6-28-17 fdl community leaders want county board to adopt statement of diversity

A group of Fond du Lac area business, education and governmental leaders wants the county board to go on record supporting diversity.  The group has taken out a full page newspaper ad urging the county board to adopt a resolution that incorporates the spirit of the statement.  Fond du Lac Public Library board president, Melissa Kolstad, is one of 15 local leaders to sign the statement.  “For me, in order to have a healthy community, we need diversity,”  Kolstad told WFDL news.  “We also need to be welcoming to every single individual.”   County board supervisor and city councilmember, Brian Kolstad, says its important for the community to encourage all people to live and work in Fond du Lac free from prejudice regardless of their race, ethnicity, culture, religious beliefs, gender identity, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.   Fond du Lac County board chairman Marty Farrell says while he supports the statement he questions why the group is asking the county board to adopt the statement.  “We can’t tell people what to do.  Its purely symbolic,”  Farrell said.  “…and if its divisive and takes our attention away from things we’re trying to work on like economic development and provide needed services….this is what I’m not clear on.”   Farrell says he thinks the resolution would be more appropriate for the newly formed Envision Greater Fond du Lac organization to consider.  Others who have signed the petition include Mercury Marine president, John Pfeifer, CD Smith president, Justin Smith, J.F Ahern company vice president, Tony Ahern, Marian University president, Andrew Manion and Ripon College president, Zach Messitte.

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