Winnebago County executive candidates debate transparency, budget and homelessness at League forum

Oshkosh — Incumbent County Executive John Damel and challenger Gordon Hintz faced questions on transparency, the county budget, homelessness and other priorities at a League of Women Voters of Winnebago County forum hosted by Oshkosh Media ahead of the April 1 election.

The forum focused on how the executive’s office should balance staffing and consulting costs, improve budget forecasting and coordinate county services such as homelessness assistance and Parkview Nursing Home. Gordon Hintz, a former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and Damel, the incumbent county executive, offered contrasting accounts of the last four years and competing plans for the next term.

“Transparency, real transparency, true transparency, needs to be more than just...complying with the law,” Hintz said, arguing the county should make budget and policy materials easier for the public to understand and increase public engagement early in strategic planning. Hintz said better internal communication and monthly meetings with department heads would be part of his first-day priorities.

Damel defended the county’s increase in administrative staff as enabling…