Bassett wants to bring life experience to Portage County Board
The educator, farmer and church deacon seeks to represent District 25; Spring election is April 7
As an educator, farmer and church deacon, Travis Bassett is invested in Portage County.
Now, he wants to serve on the Portage County Board as a supervisor representing District 25. Current District 25 Supervisor and County Board President Ray Reser is seeking election as Portage County executive.
Bassett’s opponent in the April 7 non-partisan spring election is Walter Leppen. In the February primary, Bassett garnered more votes than Leppen as they both advanced by easily eliminating Jerald D. Trzebiatowski.
The 40-year-old Bassett, who lives in Amherst Junction, is a 2003 graduate of Amherst High School and 2008 graduate of Viterbo University with a degree in middle and secondary education as well as a minor in environmental studies. He also is a 2015 graduate of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy.
“I’m eager to serve my community as an elected official to pay it forward and do what I can to help Portage County continue to be a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Bassett said. “Portage County is an awesome place to live, work, play, run a business and raise a family. We certainly have many challenges, just like every other place.
“But by engaging in conversation, listening and working together for the common good, there are no challenges we can’t tackle.”
Bassett previously taught at Aquinas Middle School and currently teaches at Iola-Scandinavia Schools. He also operates an apple orchard and apple services business, and he’s been both an athletic coach and official.
“I’ve been a social studies teacher for nearly 18 years,” Bassett said. “The main challenge I embrace every day is helping students develop critical thinking skills, including, most importantly, understanding that we aren’t all going to agree and then figuring out how to still work together to act as good citizens who uphold the Constitution and rule of law and help make our community and world a better place.
“I think my background and passion for policy, civics and economics will provide me with a unique advantage when deliberating on matters that come before the board. My nearly 18 years of trying to get young adults to disagree respectfully on current events and fundamental civil liberties has provided me with the most experience working to reach consensus between people and groups that vehemently disagree.
“In my professional career, I’ve also served in various leadership roles in my building, district, as well as regionally, working with a diverse range of people and organizations to improve education in our Central Wisconsin communities.”
Bassett said the best way for government to work is for people who want to serve to get involved.
“I have no agenda or ulterior motive other than wanting to help our county continue to be one of the best places around to live, work and raise a family,” he said. “Through 4-H and Scouts as a kid, to campus ministry in college, to serving as a club advisor, local teacher leader and mentor for aspiring basketball officials today, I have an extensive record of serving others, trying to make things better in whatever community I’m in.
“I want to bring this spirit of service to my role as a county board supervisor.”
Bassett said water quality is a key issue in his area of Portage County.
“No one should have to worry about what is coming out of the tap in their homes or businesses or be concerned about the water in the lakes and rivers their kids swim in during the summer,” he said. “There may be some people who declare any spreading of manure on a field a hazard to public health, but we live in a rural community, and the fresh dairy air is a trade-off we face for having a bit more elbow room than other places.”
He also noted increasing property taxes as a concern, adding “responsible use of taxpayer money is, perhaps, the most important role of any elected official and is a role I will take very seriously if elected.”
Bassett also said law enforcement needs updated equipment, roads need repaired, government buildings need upgrades and some other big projects need addressed through referendums so “the decision-making is in the direct hands of taxpayers.”
“As a county board supervisor, I promise I’ll listen, I’ll seek to understand different perspectives, and I’ll work with other elected officials to find where those best solutions are for our county,” Bassett said.