Civic duty is more than Election Day

City of Peshtigo Mayor

Katie Berman

Dear residents,

As we move into October, election season is once again all around us. We see the signs, hear the advertisements, read the posts on social media and have conversations with friends, family and neighbors.
Elections are important, and exercising our right to vote is one of the most fundamental ways we participate in our democracy.

But civic duty is more than Election Day.

Democracy isn’t something that happens once or twice a year when we walk into a voting booth. It happens all year long, right here at home.

It happens when residents attend a council or committee meeting because there is an issue they care about.
It happens when someone takes the time to read an agenda, ask questions or contact an alderperson or city hall to better understand an issue.

It happens when residents volunteer for a committee, help with a community event, serve as an election worker or simply take the time to become informed before forming an opinion.

Being involved doesn’t mean we are always going to agree. In fact, we shouldn’t expect to.

Local government deals with difficult decisions, and sometimes there simply isn’t an option that makes everyone happy. Civic involvement means taking the time to understand those choices, respectfully sharing your opinion and allowing the public process to work.

The Landmark property across from city hall is a good example.

Over the past several months, the city has shared information about the condition of the building, the potential costs of demolition, available grant funding and the financial implications of waiting. We asked for public input, heard from residents and discussed several possible paths forward.

At the Sept. 15 special common council meeting, the council voted 4–1, with one member absent due to illness, to move forward with demolition. That decision did not come lightly.

We learned that additional grant funding would not be available to us in the timeframe we had originally hoped. Meanwhile, the building continues to deteriorate and presents an ongoing concern for the community.
The council ultimately determined that continuing to delay demolition in hopes of future funding was not in the city’s best interest.

Since that vote, we have been working through the next steps with our engineers, contractors and other partners so we can move the project forward responsibly. There are still administrative, contractual and financial pieces that have to come together before demolition begins, and we will continue to share updates as those pieces are finalized.

What I appreciated throughout the Landmark discussion was the number of people who took the time to ask questions, share their thoughts and learn more about the options in front of us. Some supported moving forward immediately. Others believed we should wait and continue pursuing funding. Both perspectives deserved to be heard.

That is what local democracy is supposed to look like.

As we head further into election season, I hope everyone remembers how much your involvement matters beyond your vote. If you have ever thought about helping at an election, volunteering in the community or serving on one of our city committees or commissions, I encourage you to consider getting involved.

One of the advantages of living in a community the size of Peshtigo is that the local government isn’t somewhere far away.

Your mayor, alderpersons, city employees and committee members are people you see at the grocery store, at community events, at school functions and around town. The decisions we make affect the same streets, parks, neighborhoods and businesses we all use every day.

That also means your voice and your involvement can have a very real impact.

Whether you vote, serve as an election worker, attend a meeting, serve on a committee, help with a community event or simply take the time to become informed about an issue before forming an opinion, you are participating in your community. Peshtigo needs that. We need people who care enough to show up.
So, when it is time to vote, please take that civic responsibility seriously. But don’t let your participation end when you leave the voting booth.

Show up. Ask questions. Volunteer. Learn about an issue. Share an idea. Help your neighbor. Get involved.

With appreciation,

City of Peshtigo Mayor Katie Berman