VOTE411 Voter Guide

MUD has had a Gas and Water Infrastructure Plan in place since 2008 to replace gas and water mains. MUD started about 110 years ago from the Missouri and moved west from there with the city, so its oldest infrastructure is all on the east side of town. I would make sure that that they continue with their plan, targeting water and gas mains east of 72nd St first, as well as acting on what their technology and analyses disclose. I would spend the money where the repairs are needed the most, as well as when the capital expenditure would have the impact of lowering customers’ rates in the future, e.g., the capital improvement of the LNG plant. The LNG plant and propane air plants saved the customers $100 million during the Polar Vortex of 2021.

Board members should be accessible to their constituents at all times. Their constituents are MUD’s customer-owners, and the Board represents everyone. The monthly Board meetings are open to the public so if anyone has a concern regarding any issue related to the company or to that person’s personal or neighborhood situation, they can take it up with the Board at the monthly meeting, or call their subdivision’s Board member. The best tools for dealing with any issue are communication and collaboration.

First, aging infrastructure, which I addressed in the first question. Second, keeping costs down. MUD does an excellent job on the gas side of the business by entering into long-term gas supply contracts, prepaid gas agreements, and long-term transportation and pipeline storage agreements. Third, maintaining security against cyber-attacks. There must be a robust IT security plan in place to prevent these attacks and to mitigate the damage if they happen. Additionally, you need to hire and retain good, dedicated employees, and establish a business continuity plan for when people retire. Lastly, you need to remain vigilant to keep being operated as a public utility. This is the only way to keep prices down for the customer-owners.

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I feel it is important to review the information available from MUD and use that data to determine the best maintenance plan for our existing infrastructure. I would also use all knowledge I gained throughout my 30+ years of experience working in MUD's construction department to help make informed decisions on how to prioritize future improvements for the betterment of the community.

I will strive to maintain open lines of communication with the public and be available to discuss current issues as they arise. Being approachable and honest, regardless of the matter on hand, will always be one of my top priorities.

Currently one of the biggest challenges our community faces is the ongoing process of replacing outdated infrastructure throughout our district. Currently some of this work is completed by contracted labor instead of our local MUD crews. My goal would be to advocate for keeping those jobs in-house in order to invest in our local workforce and build our community.