| Write and Call Legislators
--- Call and write your state Assembly representative and your state Senator,
and ask them to firmly commit to co-sponsoring a bill in the next legislative
session to restore the Intervenors. (A bill number hasn’t been picked
yet --- as soon as it has we’ll post it here.)
Click here for addresses, phone numbers and
e-mail addresses for Wisconsin legislators. If you don’t know who
your elected representatives are, call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-362-9472.
 Letter-writing
tips:
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Keep it short --- no more than a few pages.
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Explain how the Intervenors matter to you and your neighbors.
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Keep it friendly --- don’t threaten your legislators --- just give them
logical arguments.
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You can print-out and highlight segments of this webpage you want to emphasize
to your legislators, and include the segments with your letter.
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Urge your legislator to visit this webpage to get the whole history of
how the Intervenors served the public.
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A personal letter mailed on paper has more impact than an e-mail message
--- but if you do both, that’s great!
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Follow-up with a phone call if you don’t feel you’ve gotten a satisfactory
answer.
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Send a thank-you note if you like the answer you receive.
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Encourage your friends to do the same thing.
For example arguments, click here.
Promote the Survey
--- If your legislators haven’t responded to the WSN
Legislative Survey, write and ask them to respond right away BEFORE
the fall election.
Letter to the Editor
--- Write a letter-to-the-editor for the opinion page of your local newspapers
(look in the Yellow Pages under “newspapers”). Some tips on public
letters:
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Keep it short --- no more than 250 words.
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Explain why it’s so important to restore the Public Intervenor Office.
Answer the question, “Why should people care?”
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Double-space.
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Imagine you’re trying (in a friendly way) to convince a conservative person
who is completely unfamiliar with the topic.
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Include your name, address, phone number and signature.
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Ask your friends to write also, or ask to add their names to yours on the
same letter.
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Ask your civic organization or club to sign-on to a public letter in the
paper.
For example letters, click here.
Pass Resolutions ---
Ask your County Board of Supervisors, City Council, Town Board, civic
organization, church group, and/or club to pass a resolution in support
of the Wisconsin Public Intervenors Office
For example resolutions, click
here.
Public Events --- Organize
a public event to show unified support for restoring the Public Intervenor.
The following are just some ideas:
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A press conference with representatives of local government, churches,
school groups, farmers, hunters, anglers, boaters, etc., each making brief
statements to the media about the importance of the Public Intervenor Office.
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A public program as part of your group’s regular meeting, where the event
is advertised as open to the public, information is shared about the Intervenors
and the Public Trust Doctrine [borrow a
copy of DNR’s video], and the news media are invited to attend.
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A legislative forum on a variety of issues, with this issue prominently
featured in questions, handouts and displays at the event. Publicly
question legislators about the Public Intervenor Office.
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Encourage legislators to issue press releases and newsletters, or hold
press conferences announcing their position in support of restoring the
Public Intervenor Office.
Legislative Visits
--- Make an appointment to meet with your legislators at their local office
to discuss the value of the Public Intervenors and ask for their commitment
in support of restoration. If possible, find representatives of several
different interest groups to go with you --- local officials, hunters,
anglers, church leaders, school groups, farmers, etc. Follow-up with
a letter-to-the-editor describing the meeting and commenting on the results.
Let local voters know how their legislators stand on this issue.
Be sure to publicly thank legislators who support restoration of the Intervenors.
Encourage Others
--- We need people throughout Wisconsin to raise awareness of this issue
and to alert legislators that MANY people care about it. If
you know leaders of organizations in your area or in nearby counties, please
call and ask them to participate in these efforts or to start their own
local efforts.
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