To the editor,

Some local officials think they have no power over billionaires — the .00001% — who are scheming to cover our rural lands with their industrial livestock factories and data centers. Lawyers and lobbyists know how to make that work in their favor.

Here in Pierce County, however, the towns of Maiden Rock and Gilman know they have power and are taking concrete steps to ensure good governance!

Under state law, county and town chairs can approve millions in financing for billionaires’ industrial projects without any knowledge or input from their full board or even the supervisor whose district houses the project. The power to fundamentally alter a community lies with just two people; county and town chairs.

This very thing ALMOST happened in Pierce County’s Town of Salem in 2025 when Ridge Breeze Dairy tried to get $18 million in public financing for their 6,500-cow operation. Public pressure got Salem’s chair to question the process instead of signing off. But with the county chair’s approval already in hand, Ridge Breeze was just one signature away from their goal.

Maiden Rock and Gilman recently took action to make sure that can’t happen by requiring full town board approval for public financing. They join Wisconsin’s Bayfield and Marinette counties that made similar changes.

I truly believe that our town and county officials are good, well-intentioned people. Some can be fooled by lobbyists and lawyers into thinking that they have no power to make changes that have a huge impact on citizens’ lives. But they do have power! County and town supervisors should take action and make sure that good governance prevails and all board members vote on the next billionaire’s big idea.

Kay Kashian

Ellsworth