Thank you! and Getting Started

Thank you so very much for electing me Supervisor of District 24! 

It's been an exciting two months. A week after the election, I attended the orientation where all the supervisors received ipads. The county is trying to eliminate the amount of paper used and also provide information to everyone faster and more efficiently by going electronic.

I can say I completely appreciate this effort. Before each county board meeting, supervisors receive a large packet with information for the upcoming board meeting. Not only is this lots of paper, but someone has to go out and delivery all of these envelopes. There is also the issue of having to store all those paper documents. It is really great to have all of these documents at our fingertips in a single device.

The next item of business was appointments to the five standing committees. These are the Class A committees. There are five of them and five county supervisors serve on each committee. 

 I was appointed to the Human Services Committee. In addition to serving on this committee, all the members also serve on the Social Services Board. You can see all of the county committees by clicking here.  I was very please to be appointed to this committee.  

The Human Services Committee and Social Services Board meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month. All county committee meetings are open to the public and all agendas for the meetings are available to the public at least 24 hrs before the meeting is held. You can find that info on the main calendar page.  Go to that page by clicking here. 

That is probably enough for today.  I hope everyone is enjoying time outdoors and great summer food.

Radio Interview with Greg Stensland

On Friday, I was on Between the Lines with Greg Stensland on WFDL.  I think this was an excellent conversation.  You can listen by clicking here

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Map of the 24 District

Here is a map of the 24th Fond du Lac county supervisory district  The district includes wards 13 and 21 of the city of Fond du Lac.  If you need to check if you are in the ward and where you go to vote, click here.  (https://myvote.wi.gov/Voter/VoterSearchScreen.aspx)

To use this webpage:
1.  Enter your name and date of birth and it will tell you if you are registered to vote.   
2.  Click on your name and it will give you your profile.
3.  Look over to the right side of the page and click on the second item, "What's on my ballot," now you will see the races on your ballot.  Down the ballot, you will see Fond du Lac County Supervisor District  ___,  with a number in the blank.  If you are in the 24th, my name will appear.   

I hope I can earn your vote on April 5th!



If you are not registered to vote, you can still do that on election day.  You must bring proof of residency which can be a current WI drivers license with your correct residence or a utility bill or a government bill.  You also must bring photo ID.  The most common form is a WI drivers License or a DMV issued identity card.   Click here for a list of acceptable Photo ID.  

If you do not have these items, it is a bit more complicated.  Click here for a page from the GAB then click on proof of residency and the complete list will appear.  

Please note, many people move and do not update the address on their DMV license because you have to pay a fee to do this.  This is not okay for registering, but it will work for your photo ID.  SO, if you need to register,  you will need to show a utility bill or an item on the proof of residency list.   

FDL Reporter Questions

The Fond du Lac Reporter sent the same questions to all of the candidates in contested races.  Below is a link to the article where my answers are published.  If you have any comments, please email me at mbhfor24@gmail.com.  I'd love to talk to you.  Click here to read the article

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Volunteer!

You can be a great help Fond du Lac county by volunteering.  Opportunities include tutoring, mentoring and supervising visits.  Click here for a link to a webpage where you will find more information and an application.  

1862 Plat Maps

Fond du Lac County has a massive website.  If you are interested in local history, you probably will look at old maps.  Here is a link where you can find plat maps from 1862 and 1874.

1862 and 1874 maps

Frut Field Upgrade - Opinion Piece by Ted Eischeid

There is an opinion piece in today's FDL Reporter by Ted Eischeid.

Click here to read the piece.

I see there are already a few comments.  I look forward to lots of conversations about this issue.

I will do my best to give you the information that is available about this proposed upgrade.

Click here to see a post with the school district proposal documents. 

Click here for another post with interviews and recaps in the local media 

 Please make sure and let your elected representatives know how you feel about the proposed upgrades to Fruth Field.

Kids in Crisis Town Hall Meeting

On Monday, I attended the Kids in Crisis Town Meeting at the FDL Public Library.

The discussion was exceptional and I certainly walked away with a much better understanding of what is currently happening in our community as well as what we need to work on.

Click here for the follow up FDL Reporter Article 

Click here for the complete video of the Kids in Crisis Town Hall Meeting

This is the Heart of Fond du Lac

I want to share a wonderful piece written by Peggy Breister in the FDL Reporter in January 2015.  A daisy, a day, a penny from heaven and a good deed.   This piece won first place feature at the Wisconsin Newspaper's 2016 Convention.

It elegantly conveys the heart of Fond du Lac,  caring, considerate people not looking for attention.  People who every day look for a way to make the life of their fellow citizens a bit brighter.

