Political newcomer Jennifer Grant vies for city council member Barbara Dorff's District 1 seat
GREEN BAY - Voters in District 1 will have the opportunity April 5 to vote on their next City Council representative, a race pitting Jennifer Grant, a political newcomer, against City Council vice president Barbara Dorff.
Dorff was the principal of Green Bay's Red Smith School in 2003 and, prior to retirement, worked as the executive director of pupil services for Green Bay Area Public Schools. She is campaigning on equal rights, reducing speeding and flood mitigation. Most recently, she helped champion the $0 fines for marijuana possession.
First elected in 2016 after running a successful campaign against 10-year incumbent Jerry Wiezbiskie, Dorff was the only woman on the council her first term. She ran unopposed in 2018 and 2020.
This is Grant's debut run as a Green Bay council member. The financial assistant is campaigning on lowering crime, lowering taxes and city bonds, and pushing for more government accountability.
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Dorff and Grant are competing to represent an east-side district that follows the natural geography of the Bay of Green Bay to the north down to Finger Road on the southeast. Some of the representative landmarks within District 1 are University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to the north and UWGB arboretum and St. Anthony Drive to the west. District 1 sits above the border of Baird Creek to the south.
As part of the Press-Gazette's election coverage, the newspaper has reached out to candidates to answer questions about their qualifications, why they're running, and how they plan to center constituents' concerns in City Council discussions in a nonpartisan manner. Below are their answers, limited to no more than 100 words, with each candidate listed alphabetically.
For information about registering to vote and polling locations, visit the MyVote Wisconsin website at myvote.wi.gov/en-us.
Barbara Dorff
Address: 3375 Pebble Beach Court
Age: 67
Occupation and highest education level: For 38 years, I served as an educator in Wisconsin as a school counselor at multiple schools throughout the state, associate principal at Preble High School, principal at Red Smith School and executive director of pupil services for Green Bay Area Public Schools. I am currently retired and doing consulting work in school safety and security around the state. My highest degree is a master’s degree in counseling and post master’s course work in administrative leadership.
Relevant experience: I am serving in my third term on the City Council and, during this term, was elected vice president of City Council. I have been the chair of the Finance Committee and represented City Council as the alder on the Redevelopment Authority for the past four years. I also serve as a member of the Personnel Committee, Protection and Policy Committee (formerly the Protections and Welfare Committee) and the Traffic, Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission.
I sponsored the successful community referendum imposing term limits on the city mayor, council members and municipal court judge in Green Bay.
Over the course of 18 months, I helped to write and sponsor the Equal Rights Ordinance. Personally, this ordinance is very important to me because I want to live in — and I want my grandchildren to grow up in — a vibrant, diverse, creative community.
With the help of members of the Red Smith Neighborhood Association, we succeeded in getting a shelter with bathrooms built at Red Smith Park and were able to get lights installed at the ice hockey rink.
Alongside the helpful testimony of district residents, I was able to successfully petition the Traffic, Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission to lower the speed limit on Church Road to 35 mph.
Jennifer Grant
Address: 3425 Yorkshire Road
Age: 35
Occupation and highest education level: Registered client associate, bachelor’s degree from Lakeland University
Relevant experience: I’ve always enjoyed working with the public, whether it be my time at the Boys & Girls Club, helping with Special Olympics, coaching, or our Red Smith Neighborhood Association. Plus, my 10 years of finance background will help with making financial decisions for this city.
Why are you running for office?
Dorff: I care about and want to serve the people in my district and the City of Green Bay. I want to make sure they have the services they need, such as plowed roads in the winter, and emergency medical technicians, police and firefighters who can quickly respond. I want them to be able to enjoy parks and pools and places to exercise their pets. I have and will continue to work hard to provide critical services and achieve positive outcomes when concerns come my way. I have been a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, a strong proponent of responsible growth, and a vocal supporter of efforts to make Green Bay an even more inclusive, diverse and welcoming community.
