Campaign Phone
7152797485
The lack of strategic growth including our local economy, jobs, economic development with a struggling downtown and main street. Having a strategic plan for the Industrial Park, Tech Park and Downtown Menomonie and having a budget based on that plan and those goals. Not having a plan and a budget to support it means you are throwing money at the wall and hoping it sticks. Hope is not a strategy. It is time to strategically invest in growth through attracting businesses and jobs that make sense for our community and culture. This plan will bring in needed strategic growth, development, jobs and revenue to the city that has been lost to our neighbors in Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Rice Lake, Hudson and Stillwater, MN.
The city’s housing shortage and deteriorating rental units. The plan includes investing the city’s current $2.4 million housing fund into a revolving loan fund that will help ensure that housing developers can build single family units that meet the definition of affordable housing. Currently, developers do not want to build single family homes in Menomonie due to the lack of profit margin in our market. The developers would rather build multifamily homes and rentals that share walls for an increased profit margin. Menomonie needs a variety of new housing developments that offers everything from executive housing to workforce housing to affordable housing. We also need to have proper incentive structure to improve our current housing stock and rentals through a revolving load fund.
Government transparency and fiscal responsibility.
None of these goals can be achieved without the trust and support of our residents. The data center proposal made it clear that transparency must be restored in city government. As mayor, I will ensure that residents are informed at every step by:
• Holding regular town halls
• Restoring the City Council Vice President position
• Reinstating agenda-setting meetings to improve communication and representation
Transparency builds trust, and trust is essential for effective government.
Conclusion
With strategic planning, improved housing, rental reform, and transparent leadership, we can:
• Expand the tax base
• Reduce the burden on local taxpayers
• Invest wisely for strong returns
• Manage city debt debt responsibly.
Menomonie will need three new fire fighters in 2026/2027, with a possible addition to our building inspectors department and a lack of funding to non-profits that give essential services to the city. The fire fighters are very under staffed and we need three more for the crews to complete their jobs safely and to avoid turnover and hiring and training new staff. With proactive rental inspections, we may need another building inspector. For these reasons the city needs to increase the tax base for additional revenue without taxing the local residents. This increased tax base will also help us invest in nonprofits. If these organizations fail, the services will fall back on the city and increase the budget through staffing, training, and benefits of the personal that these nonprofits have.
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