Incumbent Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and challenger Nancy Mistele debated Wednesday the issues and challenges facing Dane County.

The hot-button issue on the agenda was public safety, with the vast majority of questions relating to the 911 Center’s breakdown in University of Wisconsin junior Brittany Zimmermann’s death.

“When it comes to the 911 Center, Falk has failed, and I will fix it,” Mistele said.

She also called into question Falk’s leadership and her judgment in surrounding herself with quality associates.

Falk responded that public safety and human services have always been number one in her budgets.

“I have doubled the budget of the 911 Center over the past 12 years to $17 million,” Falk said.

The crux of the 911 Center debate goes back to a 2004 recommendation by an external consulting service that the center’s computer systems were outdated and needed improvement.

Falk defended her actions in response to the Zimmermann crisis by saying she immediately ordered an investigation, added staff, installed the best technology that exists and reviewed protocols.

Falk and the dispatcher who handled the call were later sued by the Zimmermann family and fiancee Jordan Gonnering for negligence.

Dane County resident Audrey Peters asked Falk whether, if re-elected, she would resign her position if she was convicted of the charges.

“No, I took responsibility on behalf of the county. I ordered an investigation; I have taken the steps to make the changes in staffing, protocol and equipment,” Falk said.

Falk also stressed the issue of alcoholism in Dane County as one that needs to be addressed head-on.

“When one-third of our seventh and eighth graders drink alcohol and half of the people in our jails every night are there as a result of alcohol, the issue cries for a solution,” Falk said.

Mistele responded by acknowledging the alcohol culture in Wisconsin but said spending $60,000 on mitigating the effects of alcoholism will not solve the problem.

“Alcoholism is a very serious problem, but I think it’s a personal responsibility issue with family members needing to commit to each other and support each other in making good decisions for themselves,” Mistele said.

Several other county issues were also addressed, including road and highway funding, preserving the environment and protecting local communities against flooding.

“A very high priority, in my view, is protecting homeowners from flood damage by buying the wetland areas that are the automatic flood controls,” Falk said.

Mitsele said she does not support the county using taxpayer money to purchase land when the money could be used more effectively in other areas such as the funding of county roads.

Mistele has been endorsed by the Madison Area Business Association, while Falk has been endorsed by, among many others, U.S. Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl and Gov. Jim Doyle.

The county executive election will be held April 7.