VOTE411 Voter Guide

1. Stagnant strategic growth, 2. Housing shortage with deteriorating rentals 3. A lack of government transparency and fiscal responsibility. Addressing these requires a shift from a lack of growth planning, to a strategic plan with a budget that reflects. 1. Strategic Economic Growth Our Industrial and Tech Parks have lacked major development for some time. When we don't plan we get what fall in our lap, like the recent data center proposal. Instead we must recruit businesses that align with our culture. We attract industry the same way we attract families: by investing in infrastructure, safe water, and quality of life. My plan includes revitalizing downtown by introducing office spaces to drive lunch-hour commerce, and creating an indoor playground (potentially in the old theater) to bring families downtown year-round. A one-way Main Street with diagonal parking, green spaces, and a walk-in pavilion will transform our downtown into a destination, stopping the loss of revenue to cities like Eau Claire and Hudson. 2. Housing and Rental Reform To fix our housing shortage, I propose investing the city’s $2.4M housing fund into a revolving loan fund. This incentivizes developers to build single-family workforce housing, which currently lacks the profit margins they find in multi-family units. For the two-thirds of our residents who rent, I am championing a new rental ordinance. This includes area-specific proactive inspections and a rent abatement program. If an inhabitability violation isn't fixed in 30 days, a percentage of rent is abated until resolved. This protects tenants, increases property values and restores neighborhood pride. 3. Transparency and Accountability Trust must be restored. I will implement regular town halls to ensure every citizen is heard. By reinstating the City Council VP and holding agenda-setting meetings, we ensure better representation. These actions, we will grow the tax base, manage debt, and lower the tax burden on our residents.

I do not support the construction of the proposed data center in Menomonie. My background is in environmental engineering, with more than sixteen years of experience in environmental compliance, permitting, and sustainability across several industries. From that perspective, I have concerns about the project’s environmental footprint, the limited number of full time jobs it would create, and the speed at which the data center industry evolves—risking that Menomonie could be left with expensive, obsolete infrastructure in the future. I am also concerned about the lack of transparency from the developer. The proposed end user has not identified itself, and has not provided the city with sufficient information about the project. At a recent council meeting, the developer asked the council to resume negotiations and claimed that details would be included in the development agreement—demonstrating an unwillingness to give information in good faith. I am not supportive of how this project was brought forward. The current mayor initiated the project, and NDAs were signed under his direction. Soon after, he recommended redefining “data center” to match the definition of a warehouse so the project could fit into existing I-1 zoning-streamlining approval before several of us joined the council. Even the decision to “pause” the project raised concerns. While I am glad a pause occurred, it was announced unilaterally by the mayor without appearing as a council agenda item. This created confusion and mistrust. The pause simply stopped negotiations over tax incentives, it did not end the project. Had the issue been brought before the council, I believe we could have achieved the same pause through a transparent vote. I also believe there is no interest on the council in offering tax incentives to a trillion dollar tech corporation. It’s important for residents to know that the mayor paused the negotiations; he did not stop the project. He can simply un-pause it after the election.

I do not support a 278(g) agreement for our local law enforcement agencies. As a husband and a father of a bi-racial and mixed family, I believe in the safety and security of all the residents of Menomonie. We are all human and every person should be treated with dignity and respect. Furthermore, we do not need to strain the Menomonie Police Department (MPD) Resources on immigration enforcement. We need the MPD to serve and protect the residents in Menomonie. The 278(g) agreement program will take away MPD resources for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) programs. It is the jurisdiction of ICE to enforce Title 8 Immigration Policies. This is not the MPD’s jurisdiction. MPD already has a lack of resources with an inadequately sized police station. The MPD needs more resources, space, equipment and personnel, not less. I have also spoken to the MPD Chief of Police and the Dunn County Sheriffs office and neither of those agencies want to have an agreement in place and want to focus on crime prevention in Menomonie. When I am elected mayor I plan on increasing the resources for the MPD including the expansion of Project Hope to ensure that Menomonie has more case managers, mental health resources and drug courts to help with making sure our police aren’t acting as mental health councilors which will allow them to do more proactive police work to keep drugs off our streets and out of our community and families. I will also support the future referendum for a $30 Million police station as a recent space study indicates that the MPD needs at least 70% more space then they currently have to adequately and safely do their jobs and so justice can be served.

I am a husband, father, professional and dedicated public servant currently serving the Menomonie City Council for Ward 2. In addition to City Council, I currently serve on the Downtown Menomonie Board, Dunn Economic Development Board, Tourism Commission, Board of Review, the Dunn County Local Emergency Planning Commission and the Housing Committee. My family is very active in the community including Menomonie School District programs from soccer, to basketball, to gymnastics, wrestling, and t-ball. My wife and I want what is best for the community with the vision that when our children, grandchildren, friends and other family leave Menomonie for college, trade school or other prospects, that in the future they have the opportunity to come back to Menomonie with a job or business opportunity waiting for them and that we build community roots and be welcoming to outsiders to build a diverse, cultural and accepting community. I have a background in and graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering while being a collegiate scholarship student athlete. With over Sixteen (16) years of environmental compliance, permitting, reporting, auditing and sustainability experience is several industries (mining, energy and manufacturing), I have a proven track record of bringing people together and demonstrating that you can have a robust economy with a sustainable environment to protect workers and the community. I have also been in senior leadership positions in various companies over the past decade and have experience in coaching from college and high school football, to high school and Jr. High track & field to coaching youth sports. I have had the opportunity and privilege to bring my unique skill set to the City Council. I look forward to bringing this as your next mayor. With my experience, technical and leadership skills, I want to bring the community together to make Menomonie better for everyone! When we all work together, we can accomplish great things!!

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