It's been a little over a year since we tepidly endorsed then-candidate Wyndham Manning for Dane County Supervisor of the 5th District. It was a decision made with a certain amount of reserve and precaution—one that was not made without considerable skepticism of Manning's ability to perform and execute in the position of supervisor and adequately represent the student voice. During his year in office, Manning has done little to challenge the low bar that was set for him, and his awkward and secretive announcement to not seek re-election only validated our earlier preoccupations with endorsing him.
Manning enthusiastically took the liberal progressive torch from
his predecessor Ashok Kumar, who himself faced similar constraints
in the supervisor position. But in contrast to Manning, Kumar was a
vocal and much more transparent supervisor. Since his election in
November of 2008, The Daily Cardinal has not seen so much as a
press release from Manning. Though Kumar struggled at times, his
door was open and he appeared ready to handle complaints.
Manning promised while running for election that he
would exhibit a certain amount of accountability, promoting his use
of office hours to increase contact with students. Perhaps the job
was too much for Manning. He ran for the position with strong
environmental stances, championing the agricultural roots of Dane
County and mixing it with the overall liberal ideology that Madison
is known for.
Manning proposed policies dealing with the pollution of
our lakes as well as his desire for transportation reform, but when
it came down to it, he never really acted on any of those promises.
Many cited Manning's energy and attitude as reasons to vote for him
in 2008, but the realization of his political responsibilities has
definitely worn down Manning's optimistic
beginnings.
Manning served on six separate committees during his
time as a Dane County Supervisor, including the Committee of
Environment, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, as well as the
Cultural Affairs Committee. Outside of his work on the board,
Manning is well known for his integral role in Madison's Forward
Music Festival, bringing his dedication to the role of supervisor
into question.
The goal of the 5th District Supervisor should be to
make sure that students' voices are heard, regardless of any
turmoil within the student population. The supervisor must be
flexible and willing to cooperate and communicate, something
Manning hasn't shown the ability to do, helping to bridge the
complicated student to community relationship.
From a student standpoint, the position of Dane County
Supervisor is relatively ambiguous and comes off as unimportant.
The two-year term is punctuated by the difficult campaign process,
which includes mobilizing students who have little experience as
citizens of Dane County. This definitely puts the District
Supervisor at a disadvantage, but with adversity comes a
significant amount of opportunity. Former District 8 Alder Eli
Judge set a precedent for bringing the student voice to the city
government with increased visibility and awareness of the position
itself.
Manning's tenure has been cryptic and unsatisfying, his
work lost amidst bigger projects that Manning put in front of
student interests. It was this sort of behavior as well as the lack
of communication that gave off the air that Manning really wasn't
interested in the elected position. That or he was overwhelmed by
the situation and handcuffed by the variables. But still, this is
no excuse for a supervisor whose conflicting priorities certainly
disrupted his chance to make a change.
In our initial endorsement of Manning, The Daily
Cardinal Editorial Board wrote that Manning would be a quality
supervisor if ""he turns his ears to constituents and opens his
eyes to his own faults.""
Unfortunately, Manning was not so introspective,
boisterously attending to other priorities and leaving behind the
students he ran to represent. Manning leaves behind a legacy of
incompetence, making a mockery of the position and inspiring
leagues of underachieving students to run for political office. We
hope that Manning's successor can learn from Manning's example and
understand that it is imperative that they represent the student
body in their work. After all, that was the job Manning was elected
to accomplish.
