Personal Statement
I am a retired business owner with decades of experience in internal accounting and business management. I’ve lived in Appleton (on the northeast side) for 20 years. Since the mid-1990s, I’ve managed all sorts of businesses and highly technical programs. I grew up with a father who was passionate about public service who taught me that I should do all that I am able to serve and represent my neighbors. I currently serve on the City of Appleton Common Council as the alderman for District 13 (which makes up a great deal of the county’s District 22). I firmly believe that this service lends itself perfectly to my working towards synergies between city and county governments. I am also the treasurer for Community Action for a Healthy Living (CAHL) in the Fox Cities. I believe that my business acumen, my experience with city government, my regular communications with my neighbors through weekly alderman blog posts, and – most importantly – my ability to listen to constituents all translate well to my representing my neighbors as a county supervisor.
What are your plans/ideas to increase affordable housing in Outagamie County?
I support the Outagamie County Housing Authority in helping to meet the need for affordable housing in the county. I also firmly believe that county government encouraging and working with private developers of housing will naturally lead to helping to meet county residents’ need for affordable housing.
Given that there are consequences to unplanned and sprawling urban and semi-urban development what are your plans for protecting agricultural, forested, wetland or other types of undeveloped land in Outagamie County?
I believe that the county’s Land Conservation Department and the county’s Department of Development and Land Services have together done a good job of maintaining a balance of growth and land preservation in Outagamie County thus far. Too much of one negatively impacts the other: an over-abundance of development swallows the beautiful natural landscape of Northeast Wisconsin while an excessively strong focus on land preservation could inappropriately land-lock some of the county’s municipalities. As such, I support both departments equally in their missions to strike an appropriate balance and provide county residents the best of both worlds.
What is your priority for how Outagamie County should utilize American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds?
I believe that the most appropriate use of ARPA funds is to return federal funds back to taxpayers through paying down municipal debt (to save the taxpayer debt service expenses) and by making investments on the local level which directly impact taxpayers. My first priority with ARPA funds is to pay down as much county government debt as possible. This will realize immediate taxpayer savings by decreasing the county’s debt service costs. Subsequently, I believe that the county should work closely with the governing bodies of all of the municipalities contained within its boundaries to determine the best ways to collaboratively return ARPA funds to taxpayers. Since the City of Appleton is already doing some of this work within their bounds, it would behoove county government to work alongside the city – and other local municipalities – to maximize the use of these federal dollars to directly affect local taxpayers.