City of West Bend Alderperson District 1 Choose 1
Watch the West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum recorded on March 20 via the West Bend Community Television on demand website at:tinyurl.com/mrx34xn3 In the City of West Bend there are 8 districts, each represented by an elected alderperson for a 2 year term. The 8 alderpersons make up the Common Council, and each person is assigned to work on various committees, of which there are currently 26. The job of the Common Council is to decide and approve city issues and expenditures. For instance, the County Engineer will bring choices about construction and expenditures. Bids are presented with recommendations, after which the Council will vote its preference. A specific example of this involves the Riverwalk improvements where the Council voted to spend $2 million of ARPA funds on the Riverwalk. The Council also approves or disapproves establishments getting licenses to serve alcohol, they make decisions on controlling the deer in the city, and whether or not people are allowed to have chickens. (We are allowed as long as neighbors are okay with it.) Other committees include downtown business improvements, zoning, housing authority, library board, and tourism, to name a few.
Biographical Information
Why do you want to be a City of West Bend Alderperson, and what qualifications and experience make you the best candidate?
· I HAVE BEEN THE ‘DISTRICT 1 ALDERPERSON’ FOR 10 YEARS NOW, AND FOR THE LAST 4 CONSECUTIVE YEARS I WAS ELECTED AS WEST BEND CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT (Elected by my City Council Alderperson peers). AND I ALSO SERVE AS THE CHAIRPERSON ON 3 CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES: WEST BEND’S PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE, THE LICENSING COMMITTEE, AND OF THE DEER MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (I initiated that program in 2017). WE HAVE A NUMBER OF REALLY EXCITING INITIATIVES CURRENTLY ADVANCING FOR THE CITY OF WEST BEND, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THEIR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION.
· I AM VERY PERSONABLE AND APPROACHABLE, A LIFE-LONG WEST BEND AREA RESIDENT, AND I UNDERSTAND HOW THE ENTIRE CITY FUNCTIONS AND I HAVE A WEALTH OF LIFE-LONG PERSONAL SERVICE AND EXPERIENCE IN PROGRESSING AND RESOLVING DIVERSE CITY ITEMS.
What are the most important issues facing West Bend and how will you address them?
· ASSISTING FURTHER IN THE PROCESS TO COMPLETE THE HIRING OF 9 REQUIRED CITY PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS.
· CONTINUING TO INCREASE THE EMPHASIS ON OUR CITY ROAD MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
· SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF “THE DISTRICT” HOUSING COMPLEX (At the corner of Main and Washington Streets).
· ASSISTING THE CITY IN INCREASING THE BUSINESS GROWTH IN OUR INDUSTRIAL PARK AREA(S).
How will you keep your constituents informed of the issues and actions of the City Council?
· I AM ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND WILLING TO DISCUSS ANY CITY ISSUES WITH MY CONSTITUENTS AT ANY TIME. I AM REACHABLE EITHER IN PERSON, BY PHONE, OR BY EMAIL.
· ALSO, OUR “CITY OF WEST BEND WEBSITE” IS ALSO A REALLY A GREAT SOURCE FOR ANY CITY INFORMATION AND IT IS KEPT CURRENT BY CITY STAFF. IN FACT, I FIND THAT MANY CONSTITUENTS LIKE TO WATCH THE LATEST CITY COUNCIL MEETING VIDEOS ON OUR CITY WEBSITE, WHILE SOME LIKE TO ATTEND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS THEMSELVES. EVERY WEST BEND CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS VIDEO RECORDED AND AVAILABLE ON THE CITY WEBSITE, I ENCOURAGE ALL CITY RESIDENTS TO WATCH THE MEETING RECORDINGS.
Biographical Information
Campaign Phone
(580)919-8881
Mailing Address
West Bend, WI 53090
campaign email
neilthinking@gmail.com
Why do you want to be a City of West Bend Alderperson, and what qualifications and experience make you the best candidate?
I want to be West Bend's Alderperson for district
1 because I am the best candidate running. I have worked my whole life bringing people from all walks of life together in a common goal. I have worked with multi-million dollar budgets for over a decade and have been accountable for every dime. I understand the complex social issues of the day, and earned a bachelor's in Social Science. I, more than anyone currently on the Alderperson board, understand the importance of history, since I have a Master's degree in History from Liberty University. I know what it takes to work hard and sacrifice for my community, since I am a retired Army Veteran of over 20 years and currently a high school teacher. I love West Bend and want to see it grow bigger and stronger than ever.
What are the most important issues facing West Bend and how will you address them?
I understand that my answer is a five dollar word, but the biggest issue facing West Bend is accounting for externalities. Externalities are the cost that are not directly upfront. For example, funds for a road needs to start being saved for at the time of it's creation... Why build a 5-10 year road and wait 5-10 years to start saving for it? The cost of that road should be put on the citizens that drive on it and not their children. The West Bend fire department building was built in 1967. Did the builders think the headquarters was going to last forever? West Bend should have been saving for over 50 years to replace that building, but they would rather not have the citizenship that use the fire department pay for it's replacement.
As an Alderperson I will make sure that we do not have to pay for our savings mistakes with extra bond fees and in the case of the fire department, with their lives.
How will you keep your constituents informed of the issues and actions of the City Council?
I plan on informing my constituents in 4 ways. First, I will make myself available to them every summer at regner park. I will put up a table and sit at regner park for hours every week listening to all people from West Bend. Secondly, I will make a YouTube page that I will post meetings and my thoughts on the issues of West Bend and encourage others to comment on those videos and I will reply to all asked questions in those comments. Third, I will create a Facebook page and not only post the same videos but add context to how my fellow Alderpersons and myself are trying to improve this great city. Finally, as an Alderperson, I will send regular updates by mail to every home in my district informing them about the goings on of the city.