Over the past few weeks, I have had some great opportunities to engage with our agriculture industry partners, both locally and statewide. The first opportunity was to be part of a discussion panel at the Wisconsin Custom Operators Conference, where I, along with Adam Massart of Pagel’s Ponderosa, shared the many challenges and successes of our local collaboration. That collaboration started over a decade ago here in Kewaunee County with the creation of the IOH (Implements of Husbandry) Committee, which had representation from the various farms, agricultural haulers, towns and county board officials, along with both law enforcement and highway department leadership.
Too often, we tend to think that other areas of our state excel far beyond us. However, on this specific topic, we realized very quickly that the relationships we have built and the trust we have established here in our community are the exception, not the norm. Let me be clear that this relationship, along with the efforts we have undertaken, are by no means perfect. What we have done, and continue to do, is something simple yet remarkable: communicate.
In addition to communicating early and often, we have improved the level of mutual respect that each stakeholder has for their counterparts. We respect that the towns and county have the responsibility of maintaining the quality of our roads. We respect that law enforcement strives to maintain a safe community for those who travel our roads. We respect the unique work that our agriculture community conducts and the ever-changing conditions in which that work is done. And finally, we respect our community members and their need to freely and safely travel throughout our county. Needless to say, it was a proud Kewaunee County moment.
This event was followed by our annual workshops back here in Kewaunee County. Full credit for these events rests with our partners at the UW Extension offices, who work tirelessly to bring the latest advancements to the agricultural community. Each year, we are able to take some time to discuss the latest trends, along with lessons learned from the previous season, to better improve our processes.
We have a recent addition to these meetings in Kewaunee County Highway Superintendent Marty Treml. While somewhat new to the position, he has added so much to the conversation and is no doubt ushering in a new era of standards as it relates to the permitting process and overall road safety.
One of my messages for this, or any group, is very simple: “If it is predictable, it is preventable.” This is a great reflection for any of us as we plan and carry out our daily activities. Just a short moment of deliberation and consideration of what could go wrong—and then putting preventive measures in place to mitigate those risks.
I am very grateful to be part of these and many other conversations throughout our county as we continue to work together to keep Kewaunee County a great place to live.
Photo courtesy of Kewaunee County
