Winnebago County executive candidates outline backgrounds and top priorities at League forum
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Summary
At a League of Women Voters forum in Oshkosh, three candidates for Winnebago County Executive — incumbent Dan John Damel, former state legislator Gordon Hintz and Sheriff John Motts — presented their backgrounds and prioritized transparency, budget stability and services for vulnerable residents.
Three candidates for Winnebago County Executive presented their backgrounds and competing priorities at a League of Women Voters forum in Oshkosh, with each stressing a different approach to transparency, fiscal management and social services.
Dan John Damel, the incumbent, said his experience as a restaurant owner prepared him for the operational demands of county government and framed his decision to run on the county’s response during the pandemic. "I was a restaurant owner and very committed to the community," Damel said, adding he ran after seeing what he described as a missed role by the county during a crisis.
Former state Assembly member Gordon Hintz emphasized his government experience at multiple levels and said he would focus on communication and accountability. "If we're going to have a priority based process... we need to find ways to engage the public," Hintz said, pointing to town halls, surveys and outreach as tools.
Sheriff John Motts described a long career in local law enforcement and the National Guard and highlighted his managerial experience. Motts said he would begin his term by setting expectations for department heads and by evaluating county programs. "The power of county government doesn't come from the county executive. It comes from the collective county board," he said, adding he would focus on factual, program-level evaluation.
The candidates each listed immediate priorities. Hintz said he would meet with county board members, municipalities and community groups, and said maintaining funding for the county’s HELP eviction-prevention program would be a priority after federal funds expire. Motts said he would evaluate programs quickly ahead of the budget cycle and seek stronger collaboration with nonprofits, and Damel said he would publish ongoing fund balances for every department and move to make the HELP program permanent through the Human Services Board.
The forum included questions on refugee support, public health, homelessness, addiction and county finances. Panelist Karen Schneider and moderator Margie Davey guided the discussion; public questions were taken from cards and advance submissions. The candidates’ closing remarks reiterated their core messages: Damel stressed continued operational reforms, Motts argued for immediate program evaluation and clear expectations, and Hintz emphasized public engagement and restoring trust with the county board.
The forum reminded voters that the Feb. 18 primary will narrow the field to two candidates for the April general election and closed with reminders to check state voter resources.
Looking forward, the forum will not decide policy but offered voters comparative statements about how each candidate said they would approach the county’s budget, transparency and social services if elected.
