Menomonee Falls Village Board race

Michael McDonald (i)

Age: 62

Employer/occupation: owner of Express Dry Cleaning and Laundry in Menomonee Falls

Education: B.A. in political science with a minor in business from the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Contact: (262) 255-2365; mmac1883@aol.com

Why are you the best person for the job?

My experience and effective leadership over 23 years demonstrate that I am the most qualified candidate for this seat. As trustee and Plan Commission member, I have been directly involved with all residential, commercial and industrial development; establishing our village as one of the most viable communities in Wisconsin.

How should the Village Board attract new business to Menomonee Falls?

Previous and current TIF development has been a viable tool in accomplishing this remarkable track record. The addition of Eaton Corporation, Kohl's headquarter expansion, Wacker Corporation and Alto Shaam expansions have assisted in our positive business climate, continuing to attract new business to our village, while allowing us to implement our long range development plan. Few communities in Wisconsin rival our success, which reflects on our village's outstanding reputation, resulting from all who live here.

How do you propose taking care of village needs despite fiscal constraints mandated by the state?

At a time of nationwide economic difficulty, we realize that all residents are concerned about limiting taxation. We have kept tax increases to a bare minimum over the last six years, with the village portion of your taxes going up a total of $7 during this period. This has been achieved by reducing the number of village employees by more than 20 percent, while maintaining outstanding village services. Through strategic planning with our village manager, our board will continue to be innovative in considering all options and opportunities, to assure we achieve this same performance in the future.

Jeremy Walz

Age: 35

Employer/occupation: first shift lead person at a local Menomonee Falls machine shop

Education: history and political science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Education

Contact: (414) 840-3911; Jeremy3911@yahoo.com

Why are you the best person for the job?

I know the value of a hard earned dollar. I have worked full time plus multiple part-time jobs and put in a lot of overtime to enjoy my small slice of the American dream. I will work hard to bring back trust and integrity to the Village Board.

How should the Village Board attract new business to Menomonee Falls?

The most important thing a business will look for is low and consistent affordable taxes. We need to give businesses a strong expectation for the future with a village that is affordable and safe. We need to promote the fact that we have a perfect location with six exits off the expressway along with a solid and educated workforce.

How do you propose taking care of village needs despite fiscal constraints mandated by the state?

Instead of worrying about fiscal constraints by the state we should focus on the Village Board showing some fiscal constraint! This means that the board does not choose the winners and losers of local business and they don't use tax dollars to finance a hotel or any other business. I will treat every dollar like a precious resource. We will compare revenue and costs and separate wants and needs. After we review expenses we can increase efficiency and ensure that there are sufficient funds to operate and maintain the entire system and comply with state mandates.

Jeff Steliga (i)

Age: 54

Employer/occupation: self-employed Certified Public Accountant/computer consultant

Education: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a business degree, majoring in accounting

Contact: (262) 255-1114; jsteliga@wi.rr.com

Why are you the best person for the job?

I have a strong commitment to Menomonee Falls, both as a trustee and community volunteer. My experience on the Village Board and village committees, including utilities, transportation, facilities and finance, plus my background as a Certified Public Accountant, provide me with the knowledge and skills to ensure our community's future.

How should the Village Board attract new business to Menomonee Falls?

Menomonee Falls has enjoyed success in attracting new business such as the relocation of the Actuant and Eaton facilities and the expansion of Kohl's and Wacker Neuson. When businesses want to come to the Falls, numerous issues need to be addressed such as zoning, approvals, siting, architectural control and permitting. We need to make sure that these processes continue to be handled efficiently and in ways that make it easy to do business with us.

How do you propose taking care of village needs despite fiscal constraints mandated by the state?

Act 10 caps the amount of revenue a municipality can raise through taxes. To maintain the quality of life in our community, we must continue to reduce costs by looking at new ways of doing things. With village employees, we've addressed staffing, salaries, benefits and are doing some things differently to save money. Building inspection, property tax assessment and some snowplowing are now done by outside firms. Changes like these are seamless for residents, but allow us to operate more efficiently. Innovation and keeping an open mind to the types of changes we can make will be key.

Bonnie Lemmer

Age: 69

Employer/occupation: real estate agent with Shorewest Realtors in Menomonee Falls

Education: B.A. in communications

Contact: (262) 253-0040; bojean05@sbcglobal.net

Why are you the best person for the job?

I have 25 years of experience in management, contract negotiations, budget development and responsibility. My desire is to see our community grow through wise development and conservative fiscal responsibility. I have solid ethical standards, will put self-interests aside and offer a new perspective with fresh ideas and common sense values.

How should the Village Board attract new business to Menomonee Falls?

Focusing on the downtown areas the village has to improve the aesthetics by adding trees, plants, flowers and benches to encourage people to walk and shop in a warm, welcoming atmosphere (Cedarburg, Wauwatosa). We must encourage and/or assist property owners to update the exterior of their buildings so they can be rented. We should work closely with the Connect Community Program and follow successful examples of businesses suited for a community such as ours.

How do you propose taking care of village needs despite fiscal constraints mandated by the state?

We must carefully review our current budget to find areas that can be cut or reduced without sacrificing services in the core areas. To reduce landscaping costs, we could develop resident volunteer groups by neighborhoods to "adopt" areas to improve and maintain. We must continuously monitor our employee numbers, salaries and benefits for savings, find ways to improve productivity to reduce manpower and hours and outsource services if feasible. We must prohibit double dipping by retired government employees. To minimize a negative financial impact of poorly developed TIF districts, we must exercise better due diligence when planning them.