Genia Stevens for County Board

05/24/2024

My opponent appealed the results of the recount that happened on April 12 confirming that I won the election for Rock County Board Supervisor District 13 on April 2. I was finally sworn in on Wednesday, May 22, after the Rock County Circuit Court judge dismissed the recount appeal stating he saw no evidence that fraud was committed on the night of the election on April 2nd. I'm ready to get back to work to serve the people of District 13. Thank you for the hard work of my attorneys through the appeal process. And again, thank you to the voters who cast their vote for me.

04/12/2024

The recount for District 13 is completed. I lost 1 vote because I witnessed my wife's absentee ballot. A candidate can't witness any voter's absentee ballot. Now I know that. That means I won by only 2 votes, not 3.

I watched the recount for District 11 as well. What I learned today is something I knew before today's recount: Our elections are fair. The process is fair. My opponent exercised her right to request a recount. The process was long and thorough. The Board of Canvassers found one ballot that was invalid: my wife's.

Our elections are fair. Thank you again to everyone who supported me. I look forward to serving you as your County Supervisor for District 13.

04/06/2024

I'm not conceding. Let the recount tell us what we need to know.

04/03/2024

Folks are already claiming there was shady stuff going on with this election and my opponent has already asked for a recount - as expected. I'll be there if/when it happens. I have no plans to let her and the Zoril crew win this without a fight. The smear campaign they had against me when they distributed flyers about me in my district calling me a supporter of child s*x trafficking, the bullying they employed sending their buddies to my workplace to harass me, and the social media posts Zoril and his friends have made calling me a Black Supremacist just makes me determined to win this thing.

04/03/2024

Every vote counts. I won reelection by 3 votes. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported me. Together, we've shown what's possible when we unite for the common good. The work we've already started will continue. I'm committed to doing what needs to be done to make Rock County an even better place to live, work, and thrive.

Every.vote.counts. Thank you again!

04/02/2024

Polls close in about an hour and a half. If you haven't voted yet, please do. Vote yes for our kids, vote no on both of the state referendums. And if you're in District 13, I ask that you choose me to continue to serve as your Rock County Board Supervisor.

04/01/2024

Election day is tomorrow, April 2. Do you know where your polling place is? Visit: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Find-My-Polling-Place

04/01/2024

Know who's on your ballot. My opponent finally answered the Janesville Gazette's questionnaire. Please go and read the article. You should know who's on your ballot.

https://www.gazettextra.com/news/local/in-district-13-tammy-green-gonfiantini-is-challenging-rock-county-board-incumbent-genia-stevens/article_ba0aa34e-efbe-11ee-bbe7-2b25e4323973.html

03/31/2024

I didn't support the first referendum. I was hoping for one that, to me, would provide more support for the teachers and our students. I believe the referendum on this ballot does that. Vote yes on April 2.

03/30/2024

The Janesville Gazette distributed a survey to candidates running for office and asked 3 questions. My opponent did not respond.
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Incumbent Genia Stevens is running for re-election in District 13. She faces a Incumbent Genia Stevens is running for re-election in District 13. She faces a challenge from Tammy Green Gonfiantini. District 13 encompasses Wards 2, 3 and 10 in the city of Beloit.

What are the top three issues of this election?

This election has a lot of really important issues affecting our community: issues related to health and human services; public safety and emergency management; transportation and infrastructure; economics and workforce development; and of course, agriculture and land conservation. The top three issues I’m addressing in my campaign are housing, childcare, and economic development.

Tell the voters about yourself

After serving in the U.S. Navy, I relocated to Beloit 30 years ago. I’ve been a community activist and advocate for many causes in Beloit for many years. As a small business owner for over two decades, I’ve been committed to economic development and entrepreneurship across the state of Wisconsin, having been a member of over 7 chambers of commerce.

I’ve earned several awards, including being named a YWCA Rock County Woman of Distinction, one of Wisconsin’s Most Influential Black Leaders, and receiving the Beloit NAACP’s Community Service Award. The Beloit Coalition of Churches recognized me as a 2023 Groundbreaker and Trailblazer.

