Community for All resolution fails in Marathon County
An 18-18 tie vote means the resolution will not be passed
WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - The Marathon County Board voted 18-18 Tuesday night on the ‘Community for All’ Resolution.
The tie means the Community for All resolution will not be passed and is essentially ‘dead.’
Community supporter for the resolution, Jaxon Seeger said he feels let down by the board. “I’m actually disgusted, I feel like the Marathon County Board failed us and other marginalized communities.”
Supervisor for District 29, Chris Dickinson said he couldn’t vote in favor of it. “I cannot vote yes, I have to vote no because I simply don’t believe we’re ever going to get to a place 37-0 unanimous vote to say we are a community for all.”
Marathon County Chair, Kurt Gibbs explained that the resolution could come back to life if a Supervisor who voted no to it motions for discussion at the next board meeting. If there is no motion at the Sept. 21 meeting, then the resolution is ‘dead’ for the remainder of this session which ends in April.
The Marathon County Executive Committee voted 6-3 on Aug. 12 to send the amended resolution to the County Board. Finalizing the wording has taken the committee several months. Most at issue was the word “equity”. The approved amended version, version B, does not include this word.
Version B states, “Marathon County holds diversity as one of its core values and is committed to actively welcoming and valuing people with different perspectives and experiences in its ongoing effort to strengthen our community and be an open, inclusive, and diverse place to live, work, visit, and do business... "
If it had been approved by the County Board, the resolution would have reinforced the expectations of the county supervisors and the employees of Marathon County.
Gibbs told NewsChannel 7 in his 16 years on the board, no resolution has gone through as many changes or variations as this one.
He voted in favor of the measure.
Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenburg tweeted about the meeting after it was finished. In the tweet, she wrote, “For the record, Wausau is a #CommunityForAll. We’re going to keep working to include our diversity of human experience in our policymaking. We’re going to keep pressing for inclusive language and action. EVERYONE is welcome to get at the American dream in our city.”
People from the community in favor of the resolution said this won’t be the end, and the board will see them again.
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