Grant: Our city is facing numerous challenges and I want to help Green Bay be the best place to live, work and play. As a fourth generation Green Bay resident, I love all that our city has to offer and its diverse population. As a homeowner and parent of three young children, I want the city to be safe, affordable and prosperous for my family and yours. I am committed to preserving our community’s history, ethics and values.
What makes you the better candidate in this race?
Dorff: I have six years of experience. I know exactly who to contact in the city to address citizen concerns. I know how things work and use that to help the residents of District 1 get the results that are needed and deserved.
I am responsive and accessible to my constituents. I pride myself on answering emails and returning phone calls very quickly — often within a few hours. I also take very seriously my constituents’ requests on issues ranging from traffic enforcement to public safety, and I work hard to resolve those concerns quickly and to their satisfaction whenever possible.
Grant: I bring a new voice and new perspective to help reform City Hall and make it accountable to the people it serves. Too often meetings have convened in closed sessions, where critical conversations and decisions have been made behind closed doors. Closed sessions limit public debate and hide valuable information from the residents of Green Bay. With my finance background, I am able to look at the big economic picture and make sound decisions that will be the best for our hard-working families. I work in an atmosphere where people are held accountable and performance is measured, which is something needed on the council.
What are residents telling you are their most important issues, and how are you addressing them?
Dorff: The most frequent concern I get from residents in my district are concerns about speeding and crossing streets safely. I have been able to obtain the flashing speed sign several times (those signs are much in demand all over the city) and have enforcement increased. The residents in District 1 want good city services. In talking with residents, I find a healthy concern for the environment and measures to reduce flooding and runoff. I have voted for environmentally favorable initiatives and worked with Brown County to reduce flooding on Nicolet Drive.
Grant: Crime and taxes. Our residents are concerned about the skyrocketing numbers for each. We must make addressing public safety our number one priority and focus on the avenues to bring back community and proactive policing. In addition, we are facing the largest bonding request in recent history of $18 million. We must make sound, informed decisions for the future of this city. If these patterns continue, residents will be inclined to move to neighboring communities where crime and taxes are lower. Our citizens expect and deserve more and I look forward to being a taxpayer advocate.
This is a nonpartisan race. How will you ensure that you are prioritizing the concerns of your constituents, even if they don’t align with your personal values?
Dorff: I always vote for what I believe will benefit my constituents and this city. We have over 8,900 residents in our district and, not surprisingly, they don’t always agree with each other, with my vote, or with what is being proposed. Some are for, some against and some simply silent. I have to take my knowledge of what is proposed and pair that with the knowledge of what my district needs and desires and, from there, make the best decision I can.
As a person elected to a nonpartisan office, I have no party line to follow. In the end, I need to weigh all the opinions and decide how to vote, knowing full well that I will not be able to please everyone on every vote on every issue.
Grant: An elected official’s duty is to represent all the people. I take this role very seriously and want to make true positive change. It is critical that decisions are made in the best interest of the city and its citizens. Administration, services, policies and ordinances should be made absent of political leanings and partisan agenda, which I do in my personal and professional life on a daily basis. I will work with all members of council and departments of this city for the common good.
When it comes to representation, what will you do to guarantee that all of your constituents, regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender, religion and creed, are listened to and given fair, equitable treatment?
Dorff: As an alder, I support encouraging a diverse and equitable community, as inclusive communities are often more innovative, entrepreneurial and economically competitive. If we want Green Bay to be economically successful in the 21st century and beyond, this is the way to do it. Our local government is here to serve the needs of ALL its residents. I support the procedures and ordinances already in place that ensure that all are treated in an equitable manner.
Grant: Having attended Washington Middle School and Green Bay East High School, I was raised in the diversity of this community. During college, I also lived in other communities, states and countries. I have always enjoyed learning and listening to other people’s traditions and backgrounds, celebrating our differences and similarities. Throughout all my experiences I have learned that a strong community is one that is fair and equitable to all.
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Natalie Eilbert is a government watchdog reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at neilbert@gannett.com or view her Twitter profile at @natalie_eilbert.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay City Council District 1: Barbara Dorff faces Jennifer Grant
