Advertisement Willet’s extensive public service experience, deep knowledge of municipal government operations and exceptional people skills made her the unanimous choice by the village board and has prepared her well for the many projects in front of the village.
Willett actually started Jan. 14, a day before her first official day, so she could learn, with the rest of the village board and administration, the results of the facility-needs study. She is also tackling issues with the tax increment finance plan for the village, taxes and numerous items that were put on hold since the departure of former administrator Catherine Schmit.
“Not to mention figuring out what’s Holmen and what’s not,” Willett said.
Willett, 56, grew up in Guttenberg, Iowa, and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Iowa State University. She taught junior high and high school English. She also has a bachelor’s degree in interior design from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Willett is the first village of Holmen administrator to have prior municipal administrative experience when hired. That experience includes serving on serving on the Plan Commission beginning in 1987, serving in an elected capacity on the Phillips’ Common Council for five terms, including four years as its president, and serving as Phillips’ administrator for five years.
While in Phillips, Willett unsuccessfully sought a seat on the state Assembly. When she was defeated by a slim margin, Willett returned to teaching as a substitute and also worked as an interior designer.
That’s when then Gov. Tommy Thompson asked Willett to serve as a director of his northern office in Hayward. She did that for Thompson for four years, and then for his successor Gov. Scott McCallum for two years.
“I was the eyes and ears for the governor,” Willett said. “I was a fire extinguisher, resolving conflicts and performing public relations work for the office.” She also has served on the Northern Council of Natural Resources, was on the State Capitol Executive Residence Board while the capitol and governor’s residence was remodeled, and she also sat on the state’s Humanities Council.
“I found I loved public administration and went back to school to earn a master of public administration degree.” She started taking weekend classes in 2004 and just completed the master’s program in 2009.
For those kinds of political positions, being tough as nails helps. Willett gleans her toughness from a few female role models.
“I love Georgia O’Keefe, and not just for her art,” Willett said. “She was someone who was told she couldn’t do something. I also admired Millicent Fenwick, the pipe smoking representative to the United Nations. My philosophy is that you have to follow your own path, even if it’s out of the ordinary.“
While that path includes both elected and paid public administration, Willett says she has no desire to run for elected office again.
“I’ve been on the other side,” Willett said. “I’ll let the others decide the priorities. “Making them happen is rewarding. It’s fun seeing it happen.”
Willett’s mix of experience definitely provides for a different vantage point from which to see things.
“While Phillips is losing population, Holmen is gaining,” she said. “You look at the budget through different eyes when that is happening.”
From what she has seen so far, Willett feels right at home in Holmen. “I love the Mississippi River,” she said. “I am impressed by how the community has brought forward parks, recreation and trails. It’s exciting to be part of a community where officials are looking to make the community better. It’s not true in every community. The vision for the area is exciting and contagious.”
Holmen is also midway between Phillips, where her husband Stephen, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse graduate, still practices law, and her parents’ home in Iowa.
“I wanted to be able to visit them periodically,” she said. “Moving to Holmen helped me move forward in my career and spend quality time with my parents and my wonderful husband.”
Willett is the mother of four and stepmother of two, and together the Willetts have five grandchildren. She said she grew up in a family that always volunteered.
“My mother in her 70s is doing more than she did when I was growing up,” Willett said. “Busy people get more accomplished.”
Her motto is “Can’t never did anything,” which she credits her swim coach with instilling in her when she was afraid to dive off a diving board. “You have to try. You can’t let fear or negative thoughts keep you from your dreams or from giving back. There’s always ways to contribute more.”
THE WILLETT FILE
