DARLINGTON — The City of Darlington will hold a primary race for the office of mayor for the city. Incumbent Mayor David Breunig is being challenged by Erin Gallagher and Mike McDermott. Here are the questions asked and their answers.
1. Occupation
2. Family background
3. Previous political experience
4. What do you believe is the role of mayor? What unique qualities would you bring to that role?
5. What’s something the council has done or approved within the last fiscal year that you disagree with?
6. What do you think is the city’s biggest challenge, and how would you tackle it?
David Breunig
1. Online Customer Care at Land’s End
2. Widowed, three children, six grandchildren
3. Mayor since 2002; Wisconsin Conservation Congress since 1999
4. Mayor is to guide the city for current and future development
5. Grass clippings on streets
6. Keeping taxes in line but also positioning the city for the future; swimming pool; supporting the Driver Opera House; 2021 Main Street and Galena Street reconstruction project.
Mike McDermott
1. Semi-retired business owner
2. Lifelong resident of Darlington; wife: Sally (deceased); children: Dawn (Tim) Wiegel, Allen (Kris) McDermott, and Ted (Angie) McDermott; nine grandchildren and one great-grandson on the way.
3. Darlington Fire Chief (10 years), Rural Medical EMS Officer, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Deputy
4. I believe the role of mayor is to oversee the functions of the city and make sound decisions on behalf of the citizens of Darlington. I have a thorough understanding of the infrastructure pertaining to how the different departments of the city are interconnected. This community is very important to me, evident by my multiple years of service including my time as a volunteer firefighter (35 years), a volunteer EMT (25 years) and a sheriff’s deputy. I have also owned and operated a business, Backyard LTC, in the City of Darlington for 25 years.
5. I disagree with how the council handled the assessments done on properties in the city, specifically pertaining to the increases in property taxes
6. I think the city’s biggest challenge is attracting and retaining young people. I would tackle this by working on developing affordable housing, helping people to establish new businesses and working on a solution to upgrading the internet service in the city of Darlington.
Erin Gallagher
1. Coach of Eye Care Services, Monroe Clinic
2. The City of Darlington has been home to my family and I for over 20 years and our rural community for many more. I attended Darlington Schools and am a graduate of Edgewood College holding a BS in Organizational Behavior and Leadership. My affinity for civic engagement and government has evolved over time from my 4-H roots, to humbly writing to our president for help during the family farm crisis of the 80s and more recently, passionately advocating for our volunteer ambulance service.
My current professional role at Monroe Clinic as a Coach of Eye Care Services, using the leadership philosophy of coaching. Coaching is a management style that focuses on uncovering the potential in people and their ideas while problem solving using lean principles. These philosophies and skills are ones that are transferable to leadership in city government. My current role and other management positions have provided for experiences in working through budgetary constraints, decision-making processes that requires looking at all potential impacts and implementing strategies that enhance organizational growth and overall performance.
As I previously mentioned, my 4-H roots are important not only to my past but also to my continued service to today’s 4-H youth. For the past 12 or so summers, I have served as a chaperone to our county’s youth as they experience overnight 4-H camp and I also assist with numerous club activities. For years, I served as a director on the Lafayette County 4-H Leaders Association board and Friendship Fund board. Currently, I serve as a board member on the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Board where we work to uncover means of supporting initiatives locally and statewide for youth development.
3. It has been an honor and privilege to serve as an Alderperson, representing District 3 and many community members at large since being elected in April 2017. My committee assignments have included: Water and Sewer, Property and Insurance, Planning Commission, Library Board, Rural Medical Board, Citizens Participation Committee, and Co-chair of the Swimming Pool Committee.
4. The role of mayor is easily comparable to the CEO of an organization. These positions are similarly mapped in terms of operational and policy-making needs, day-to-day business needs, department head support and reporting structures. However, businesses often have a smaller, elite group of shareholders whereas in a municipality, such as the city of Darlington, we are all shareholders as residents and voters. The accountability and reporting structure is much broader when serving as a local government leader.
My experience and leadership qualities are ones that provide for continuous growth. I have the ability to look at the what-ifs and why-nots in situations rather than primarily focusing on the way we’ve always done things. Uncovering solutions, using a big picture lens for growth potential, and building consensus through collaboration are important skills and qualities needed in planning for our community’s future. These are qualities and skills along with fresh energy and a growth mindset that I can offer to our city.
5. In my experience, our city council tries diligently to make decisions, smart fiscally and issue oriented, in the best interest of our community and its residents. However, there are times that discussions are had without all of the information or options being provided. This can be challenging in making important decisions due to not having asked enough questions, or sometimes not having enough data or evidence to know what questions need to be asked to truly make an informed decision. We have many opportunities to review and update internal processes and procedures, including ordinances and policies, within our city government structure.
6. The largest challenge our city and community faces is planning for the future. The city adopted a comprehensive plan in 2005 designed as a roadmap for the following 20 years. We are at the point where it is more than past time to review and measure how we did and what needs to be updated for future growth. Housing and population fluctuation were topics then and still are now. The value we see for taxes paid, needed infrastructure updates, downtown and all around town revitalization updates are things that all need immediate attention. We need to review our budget, identifying areas for equity versus equality opportunities, put more demands on state leaders to increase funding to municipalities, and work together with neighboring communities and the county through intergovernmental partnerships to serve the most people and effect positive change.