My Bio
Hi. I'm Jeffrey M. Neu, running for Dodge County Board of Supervisors - District 10, because our community deserves a leader who will prioritize practical, fact-driven decisions.
With 18 years of experience on the Rubicon Town Board, a background in law enforcement and the military, and 26 years in Information Technology, I'm committed to improving our community's infrastructure, services, and quality of life.
I would like to see Dodge County maintain its rural charm, keep farmlands producing, and protect its natural resources, while allowing industrial, commercial, and residential development in designated, clustered areas.
My immediate focus is on maintaining our roads, enhancing radio communications, and developing affordable working-class housing. Furthermore, I'm dedicated to listening, collaborating, and driving positive change for District 10.
Please vote for me, Jeffrey M. Neu, on April 7th. I appreciate your vote. Thank you.
My Background:
Resident of Rubicon for over 60 years. Married to my wife, Fay. We have three children - two girls and a boy, all of whom are grown up.
I grew up helping out on the family farm, which led to employment opportunities on neighboring farms.
Built a log cabin with my best friend, Mike Margelowsky, when we were 15 years old. We were the first in the area to pick up muzzleloading using the first two black powder rifles sold by John's Sport Shop in Hartford, WI. Hunted, fished, and ran a trapline.
Graduated from Hartford "Union" High School.
Joined the U.S. Marine Corps and worked in teletype communications. Promoted to Communications Center Chief. Accolades include: Meritorious promotions to Lance Corporal, Corporal, and Sergeant; received two Meritorious Masts; Nominated for Marine of the Month twice; made Marine of the Month; Nominated for Non-Commissioned Officer of the Month. Clearances: Confidential, Secret & Top Secret.
Served as a certified Peace Officer at the Routt County Sheriff's Office in Steamboat Springs, CO. Started as a Detention Officer, then promoted to Patrol Officer, then to Investigator. All within four years.
Came home and tried factory work, but had to leave due to repetitive-type injuries that left me with a disability.
Pursued higher education at the University of Wisconsin - Washington County, where I majored in Physics, mathematics, and computer science with a minor in philosophy. Accolades include: Dean's List many times, the Mathematics Award, and the Physics Award. Received numerous scholarships; received an Associate of Arts and Science degree.
Transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Honors Program.
Transferred to Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. Majored in Computer Science. Received numerous grants.
Worked in Information Technology as a UNIX/Linux Systems Administrator at Deluxe Data, eFunds, GE Healthcare, Hewlett Packard, HP Enterprise, DXC Technologies, Prospecta, & Peraton. Contracted for government work for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Clearance: Position of Public Trust.
As stated above, I served 18 years on the Rubicon Town Board, including a one-year term on the Plan Commission. I also led the cleanup of the Hallowell Farm cemetery, where forgotten veterans are now recognized with flags on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
IN RESPONSE TO A RECENT LETTER FROM MY OPPONENT
The Need for a Reliable Public Safety Radio System
Main issue: The current VHF public safety radio system fails during critical incidents, endangering lives and property. At times, officers can’t even communicate with each other a few hundred feet away.
Four problems exist:
1. Time Delay interference, where slight variances cause distortion.
Solution: Reduce the number of towers from 9 to 4.
2. High VHF noise floor interference caused by electrical equipment, industrial activity, LED lighting, and atmospheric conditions.
Solution: Move away from VHF to an 800 MHz system.
3. Significant interoperability issues with different agencies and jurisdictions not using the conventional VHF system.
Solution: Move away from VHF to an 800 MHz system.
4. Outdated towers & equipment, inadequate grounding, and equipment that has reached the end of its life cycle.
Solution: Fix what can be fixed, update what can be updated, replace what can be replaced, and eliminate what can be eliminated.
This is a serious public safety concern for our citizens and our officers. This must be resolved.
The Master Plan Study
The intention is to collect data and analyze solutions to help housing departments operate more efficiently. At least one department is spread across four buildings, and this causes inefficiencies. The Henry Dodge building is at the end of its life. The County Administration building has no restrooms that are ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. This can be a real problem for someone who is handicapped.
Venture Architects has designed five plans and anticipates having cost estimates for them by the next County Board meeting. So far, it looks as if the cheapest option is $58 million dollars to build a new two-story administration building on existing county land. Renovating the existing administration building would take 3-4 years, and the labor costs would escalate dramatically.
It's important to note that this is just a study. No plans have been made to fix or build anything. The Board will decide which direction to take when the time comes. Right now, the radio system takes priority.
Salary Adjustments
Salary adjustments were made for the Sheriff and Clerk of Circuit Court to align their salaries with current market levels. It turns out the Sheriff was actually making less than the Chief Deputy, but that has been resolved now.
Highway Trucks
At the Town level, when a truck order is placed, the chassis is chosen first, and then the box and accessories. The Road Supervisor presents several options to the Town Board, which then decides what to purchase. The order is placed, and you hope you get the truck before the snow flies. When the truck is received by the Town, it still needs to be fitted with radio equipment and any other equipment required by the Road Supervisor.
My Key Issues
Maintaining our county road system
Roads remain a focus for our constituents. They demand better roads, and if you’ve been on some of the older county roads, then you know what I mean. Road construction is primarily funded by taxes and State General Transportation Aids, but these aids have been insufficient to keep pace with inflation and rising construction costs. The biggest debate over the County’s 2026 budget was whether to borrow money for road construction. The Board, in part, opted to draw funds from Community Development, significantly reducing its development revenues. We can’t keep doing this. We can’t keep taking funds from other strategic areas. We need to find a better solution at the County level, and the State needs to find a solution that keeps General Transportation Aids in step with inflation and construction costs.
Building a reliable public safety radio system
Our current system is unreliable, which causes communications to be lost in certain areas at the worst possible times due to technical issues. This affects law enforcement, firefighting, and first responder services when they are needed most. It also hinders the day-to-day operations of other support organizations that rely on the radio system. In my time as a patrolman in Colorado, we were hindered by the mountain ranges in what we termed “dead air space”. It’s not a good position to be in when you need help. Here, the problem is different and is called ”high VHF noise floor”, which garbles and cuts out communication. This is a serious public safety concern for our citizens and our officers. This must be resolved.
Affordable working-class housing availability
Affordable working-class housing remains in short supply, as do rising rental rates. We need to support affordable working-class housing development in our communities and keep the American dream alive for future generations.
Send Me a Message
Have questions or suggestions? I would love to hear from you!