Dax Burroughs and Desiree Redditt will compete for the District 8 seat on the Portage County Board in the April 7 election.
County Board supervisors serve two-year terms. Current District 8 Supervisor Joan Honl filed a declaration of non-candidacy in this race.
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The Stevens Point Journal asked each of the candidates to address important issues in the district and why they are running for the position.
Dax Burroughs
Municipal residence: Stevens Point
Age: 45
Occupation and education: Retired Army officer. Master of military operational arts and sciences and MBA.
Relevant experience: Staff officer at battalion and brigade levels. Company commander.
Campaign website/Facebook page: Dax Burroughs for Portage Co. Board of Supervisors on Facebook
Desiree Redditt
Municipal residence: Stevens Point
Age: 43
Occupation and education: I serve as an appointed municipal clerk and have professional experience in local government administration, elections and public service. My work focuses on transparency, accuracy and ensuring residents can easily access local government services. Business administration UTC. Wisconsin Certified Municipal Clerk WMCA.
Relevant experience: As a municipal clerk, I manage elections, maintain official records and help ensure local government operations remain transparent and accountable. I regularly work with residents, staff and elected officials to solve problems and provide services. I am also active in community efforts that support civic engagement and local organizations.
Campaign website/Facebook page: desiree-redditt.org and Desiree Redditt for Portage County Supervisor on Facebook
Why are you running for office?
Burroughs: After more than 20 years in the active Army, I see this as a continuation of service to my country on the local level.
Redditt: I am running to bring practical, community-focused leadership to the Portage County Board. Through my work in local government, I see firsthand how county decisions affect residents’ daily lives — from infrastructure and public services to responsible budgeting. I believe local government works best when it is transparent, responsive and focused on long-term solutions. I want to ensure residents have a strong voice and that our county continues to grow while protecting the quality of life that makes our community a great place to live.
What makes you the better candidate in this race?
Burroughs: My years of military experience have well prepared me for working with others on a diverse range of topics, in order to find a viable solution using limited resources. I have extensive experience in planning and effectively see any project or goal through to its completion.
Redditt: My experience working inside local government gives me a clear understanding of how policies are implemented and how decisions affect residents. I bring a practical approach focused on collaboration, transparency and responsible budgeting. I am committed to listening to residents, working with colleagues across perspectives and focusing on solutions rather than politics. I believe strong local leadership requires both professional knowledge and genuine community engagement, and I bring both to this role.
What is the most pressing issue facing the Portage County Board and how would you address it?
Burroughs: I agree with the residents I’ve spoken with that the cost of living is the most pressing issue.
Redditt: One of the most pressing issues facing the county is balancing responsible budgeting with the need to maintain essential services and infrastructure. As costs rise, it becomes even more important to prioritize spending, plan long term and ensure taxpayer dollars are used efficiently. I support transparent budgeting, careful evaluation of county programs and collaborative planning that ensures the county can continue providing vital services while remaining fiscally responsible.
What are residents telling you are their most important issues and how would you address them?
Burroughs: The cost of living is the most common concern I’ve heard from the people I’ve spoken with. From my position on the board, I would do what I can within my power to reduce the tax burden while expanding the tax base. This would decrease the taxes any one individual pays in a given year. Additionally, I would work to expand economic opportunities for the people in the community through more job options and better average pay.
Redditt: Residents consistently raise concerns about affordability, infrastructure and maintaining the quality of life in our community. People want well-maintained roads, responsible development and local government that listens to them. I believe the best way to address these issues is through open communication with residents, thoughtful planning and collaboration with municipalities, businesses and community organizations to develop practical, long-term solutions.
How will you balance providing essential services with rising concerns of affordability and cost of living?
Burroughs: In the short term, I would start by identifying what essential services must be provided by the county and prioritize their funding. After that, I would look for non-essential services or projects that can be pared back as needed. Where feasible, I would work to expand intergovernmental and government private partnerships in order to help offset costs. At the same time, I would try to expand grant requests that could save the county money. Long term, I would build a multi-year budget and work to modernize county facilities and operations to reduce costs.
Redditt: Balancing services and affordability requires careful budgeting and thoughtful prioritization. County government must focus resources on core services that residents rely on while looking for efficiencies and partnerships that reduce costs. Long-term planning, transparent budgeting and collaboration with local municipalities can help ensure we maintain essential services without placing unnecessary financial strain on residents.
How will you work to address infrastructure and water quality needs in the county?
Burroughs: This begins with current infrastructure maintenance requirements and improvements tied to quality testing to ensure that residents have access to functioning infrastructure and healthy water. Next, a clear comprehensive long-range plan for how the county is expected to develop over the next 10-20 years must be created and periodically refined. From there, identifying what infrastructure would be needed to support that development by year so that the projects and projections can be implemented prior to being needed.
Redditt: Infrastructure and water quality are critical to both public health and economic growth. I support continued investment in maintaining roads, bridges and public infrastructure while also protecting the county’s water resources. This includes working with municipalities, state partners and local stakeholders to plan sustainable infrastructure improvements and ensure our water systems remain safe and reliable for future generations.
Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Meet the 2 candidates running for Portage County Board District 8 seat
Reporting by Erik Pfantz, Stevens Point Journal / Stevens Point Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
