Age: 34
Address: 820 19th Ave.
Occupation/Employer: Material handler Fabrication Department, Kuhn North America
Community involvement: Member of St. John's United Church of Christ
Education: Associate degree in Electronic Engineering and bachelor degree in Computer and Electronic Science at Herzing College.
Previous experience and achievements (in government or other entities): I have had several ISO9000 certifications, lean enterprise training, and supervisor experience throughout my career
1) What have you done to prepare yourself to become a city councilman?
I have been attending some council meetings and following some of the more important issues in the city.
2) Aldermen and the mayor work closely together and with the city administrator and other city employees, as well as the public. How would you describe your personality and management style?
I like to understand all issues, possible benefits and side effects before making a decision. I'm not afraid to ask questions or suggest alternative methods. Listening and understanding what someone is saying is important to me. I consider problem-solving to be one of my strengths. I am also willing to admit to my mistakes and do what is necessary to correct them.
3) Council members are charged with the duty of hiring and firing city employees, as well as negotiating with their unions for salary and wage increases and benefits, such as vacation time and sick leave. It is of public interest to know, how much in the way of campaign contributions you have received from city employees? Would you accept any?
I have not accepted any campaign contributions from city employees. While I value the services the employees offer us, I could not and would not accept any donations to my campaign from city employees.
4) What should be the policy of allowing the public to speak at council meetings? Department heads? Other employees? Without advanced notice on the agenda?
I believe that department heads and citizens should be able to speak at the common council meetings. Public participation should always be encouraged, but citizens need to realize that full discussion won't be allowed until the subject is on an agenda.
5) The city is in the midst of determining its continued use of the Green County landfill/ transfer station, and whether to buy new trucks and trash bins to continue collecting residential trash as a city service or to hire a private company for the service. What do you believe would be the city's best decision on these issues? How much should the city consider the effects its decisions have on other communities that use the county landfill transfer station?
The council should send out requests for proposals before renewing the five-year contract with the transfer station. The interests of the city would be best served by weighing the costs of private contractors versus the cost of the city to continue operations for hauling trash. Other considerations to weigh would be the service, the future of the city employees involved, and costs of repairs or replacement trucks.
I do not feel that the effects of other communities should have much bearing on this decision. Almost all the other communities in Green County have already made their decision with their own best interest in mind. To ask the city of Monroe to shoulder the burden of the transfer station and commit to a possible failing endeavor for five years would be unreasonable.
6) Would you encourage the city to use Zero Based Budgeting? (This would require every line item of the budget to be approved, rather than only changes; the amount of money approved for expenditures is based on actual need instead of an automatic increase from the year before. This requires a thorough review process of every item with no reference to previous level of expenditure.)
I am in favor of the Zero Based Budget. I understand that this will create much more work for the common council, but I feel the city budget is one of the more important and visual jobs of the council. Some of the work and process can be assisted by the city administrator and department heads; the final responsibility of the budget should fall on the common council. The council members need to be aware of what is in the budget (and why) before it goes to committee and council meetings for approval throughout the year. The potential to remove even five percent of unnecessary spending would save the city half a million dollars.
7) How do you, as a city council member, plan to help facilitate or foster economic growth and development in the city and neighboring communities?
I feel that the common council should focus more on attracting businesses to town. Incentives could be offered in the forms of TIFs, loans, or the city helping to pay for improvements to the infrastructure that these businesses may require. If the city feels that they cannot support business with its current infrastructure, then the common council should look into improving its deficiency in that matter for that business or any other related businesses that might want to come to Monroe in the future.
8) Have you ever failed to pay taxes when you were supposed to (i.e., on time)?
I, through no fault but my own, was late on my first property tax payment in 2007. The bill was paid the following week with interest.
Address: 820 19th Ave.
Occupation/Employer: Material handler Fabrication Department, Kuhn North America
Community involvement: Member of St. John's United Church of Christ
Education: Associate degree in Electronic Engineering and bachelor degree in Computer and Electronic Science at Herzing College.
Previous experience and achievements (in government or other entities): I have had several ISO9000 certifications, lean enterprise training, and supervisor experience throughout my career
1) What have you done to prepare yourself to become a city councilman?
I have been attending some council meetings and following some of the more important issues in the city.
2) Aldermen and the mayor work closely together and with the city administrator and other city employees, as well as the public. How would you describe your personality and management style?
I like to understand all issues, possible benefits and side effects before making a decision. I'm not afraid to ask questions or suggest alternative methods. Listening and understanding what someone is saying is important to me. I consider problem-solving to be one of my strengths. I am also willing to admit to my mistakes and do what is necessary to correct them.
3) Council members are charged with the duty of hiring and firing city employees, as well as negotiating with their unions for salary and wage increases and benefits, such as vacation time and sick leave. It is of public interest to know, how much in the way of campaign contributions you have received from city employees? Would you accept any?
I have not accepted any campaign contributions from city employees. While I value the services the employees offer us, I could not and would not accept any donations to my campaign from city employees.
4) What should be the policy of allowing the public to speak at council meetings? Department heads? Other employees? Without advanced notice on the agenda?
I believe that department heads and citizens should be able to speak at the common council meetings. Public participation should always be encouraged, but citizens need to realize that full discussion won't be allowed until the subject is on an agenda.
5) The city is in the midst of determining its continued use of the Green County landfill/ transfer station, and whether to buy new trucks and trash bins to continue collecting residential trash as a city service or to hire a private company for the service. What do you believe would be the city's best decision on these issues? How much should the city consider the effects its decisions have on other communities that use the county landfill transfer station?
The council should send out requests for proposals before renewing the five-year contract with the transfer station. The interests of the city would be best served by weighing the costs of private contractors versus the cost of the city to continue operations for hauling trash. Other considerations to weigh would be the service, the future of the city employees involved, and costs of repairs or replacement trucks.
I do not feel that the effects of other communities should have much bearing on this decision. Almost all the other communities in Green County have already made their decision with their own best interest in mind. To ask the city of Monroe to shoulder the burden of the transfer station and commit to a possible failing endeavor for five years would be unreasonable.
6) Would you encourage the city to use Zero Based Budgeting? (This would require every line item of the budget to be approved, rather than only changes; the amount of money approved for expenditures is based on actual need instead of an automatic increase from the year before. This requires a thorough review process of every item with no reference to previous level of expenditure.)
I am in favor of the Zero Based Budget. I understand that this will create much more work for the common council, but I feel the city budget is one of the more important and visual jobs of the council. Some of the work and process can be assisted by the city administrator and department heads; the final responsibility of the budget should fall on the common council. The council members need to be aware of what is in the budget (and why) before it goes to committee and council meetings for approval throughout the year. The potential to remove even five percent of unnecessary spending would save the city half a million dollars.
7) How do you, as a city council member, plan to help facilitate or foster economic growth and development in the city and neighboring communities?
I feel that the common council should focus more on attracting businesses to town. Incentives could be offered in the forms of TIFs, loans, or the city helping to pay for improvements to the infrastructure that these businesses may require. If the city feels that they cannot support business with its current infrastructure, then the common council should look into improving its deficiency in that matter for that business or any other related businesses that might want to come to Monroe in the future.
8) Have you ever failed to pay taxes when you were supposed to (i.e., on time)?
I, through no fault but my own, was late on my first property tax payment in 2007. The bill was paid the following week with interest.