A giant THANK YOU to Kevin and Jerrod!!

I want to add my own story.  In late 2006, I took my mother to Sears for her final shopping trip.  My mother had Alzheimers and for the last months of her life she was in a wheelchair and barely able to speak.  She communicated only with expression, but she still enjoyed going out to shop, so I would take her to the mall.

As I wheeled her down the aisle in Sears, a group of young high school aged boys passed by and they all smiled broadly at her. She was smiling broadly too.  That moment immediately struck me as the reason why I love living in Fond du Lac.  I don't know who started it, and that really doesn't matter, it was a very happy moment for all of us.

Fruth Field Proposal Documents

Below are links for two documents that were presented last Monday, 8 February 2016 at the Fond du Lac School Board Workshop meeting.

Have a look!

Fruth Project Budget

Fruth Project Master Plan

Fruth Field News

Fruth Field is in Fond du Lac County District #24.  In my neighborhood to be precise!  

On Monday, Feb 8, 2016, the Fond du Lac School Board held a workshop and a proposal for improvements to Fruth Field were presented.

Here is a link to a rather outdated page on the Fond du Lac school district website.

And a Facebook page that has not had activity since 2013.

What do you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts.   Email me at mbhfor24@gmail.com

I am linking to all the local media that I could find on this proposal.

FDL Reporter  This article recaps Monday's presentation and has the map that was shown at the meeting.

KFIZ - written recap

Radioplus - written recap

Between the Lines interview with Dr Jim Sebert,

KFIZ Bob Hoffmaster interview with Dr Jim Sebert

Let me Introduce Myself

Hi, My name is Mary Hayes and I am running for County Supervisor of District #24 in Fond du Lac, County, Wisconsin.

Fond du Lac county is a great place to live, but we have some challenges.  I will work hard for you to ensure that together we build a better tomorrow.

Please feel free to email me at mbhfor24@gmail.com.
Or call me at 920 922-1060.
Let me know what matters to you.

I also have a facebook page.  Click here to go there.


I'm going to start by introducing myself ...

I am a Wisconsin native and a 1972 graduate of Ripon High School. I graduated from North Central College in Naperville, IL in 1976 with a double major in Art and Chemistry.

I have broad work experience in the sciences, working as a food analyst at a cheese company, a research associate at the Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin and as a serological analyst at the Wisconsin State Crime Lab. I moved to Minnesota and did a graduate level teaching certification program in Chemistry and Physics at the University of Minnesota before teaching in the Wayzata school district. My husband's company moved us to the Washington DC area in 1995.

At that time, I started my business, with just a single product idea. That idea, a paper template used by quilters call Thangles, was a phenomenal hit in the quilting market.* My husband quilt his job to join the business and we started the wild ride that is owning your own small manufacturing/wholesale business. He does the manufacturing/day to day operations. I do the marketing/accounting creative stuff. After 20 years, we still make our living selling wholesale to independent quilt retailers all across the United States and in foreign countries too. In addition, I design, publish and sell patterns for quilts. We also have a retail internet mail order store. Check us out at www.thangles.com.

My family is rooted in Fond du Lac county, my great great grandfather homesteaded in the town of Eden in 1846. I spent my summers as a child on my grandparent's farm in the town of Byron. I always wanted to return to the rolling hills and friendly communities of Fond du Lac county.

In 2001, we moved back to Wisconsin.** My husband and I purchased a house in the Linden Street historical district. We love old houses and remodeling them. We also came back to take care of my parents. Their wish was to remain in their home in their final years. Fulfilling that wish was the greatest accomplishment of my life. My mother died of Alzheimer's in 2007 and my father died one month after his 92^nd birthday in 2013.

I benefited greatly from Fond du Lac county growing up. I got an excellent education in the Ripon school system. The support of many caring adults in the community helped me to learn about the value of hard work and also the value of giving back to your community. Every Veterans Day, I think of Mrs Hritzko. I met her when I was a Brownie and she came dressed in her uniform and told us about her experience as a WAC. That is how I learned that women served in the military.

Like many young people, I left Fond du Lac county and spent many years living out of state. I feel fortunate that I could come back and that I now have time to serve the community. I am the Vice President of the Fond du Lac County Genealogical Society. I volunteer at the FDL Historical Society and Taycheedah Correctional Institution. My interests include genealogy, historical research, reading, science education, quilting, knitting and cooking.

*Most people are surprised by the size of the retail quilting market in the United States. It is about $4 billion a year. This is a premium hobby market. The customers are people who make quilts for themselves or to give as gifts.

**Ask me sometime for all of the good reasons we wanted to move our business here from the east coast. Wisconsin is a great place to locate your business for a host of reasons.