You decide: Joe Knight or his opponent.

The Eau Claire Leader-Telegram recently interviewed Joe and his opponent, Donald Trump and published it on March 23, 2026. You can find it here or read it below:

YOUR CANDIDATES: Eau Claire County District 3

MATTHEW BAUGHMAN Leader-Telegram staff

This article is part one in an eight-story series featuring interviews with candidates for the Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors in contested districts. All candidates were given the same four questions and asked to limit responses for clarity and length.

EAU CLAIRE — Two candidates are vying for District 3 in Eau Claire County this coming spring election.

Supervisors elected to the county board serve a two year term as all seats are up for election biannually.

District 3 consists of the Town of Seymour, as well as parts of the City of Eau Claire and the Village of Lake Hallie. The current supervisor of District 3 is Joe Knight, who is running for reelection against newcomer Don Krump on the spring ballot. In the name of transparency, Knight is also a former reporter for the Leader- Telegram.

Candidates’ responses have been ordered alphabetically by last name. Some responses may have been edited for clarity and length.

1) Why are you running for county board? What experience or perspective would you bring to the county board that you believe is valuable?

Knight: I’ve been on the board for eight years and I still find the work challenging and important. The board will be interesting over the next two years with a new county administrator and some longtime supervisors choosing not to run. As a newspaper reporter I often covered the Parks and Forest, Extension, Land Conservation, Stewardship and Landfill committees.

Now I’m a member of those committees. They need a supervisor with an interest in environmental and outdoor recreation.

Krump: I believe we need more fiscally conservative board members who will work to decrease and eventually eliminate the county’s debt. By decreasing the county’s debt, fewer tax dollars will be needed to pay the interest on the existing debt.

I have experience managing and controlling budgets while supervising a department with 13-15 staff members for nine years. In my personal finances I have always lived within my means, while borrowing as little as possible. In retirement I have no debts.

2) What are the biggest challenges facing Eau Claire County?

Knight: Levy limits. The good news is that we are always in the lower fourth of counties in the state for property taxes. The bad news is, based on the way these limits were imposed, we often are short on funds to pay for things we are required to pay for.

Krump: Fiscal pressures, growth related strains and social/economic issues.

Unfortunately, the City of Eau Claire seems to have had ongoing fiscal problems for years, including embezzlement of funds. The Eau Claire School District has seen declining enrollment, while the budget keeps increasing (along with property taxes), and test scores keep declining. The City and School District need new leadership that can make the tough decisions to get their fiscal houses in order.

3) The 2026 operational budget highlighted revenue challenges and increased expenses. Many departments prioritize services while reducing expenses for training, supplies and more. What are your views on the county’s budget and spending priorities?

Knight: At one point last summer, we were looking at a budget with no raises for staff. We went back and had every department cut five percent from their budgets in order to give staff a modest cost-of-living increase.

We put off DNR-mandated maintenance on the Lake Altoona dam. Construction costs are not going to go down.

Krump: The County Board in the past few years has been able to reduce the outstanding debt by over $30 million (a 39.6% reduction), and thereby the county portion of the property taxes have decreased as well. If I am elected to the County Board District 3 (Seymour) position, I will be voting with the group that has been responsible for reducing and not adding any new debt.

4) What is your vision for the future of Eau Claire County?

Knight: People want to live and visit here; we’re one of the fastest growing counties in the state. We have a thriving arts and music scene, close proximity to nature and outdoor recreation, clean water, good schools and low crime.

County government touches many of those assets. We do have growing pains — we need more affordable housing and we need to protect the 52,000 acre county forest.

Krump: There are many factors that lead me to conclude that Eau Claire County’s prospects for growth are positive, driven by a diversified economy, strong educational institutions and proactive economic development efforts.

*Both Knight and Krump will be included on the spring ballot on Apr. 7.