I have been a Trustee in the village since 2012 and I decided to run for Village President two years ago because of two very big issues that we are facing. Combining fire departments is going to be a relatively long and challenging process and I want to be sure that Thiensville is well represented during those discussions. Much of the "heavy lifting" has yet to be done with this merger. My philosophy of local governance shows that municipalities have 6 main areas where people expect quality services: Police, Fire, Water, Sewer, Roads and Development. Having business experience is helpful but the business of running the village is very different. I believe it takes 2 budget cycles to really understand the workings of the village. Secondly the new TIF district will require a seasoned manager who has had experience working with developers. As President I would be able to have more direct conversations with potential developers so we can get the best for the Village.

Clearly there are two main issues facing our community; Fire Department Merger with Mequon and the TIF district on Freistadt and Main. Either of these issues by themselves individually are a lot to manage but having both at the same time presents a unique challenge. This is not a good time for someone with no experience to be at the helm. As I mentioned earlier there are still a lot of decisions to be made with the Fire Department Merger. Where will the buildings be located? How large do they need to be for today/tomorrow? Will Mequon want to include their Police Department in the new buildings? Thiensville is responsible for 15% based on the agreement but how does that work if they include police? With the TIF district we will need to work hard to get the best possible development for the village. This isn't something where we focus on the coming year but rather we need to look at this corner for the next 50 years. I have 12 budget cycles which I will use to get the best project.

Currently the village sends a newsletter twice per year to each constituent. We also have the Village Voice twice per month and I will use that to regularly communicate with the community. I frequently talk with constituents as I walk through the area with my dog twice a day. It's amazing how much information I get while walking 3-5 miles per day through the village. My contact information is listed on the village website and all of our meetings are public. I am very interested in hearing what our citizens have to say about our village. I have been very open to hearing people during our board meetings and have frequently moved to lift the restrictions during our meetings so people can speak freely. In addition to that I plan to have regular hours at Fiddleheads and elsewhere around town where people can stop by and chat about any village business they'd like to discuss.

Whether you own a home, condominium, rent an apartment or home, or own and manage a business in the Village, Thiensville is a wonderful community to live in, shop in, and recreate in! We have a storied tradition of having established and operated "good, functional local government," meaning, we have elected leaders to serve as Village President and Trustee that have prioritized public safety (fire/paramedic/EMS services and police services), essential public works services, parks and recreational opportunities, and supported an ever evolving and thriving small business community. Together with Village administrators and department heads over the years, the President and Board have ensured that Village affairs are managed effectively and efficiently. I aim to carry on in this tradition, leading the Board to maintain the property tax mill rate and levy (budget) as low as possible while maintaining the high level of services Village residents and businesses have come to expect.

Public safety - police protection and fire/EMS services - are my top priorities. I pledge to retain and continuously support our full time, dedicated Police Department to deter crime and ensure the safety of our roads and pedestrian sidewalks through respectful enforcement. At about $600 per year for a home valued at $321,000, I think our Police Department is well worth the price! I was a strong supporter of the plan to consolidate the Thiensville and Mequon Fire Departments into the newly formed Southern Ozaukee Fire/EMS Department and will continue to support ongoing recruitment to fill open positions, training, and future plans for growing the department - which that same home owner pays about $200 per year for presently. Improving the condition of our roads is an ongoing priority, along with the continued development of our wonderful parks. Finally, lead the development the Thiensville Crossing TID to achieve the highest and best real estate use of the available parcels.

I think we can do a better job of using our Facebook social media page to keep the community up to date on actions taken at the Board level and by our Village Administration. Our "Village Voice" newsletter should gain more content and distribution channels. We should not need to rely on residents having to access Board or Commission meeting minutes on a regular basis to learn what is going on. If we intend to repave a road in September, we should be sharing that news with residents in May. I think we do a fine job sharing news about all the wonderful events that occur throughout the year, the Village Market, the various festivals and celebrations in the Park, the activities of the Downtown Thiensville Business Association of which I am a member, etc., but I think residents are eager to learn more about basic goings-on with week-to-week, month-to-month Village operations.