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Candidate Profile: Greg Thoemke
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New Glarus Village President

Incumbent Roger Truttmann and Greg Thoemke are running for New Glarus village president.

Position sought: New Glarus village president

Age: 48

City/town of residence: Village of New Glarus

Family: Daughter, Madeline

Education: Economics, University of Wisconsin

Occupation: Financial advisor

Previous elected positions held: I am in my third term as village trustee.



What are the top issues facing this district/municipality and how would you work to resolve them?

I have identified a number of specific issues and objectives, and I have written position statements on each of them. They are too long to be published in this article, but I would be happy to provide them to anyone who wishes to read them. They include: 1. Community growth and development; 2. A 25-year facilities plan; 3. Community-wide forums; 4. Property tax relief; 5. Library expansion; and 6. Infrastructure maintenance

Please feel free to contact me at 608-575-6888, 527-4002 or gt4ng@yahoo.com, to request any or all of these position statements. Please let me know if you require large-print format.



What are other key issues facing the district/municipality, and how would you work to resolve them?

I've laid out the issues in the previous question. To resolve them we need to increase village revenues, and to increase village revenues, we need to grow our community. It is important that the growth we pursue is appropriate in scale, purpose and appearance, but we need to grow. Commercial (business) growth is most effective in growing our "property tax base" and, with it, the village's revenue.

As a three-year member (and now chair) of the New Glarus Community Development Authority, I've gained valuable knowledge and experience regarding our growth needs, challenges and opportunities.

As village president I will pursue in-fill development of vacant commercial spaces, re-development of under-utilized downtown locations and new development, through the creation of additional business park space. Our successes in these objectives stand to create new jobs in New Glarus, which should also attract new residential development.

We've spent too long arguing over how we should cut up a pie that is too small. It's time for New Glarus to bake a larger pie, so there's enough to serve everyone.



Why are you the best candidate for this office?

The decision to run was not an easy one. I like and respect my opponent and, if New Glarus didn't face real and immediate challenges, I wouldn't have run against him. But Roger and I are very different people with very different approaches to problem-solving, and I believe the people of this community deserve a true choice.

New Glarus needs strong leadership, not half-measures. As village president, I will take clear stands on important issues, and work diligently to find lasting solutions. I will tap into the deep well of professional expertise that resides within our community, to assist the various committees that make ground-level decisions. And I will ask the people of this community to hold me accountable. In the end, results, not intentions, are what matter.