County Board votes no to war
0:20 AM 2/21/03
Lesley Rogers Barrett County reporter

The Dane County Board meeting Thursday was anything but peaceful.

But in the end, after the accusations, the scolding and the finger-pointing, the County Board voted 19-6 against war in Iraq.

Dane County joins about 100 other local governments nationwide that took a stance on war in Iraq, including the Madison City Council, which voted in November against a pre-emptive U.S. attack on Iraq.

Dane County's resolution to "support protecting families and jobs rather than waging war in Iraq" will be forwarded to state and national leaders.

It will not, despite a sarcastic attempt by Sup. David Blaska, Madison, be forwarded to Saddam Hussein.

It took a lot of effort for the anti-war resolution to even get to the board floor Thursday.

The County Board had to call a recess of its meeting while the board's Executive Committee quickly gathered in the back of the chamber to approve the resolution - a requirement before the full board voted on it.

The committee had been unable to reach a quorum at its meeting earlier Thursday, prompting liberal members to accuse conservative members of sabotage.

"There are people here who do not want this issue to come before us tonight," said Sup. Brett Hulsey, Madison.

Conservative members scolded Hulsey for speaking out of turn and trying to "rabble rouse" the gallery.

In an hour of public testimony, Dane County residents read poems and told County Board members they oppose war in Iraq and its cost on lives and money. There was a small protest outside the City-County Building prior to the meeting.

"I don't want the young people to come back and suffer like I have been suffering since I came home in 1966," said Will Williams, a Vietnam War veteran.

A few board members accused the speakers of not supporting the U.S. military, and several criticized them.

Several conservative members called it a "feel-good resolution" and said the County Board should stick to governing the county.

"I don't believe this belongs at the County Board level," said Sup. Dave Ripp, Waunakee. "The (federal) government isn't going to care one way or another what we do here."

Sup. Don Eggert, Madison, said the resolution is relevant, because if the nation goes to war, Dane County will be affected.

"This is a Dane County issue, make no mistake about it," Eggert said. "Statewide units are mobilized. They are our constituents."