Johnson opens Senate office downtown
Staff plans to roll out 'mobile offices' to reach residents statewide
3:43 PM, Mar. 8, 2011

A lot of issues that U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson will deliberate during his six-year term representing Wisconsin may divide residents of the state, but being there to help constituents navigate federal agencies is a bipartisan, oft-overlooked element of the job.

In some ways, the Oshkosh Republican has followed in his predecessor Russ Feingold’s footsteps in approaching constituent services. His staff has leased the same space in the Milwaukee federal courthouse at 517 E. Wisconsin Ave., that Feingold leased for a constituent services office and has also followed the tradition of many U.S. Senators and opened a second office in his home town, in the former Post Office building downtown at 219 Washington Ave.

But from there, his staff has sought a more efficient method to reach more residents closer to their homes, Johnson’s Director of State Offices Tony Blando said.

"We’re going to have multiple, mobile offices around the state to make sure we can provide the best constituent services to all Wisconsin residents," Blando said. "Sen. Johnson made it a clear priority to communicate with all his constituents. We want to make sure we are as accessible as possible to all citizens of the state."

Blando said all of Johnson’s in-state offices will be ready to help residents who seek assistance as they navigate federal bureaucracies such as Immigration and Naturalization Services and the Social Security Administration. He said the regional and mobile offices will also give residents a chance to be heard on local, state and national issues.

"In some cases, it’s just providing a sounding board so people can express how they’re feeling," he said. "But mostly, what happens is case work. If someone’s having an issue with a federal agency … our job is to provide case workers to resolve issues they may have."

The volume of requests for assistance has surprised Blando, who has worked with Johnson since he first began his campaign to unseat Feingold in May 2010. He said immigration issues make up the largest volume of resident requests, though assistance with Social Security and Veterans Administration issues are also common. Blando said one of Feingold’s employees, Manny Vasquez, joined Johnson’s staff to continue working on immigration cases.

"It was important because he was really, really good at helping constituents through immigration issues. We were really fortunate," Blando said. "You expect to be up and running right after you’re sworn in, but the transition can be tough sometimes."

Johnson’s Oshkosh office will give him a place to work and meet constituents when he is home, but it also benefits a donor who supported Johnson during his 2010 campaign. The former post office building is owned by Dale School Apartments LLC, a company with principal offices at Ganther Construction, 4825 County Trunk A, according to Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions records. Federal Election Commission records indicate Ganther made two donations of $2,400 each to Johnson’s campaign, both in June 2010.

Blando said it was not given consideration in the selection process.

"(Ganther’s donations) had nothing to do with it," Blando said. "Everything has to be reviewed by the Senate Sergeant at Arms. They draft the lease. They review everything. It’s very, very strict and everything is totally transparent."

Blando said the building’s location, its handicapped-accessible amenities, Senate regulations and the site’s proximity to other city and county agencies made the location an ideal spot for a Senate office.

"It’s on a bus line, it’s across the street from (Winnebago County) Human Services offices, it’s Americans with Disabilities Act compliant and handicap-accessible," he said. "Putting a location out in one of the strip malls on 41 with a big sign might have looked good, but I don’t think it’s where you can best serve constituents. We ended up here for all the right reasons."

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