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A family man from the community
Raised on a small farm outside Kiel,
Wisconsin, Dale Klemme understands the values of rural Wisconsin. He
spent his childhood working on the farm: picking stones, collecting
eggs, baling hay and developing the work ethic he still maintains.
As a young man, Dale answered the
call of his country and joined the United States Army, serving in both
South Vietnam and Germany from 1970 to 1971. As a veteran Dale knows
firsthand the importance of the care we provide for those who put
their lives on the line to protect our freedoms. Veterans benefits
enabled him to be the first one in his family to graduate from
college. And the GI Bill provided assistance in purchasing his first
home in Prairie du Chien, the home he still lives in today.
Dale’s first job after getting his
degree in Business Administration and Personnel from the University of
Wisconsin - Madison brought him to Prairie du Chien in 1977, where he
spent six years as the Director of the Flood Damage Reduction Project,
supervising the acquisition, relocation, and site clearance of 120+
properties from the floodway.
Dale has always taken pride in being
an active member of the community. He has served on the Prairie du
Chien Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee, the Prairie du Chien St.
Feriole Island Re-Use Committee, and as a member and officer of the
Friends of Villa Louis. In addition, Dale has been a member and
officer of the Crawford County Friends of the Fair for the past five
years, where he assists in planning and fund raising for the Crawford
County Fair.
In 1985, Dale was elected to the
Prairie du Chien School Board. During his eight years on the board,
he proved himself an excellent collaborator, working with parents,
teachers, and administrators to ensure that the children of the
community received a top notch education.
Dale is also active in his church,
St. Peter Ev. Lutheran Church, where he served three years on the St.
Peter Church Council.
Planning for Wisconsin Communities
Dale’s values and his strong belief
in service to community have driven his choice of career.
In 1980, Klemme started working as a
community planning consultant. Since then, he has amassed a
twenty-seven year career as a community planner, helping communities
throughout southwestern Wisconsin plan and implement important
community development projects. He has supervised a wide variety of
projects, including public facility, economic development, housing,
riverfront redevelopment, and activity planning. On a daily basis,
Dale works closely with local elected officials throughout the area to
do what is best for their communities.
In addition to his career as a
community planner, Dale owned and operated of Zach’s Restaurant in
Prairie du Chien from 1987 to 1992. During that time he served as
both President of the Crawford County Tavern League and board member
of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association. Working in the restaurant
industry gave Dale not only a great deal of management experience but
also an understanding of government’s impact on small businesses.
Community Development Alternatives,
Inc
In 2002, Klemme became the Executive
Director of Community Development Alternatives, Inc., a non-profit
organization he created to help communities throughout southwestern
Wisconsin address their development needs. Dale secured funding and
administered projects including the Bike and Pedestrian Trail Plan in
Prairie du Chien, Housing Preservation Grants, Community Development
Block Grants (CDBG), and public facility projects in numerous
Southwest Wisconsin communities. Under his leadership, CDA has also
been instrumental in tourism promotion and economic development in
Crawford County. Most recently Dale has been working with communities
in Crawford and Vernon Counties to develop flood recovery strategies.
Under Dale’s leadership,
communities are encouraged to determine their strengths and to focus
on areas of interest, allowing community members and staff to form
partnerships that work to achieve community goals. Through the
connection of people and resources, CDA helps create a community
responsive to its citizens.
In Klemme’s own words: “CDA
has established a workforce with specific expertise working in areas
which are challenging, productive and of interest to each member of
the team. We also seek to collaborate with others who bring specific
areas of expertise to our projects. As we expand our scope of
services to communities in Southwest Wisconsin, we must always be
reminded that whatever we do, we must do well.”
Dale’s family includes his wife of 30
years, Cheryl Mader and three grown children; Tony, Betsy, and Tim.
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