I’m currently serving as a Rock County Board supervisor, representing District 13. I’m the founder and executive director of Rock County Jumpstart, an organization dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship and economic growth by cultivating the launch, growth, and sustainability of underserved and underrepresented businesses in Rock County.

My passion for community service extends beyond my professional endeavors. I’ve served on various nonprofit boards and committees aimed at promoting economic development, affordable housing, education, and youth services. My roles have included chairing the Lt. Governor’s Small Business Academy, being a member of the Associated Bank’s Community Markets Advisory Council and serving on the Madison Region Economic Partnership (MadREP) Board of Directors, among others.

My most recent volunteer and public service efforts reflect my commitment to my community, including contributions to the Beloit Public Library IDEA Sub-Committee, the Beloit Memorial High School Career Academy Master Planning Committee, and the City of Beloit Equal Opportunities Commission. I’m currently serving on the Rock County Land Conservation Committee, the Rock County Agriculture and Extension Education Committee.

I live on the west side of Beloit with my wife, Andrea. I have two grown children, and two grandchildren. I earned a bachelor’s degree from Beloit College and a master’s in business administration from Cardinal Stritch University.

How did the board do in the past two years?

Despite facing numerous challenges over the past two years, it’s important not to focus solely on setbacks. In my role coaching and mentoring business owners, I emphasize the value of learning from experiences that didn’t meet our expectations.Throughout the past 2 years, the dedication of county board supervisors who want to meet the needs of our community has not wavered.

Our commitment has driven us to support numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing the well-being of the Rock County community. This includes expanding broadband access, offering childcare grants, backing transitional living programs, establishing a sober living home, creating a children’s shelter in Beloit, and contributing to the development of the Discovery PLAYce at the Beloit Public Library, among other projects.

In addition, the Rock County Board’s 2024 budget allocated funding for affordable housing, a Community Action homeless shelter, funding for NAMI-Rock County, the Rock County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, domestic violence shelters in both Beloit and Janesville, and the YWCA Rock County CARE House. Because there are seated Supervisors who remain committed to getting things done, the County Board, despite its challenges, continued to do the work we were elected to do.

03/29/2024

At last night's County Board meeting: "Supervisor Mike Zoril attempted to slash the county’s equity position, proposing an amendment that would allocate to the museum a combination of exactly $383,195.24 in ARPA funds and exactly $116,804.76 from the county coffers, the latter of which equals the equity position's total wages and benefits."

I was adamantly against this effort, because it's essentially Zoril's attempt to dismantle the County's DEI initiatives - again. I'm equally disturbed that Lori Pennycook, a Supervisor who represents Janesville's 5th Ward, would support Zoril's resolution that attempted to prohibit the promotion and training of DEI, or going into business with any organizations that provide DEI education.

JANESVILLE – The Rock County Board did not approve giving $500,000 to a proposed children’s museum on Thursday night, instead delaying its vote to April 25.

03/26/2024

My wife Andrea and I remember a time when the Stateline Family YMCA wouldn't allow us to join and use the family membership as domestic partners (even though YMCAs in Dane County allowed it at the time) because LGBT couples in domestic partnerships weren't viewed as couples and our families weren't seen as families. We made a fuss, the issue made the paper, and the comments on social media were vicious. Very homophobic. People didn't care what they said about gay people publicly back then. Back then wasn't that long ago, seeing as how Andrea and I have been together 15 years.

For the most part, things have changed. The policy at the YMCA has changed. People like Tammy Baldwin, Mark Spreitzer, myself, and now Philip Gorman for Rock County Board can for run elected offices without hiding who we are. The comments aren't as nasty as they used to be. And people aren't as vicious as they used to be. Most people, anyway.

Let's not allow the vocal homophobic minority in our community take us back to a time when the Beloit/Rock County community was full of mean girls and bullies who picked on the gay kids.