Candidates square off at Rhinelander school board forum

Four of the five candidates vying for three seats on the School District of Rhinelander Board of Education faced questions Wednesday evening at the second annual school board candidate forum, hosted by the Rhinelander High School Student Council in partnership with the League of Women Voters of the Northwoods.
Candidate Doug Artus was absent due to illness. The four candidates who participated were incumbents Merlin Van Buren, Duane Frey and Mike Roberts — all seeking reelection — and challenger Bill Freudenberg. In the April 7 election, the three candidates receiving the most votes will win seats on the nine-member board.
Debra Durchslag, president of the League of Women Voters of the Northwoods, opened the evening with remarks about the importance of local democracy and civic engagement. “Democracy doesn’t get any more local than a school board election,” said Durchslag, who herself served seven years on the school board.
Student Council members Dylan Shefveland and Lorelai Aylesworth moderated the forum, reading both prepared questions and submissions from members of the audience.
School Facilities

Students had submitted survey results indicating that high school bathrooms are in need of renovation — a point that prompted a candid response from the incumbents.
Van Buren acknowledged that bathroom renovation was included in a recent referendum project but was cut when bids came in too high. He said some upgrades are expected to occur over the summer. Roberts described the board’s broader approach: a long-range facilities plan that weighs needs, costs, and timing, with major expenditures going to referendum when necessary.
All four candidates agreed that Central School, the district’s oldest building, is likely the top priority for the next capital referendum. Frey said a recent meeting with Superintendent Eric Burke produced a sobering look at future facility needs. “I sat down with Mr. Burke, and we went through probably 15 to 20 years of what is going to need to be done in the district,” he said. 
Teacher Retention
On the question of teacher retention, the candidates largely agreed that competitive pay and a positive workplace culture are essential, while acknowledging the financial constraints imposed by state revenue caps.
Frey, a retired educator and former school principal, offered a brief history lesson on the 1993 state legislation that capped school district revenue — and the long shadow it continues to cast. “Every year, we fight on what we can do,” he said, adding that community support through referendums has helped the district remain competitive.
Van Buren noted that the district’s current retention picture is actually relatively positive. “Our retention rate is actually very good right now. The main thing we have now is teachers retiring.” Roberts added that making the district an appealing place to work goes beyond salary. “You have to have good support systems to be able to make it fun. You want your teachers — you want any employee — to go to work and be happy.”
Freudenberg, the lone challenger and a former manufacturing professional who now serves on two nonprofit boards, said he would like to see the district do everything possible to keep good teachers. “There are some great teachers in this district and some great support staff as well,” he said.
School Funding and the Legislature
The most pointed exchange of the evening came in response to an audience question about whether the candidates support a lawsuit filed by several Wisconsin school districts challenging the legislature’s failure to fully fund public schools.
Van Buren said flatly that he does support the lawsuit. “I support any effort to increase funding for schools.” He was particularly direct about the state’s failure to meet its promised level of special education funding. “What it comes down to is, point blank, we need different representatives in Madison. They are letting us down.”
Frey echoed the frustration, noting that school districts north of Highway 29 are at a structural disadvantage. “Living north of 29, the votes are not up here to change school funding to help us.” He pointed out that some districts receive nearly double the per-pupil revenue that Rhinelander does.
Roberts said he would want to read the specifics of the lawsuit before fully endorsing it, but agreed with the underlying problem. “I think one thing that’s got to stop is the partisan bickering over everything, and get back to legislators taking care of their constituents.”
Act 10
When asked whether Act 10 — the 2011 legislation that sharply curtailed collective bargaining rights for public employees — had been beneficial to the district, all four candidates offered nuanced, mixed assessments.
Frey noted that Act 10 gave districts more flexibility on health insurance costs but stripped teachers of meaningful input on their compensation. “Yes or no — yes and no, is mine,” he said.
Roberts said that on balance, he believes Act 10 has produced more good than bad in Rhinelander specifically, noting it allows the district to recognize and reward strong teachers. Van Buren said he would roll back one piece of the law: currently teachers cannot choose to unionize; before Act 10, unionization was mandatory. “I think they should have the opportunity to unionize if they want to, but not required to.”
Freudenberg, drawing on his 20 years in a private-sector union, acknowledged the law has both pluses and minuses, and said the picture of labor-management relations has simply changed over time.
Mental Health and Student Safety
On mental health, candidates emphasized the importance of counselors, school psychologists, and peer support systems. Frey noted that the district has two nurses serving the entire district and counselors in each building, while acknowledging the need to do more. “I guess we’ve got to do a better job encouraging kids to help other kids,” he said.
Roberts stressed the value of extracurricular involvement in building trusted relationships between students and adult mentors. “Every kid — the more kids you have involved in whatever it might be — they’ll have somebody to go to, to be able to talk to that they trust,” he said.
Van Buren noted the practical difficulty of filling school psychologist positions even when funding is available. “You can’t even find one if you want to hire one — they’re impossible to find.” He suggested regional cooperation through CESA 9 as one potential workaround.
On school safety, all four candidates pointed to physical security improvements made in recent years — controlled entrances, office check-ins, cameras, and the presence of school resource officers — as evidence that the district takes the issue seriously. Van Buren noted the district has had to conduct brief lockdowns this school year and was prepared. “We have a whole plan if something should happen.”
Dual Credit and Career Readiness
The candidates were uniformly enthusiastic about the district’s partnership with Nicolet Area Technical College, which allows students to earn college credits while still in high school.
“It’s amazing how many credits our students are getting before they finish high school,” said Van Buren. He added that expanding dual-credit offerings taught within the high school building — so students don’t have to travel to the college campus — would be a priority, and praised the growth of internship programs with local businesses.
Roberts noted that the program had produced at least one student who entered college as a junior. Frey highlighted the trades component, saying the recently passed tech ed referendum funding was significant in preparing students for careers in skilled trades.
Closing Remarks
In their closing statements, the incumbents each pointed to the momentum they feel the district has built and expressed a desire to see it continue. Van Buren cited the evolution of Signing Day — now a celebration for all graduating seniors, not just college-bound athletes — as one of the changes he’s most proud of. “We recognize every student and what their plan is. I think that’s a fantastic change.”
Roberts said he has considered not running for reelection each election cycle but keeps finding reasons to stay engaged. “I just feel like I’m not done yet,” he said. “I think we have a good board that communicates well.”
Frey, who has also served 12 years, said the nine-member board can be a challenge to manage but tends to find its way to good decisions. “Sometimes that’s like herding cats, but it’s interesting because of all the different perspectives.”
Freudenberg, the only candidate without board experience, said he believes his background in manufacturing, community service, and years of attending board meetings has prepared him well. “I really want to be a part of this group. I really have a passion for this district.”
The election is April 7.