Letter to the Editor: Another Opportunity for Mulliken to Serve Door County

For a combined 20 years, I have had the privilege to represent the good people of Door County at both
the town and county board level. I hope to be able to serve you again on the county board after the
upcoming April 3rd election. Starting my public service at the town board level gave me a foundational
understanding of how to take impactful action on a micro scale, allowing me to then go on to
successfully serve on the county board. In reflection, I realize how important it was to have that time on
the town board to help me be even more effective during my tenure as a county board member. To
better illustrate the difference in scope between the town and county board, the annual budget for the
town of Liberty Grove is approximately $2 million while the annual county budget is approximately $80
million, forty times more.

During my 12-year tenure on the county board, I was assigned to, and was the chairperson of, the
Land Conservation Committee, where I became involved with such issues as nutrient management. Not
only was this a lesson in how local politics work, but it was just the start to my water conservation
activities on a state-wide manner. I represented Door County on the Wisconsin Land and Water
Association for 12 years, four years as president of the association. Because of the limited amount
of soil covering our bedrock in Door County, there is a delicate balance between the waste produced by
farmers and our ability to protect our ground water. See Wisconsin Statute NR 151 for important soil
and water conservation.

In a recent cost cutting action, the county eliminated the position of airport and parks director, assigning
the operation of the county airport to the Highway Department. I understand the importance of our
airport and as the only active airplane pilot on the county board I will bring a host of knowledge for the
oversite of the airport.

Additionally, during my time on the town board I realized that the vibrancy of our local community
relied on retaining a younger generation. At the onset of the Habitat for Humanity program in Door
County I partook by designing the first eleven homes. At the county level, one of the initiatives I
achieved during my last term was an important zoning change that now allows houses to be built on
smaller lots if served by municipal sewer, an important first step in affordable housing.

I want to close by echoing Bill Becker’s Letter to the Editor in the March 30-April 6, 2018 edition of the
Pulse. It was a plea for younger people to be more active in government and to get out the vote. This is
something that I have believed for years and truly think that is the only way to see the change that is
needed. I hope to see all of you, young and old, at the polls on April 3 rd ! And I hope that you will once
again give me the opportunity to serve you again in moving important initiatives that will preserve Door
County for many generations to come.