When Local Officials Interfere with the Amish

Written By: Travis Buhler  |  Posted: Tuesday, September 22nd, 2015

            Three Eau Claire County employees, Lance Gurney (Directory of the Department of Planning and Development), Rod Eslinger (Land Use Supervisor), and Dan Peterson (Environmental Health Specialist with the City/County Health Department), have made it their business to involve themselves in what the local Amish people are building on their own private property. They have denied the Yoder's desire to build a house.  In doing this, they have crossed several lines regarding ownership and liberty. 

   The recent law allowing the Amish to waive State building tyranny over smoke and CO2 detectors and electric and plumbing systems was put forward by a local State Legislator (Kathy Bernier) due to the recent desire of the Amish to simply live in peace.  It passed and the matter ought to be concluded.  But our County is involved in again in the attempts by the Amish to build their homes in a way that satisfies their consciences.   If Gurney, Eslinger, and Peterson merely wanted to send the waiver forward to the State for more clarification - how much specificity does one need than what has just happened.  The local Amish wanted an exception and got one from Madison.  There is nothing that needs clarified.  These bureaucrats are like teenagers who refused to do a chore because they were not told how to make it compatible with their personal evening activities.  Yoder filled out the waiver - these three should be smart enough to figure out how to forget about it and move on.

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