern technology."
To honor Buechel, Gov. Tony Evers allowed flags to fly half-mast, he announced in a news release Tuesday.
"County Executive Buechel’s work over the years has established him as an effective and accomplished leader at the local, state, and national level," he said. "Kathy and I offer our deepest sympathies to his wife, Betty, and their entire family, as well as his friends, colleagues, and so many whose lives were impacted by his service as they honor his memory and mourn his loss."
After nearly 30 years of unchanged leadership, what's next for the county?
Per state statute, the county board chair will serve as county executive until a special election is held, leaving Farrell in charge.
Farrell said the board will decide on a special election date during a special meeting on 6 p.m. Wednesday. Candidates are expected to be able to take out nomination papers starting Wednesday and need 500 signatures by April 12. The election is planned for June 7, according to a county board agenda released Tuesday afternoon.
Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt said the Sheriff's Office and other county departments are working to ensure county government remains fully operational with no change in services to the citizens it serves during the transition.
Friends and family of Buechel will honor him during funeral services this weekend. Visitation is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday, with the funeral service starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, all at Holy Family Parish Church, 271 Fourth St.
A memorial fund will be established in his name, according to his obituary.
Contact Daphne Lemke at dlemke@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @daphlemke.
This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: County Executive Allen Buechel leaves lasting legacy in Fond du Lac
