Freelance writer joins mayor's race

Says growing city needs closer ties with towns

By Sue Odegard

Years of covering monthly meetings for the towns of Troy and River Falls and the city's Plan Commission have helped Katie Chaffee keep informed about the issues that most concern area residents and politicians.

A freelance and special sections writer for the River Falls Journal, Chaffee is taking what she's learned in the journalistic trenches one step farther in declaring her candidacy for the mayor of River Falls in this spring's election.

"I've seen what kinds of issues come before the town boards and the Plan Commission time and time again," Chaffee said. "I've seen the challenges these people are facing when it comes to growth. And I've seen the need for them to make wise decisions and work in concert with each other."

Chaffee, 51, started working at the Journal in 1991. She started in the composition department and at the front desk before taking on the freelance reporting roles.

For the past 2 years she has edited the River Falls Community Guide, an annual tourism periodical. She also spent many hours in the UW-River Falls Research Center getting historical information for two special sections published by the Journal - the UW-River Falls 125th anniversary section, and the 150th anniversary of the founding of the city of River Falls.

"It really touched me to see how people pulled together to make our history happen," Chaffee said. "And it made me feel obligated to carry on what those people started here. It changed my attachment for the city."

Chaffee was born in Madison, but lived in River Falls from 1954-67. The daughter of Dr. Paul and Lyda Haskins, she graduated from River Falls High school in 1965.

In 1967 she enrolled at UW-Madison, where she majored in history, with an emphasis in political science. That same year she married Kirk Chaffee. While in Madison, she was active in Girl Scouts, serving as a troop leader and community organizer.

Kirk Chaffee earned a degree in mathematics from UW-River Falls in 1971, and the couple moved back to River Falls permanently in 1989. Kirk Chaffee is the network administrator for the River Falls School District. They raised three children: Josephine, 29, Anna, 20, and Luke 18.

Chaffee is vice president of the River Falls Library Foundation Board of Directors. She was very active in fundraising for the new public library, which opened 2 years ago. She served on the Westside Elementary School Parent/Teacher Organization and was president for 1 year. She has also served on the River Falls United Way Board.

If elected mayor, Chaffee said she would work to unite groups serving within and outside the city limits.

"I've seen the backlog of controversy facing the town boards surrounding issues that have happened in the past," Chaffee said. "Some people have not been willing to let things die out. They need to be handled carefully because they have legitimate concerns.

"The city representatives need to show respect for them, too. The town representatives are often afraid that the city will 'swallow them up.' Everyone needs to work together."

Chaffee said she has been watching how Mayor Cecil Bjork and City Council member Ann Dravis - both have declared their intentions to run for mayor as well - have handled these issues.

"I have a lot of respect for Cecil," Chaffee said. "He identified the problems surrounding the upgrading of Cemetery Road, for example, and he worked to get them fixed.

"I have respect for Ann Dravis as well," she continued. "She's very forthright.

"But in both of these cases, I think we need more of a consensus builder. Now is the time for building bridges - we need someone more willing to work with the representatives from the townships and the surrounding governmental bodies, as well as the diverse interest groups within the city limits."

Chaffee said she is also concerned about the downtown.

"We face tremendous growth challenges," she said. "I'm really worried about downtown, it seems very fragile. I don't want to see a city with an empty downtown, surrounded by strip malls. It seems like the heart would go out of the city without our downtown."

Chaffee said city representatives need to be careful about which businesses they entice to settle in the area.

"We need to keep the character of the city and still allow it to grow," she said. "Right now, 50% of our workforce is employed outside of the city and we do need to provide more jobs here. When people work outside of the area, their focus is naturally on where their work is and that weakens our community."

If elected mayor, Chaffee said she will make it a point to stay in touch with residents and business owners so they can have a say in local government.