The election is heating up as candidates for Pewaukee village trustee talk top issues ahead of the April 5 election.
Six candidates are vying for three trustee seats, each for a two-year term. Incumbents Heather Gergen and Craig Roberts are running against challengers Kevin Waldvogel, Colin Weeks, Jim Grabowski and Kelli Belt.
To learn more about what's on your ballot for the April 5 election, visit www.myvote.wi.gov/en-us
Why are you running for village trustee?
Craig Roberts (inc.): I am seeking re-election to continue working on several initiatives that originated from the Village Board’s strategic plan, in which I took a leading role to develop. These initiatives involved updating the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, and proactively modifying zoning ordinances to promote good quality developments in the village, such as the single-family housing development on the old St. Mary’s School property.
Kevin Waldvogel: I am running because I feel the village needs to be pushed harder to become what it can be (the best place to live and relax in the greater Milwaukee area) and do so by keeping costs down as inflation will eventually create havoc on budgets.
Jim Grabowski: The village is at a crucial point. We are in the final stages of finishing our master plan for what we want Pewaukee to look like for years to come. After the many months and long evenings the boards have spent developing this plan, it’s the perfect time to step away from the village Plan Commission and run for trustee. My top priority is to ensure that this plan, which has input from all village entities, gets carried out. If people have learned anything about me during my time in Pewaukee, it is that I’m passionate to see this village thrive.
Heather Gergen (inc.): The village is such a rare gem to offer everything within a 4-square-mile radius: the beach, the library, schools, shopping, health care. I feel so blessed to have raised my children in such an idyllic setting. I want the village to continue to thrive so future generations may enjoy it, too. My philosophy is “don’t just complain about something; find a solution.” So I try to find the root cause of problems so we can create long-term solutions, not just short-term successes.
Colin Weeks: I have been interested or involved in politics my entire life, but being able to change policies has always been out of reach. Radical spending, poor quality of services, and politicians who refuse to listen to their constituents have led to severe distrust of government institutions. Last fall, I decided to get off the sidelines and be the change I want to see in my community. I decided to pursue this opportunity for village trustee as a conservative candidate so my friends and neighbors know there is someone who will speak up on their behalf.
What do residents say are the most important issues, and how would you address them?
Roberts: The village trustee position is nonpartisan – and for good reason. Our focus is always on providing essential services to the village residents and businesses within the budgetary constraints imposed by the state. We know from a survey conducted as part of the strategic planning process in 2019 that residents have concerns with the condition of village roads, desire to maintain an independent police department and preserve the unique and charming characteristics of our community. We have listened and made significant progress in addressing many of the issues outlined in the strategic plan over the past two years.
Waldvogel: Residents are telling me they want an improved beach area and the village services to be maintained. I am also hearing that people with fixed incomes primarily are concerned about inflation and rising taxes and fees.
Grabowski: Residents are concerned about the community feel and fiscal health of the village. Unfortunately, the village of Pewaukee is landlocked and has very few developable parcels left. We need to make sure those new projects 1) fit harmoniously with the residents’ and village's needs, 2) bring in added tax revenue, and 3) do not levy more costs onto the taxpayers. Over my past five years on the Plan Commission, I have been able to stand up to projects that didn’t fit, help relax restrictive ordinances to encourage businesses to stay and assist in clearing paths to bring in new tax revenue.
Gergen: Lake weed collection: We will be contracting with a new company to outsource weed collection. Replacing and maintaining our infrastructure: Past budget constraints have forced us to play catchup with repairing and replacing our infrastructure while we develop a sustainable plan for the future. Redevelopment and revitalization: We've made progress in encouraging redevelopment to property owners and developers, such as St. Mary’s and several other projects. Next, we are focusing on a possible riverwalk and River Hills. Communications: I helped the team that recently redesigned our website. We are researching streaming our meetings using COVID relief funds.
Weeks: The first issue that came to my attention was the new transportation utility, aka wheel tax. I am generally opposed to raising taxes as the first solution to raising revenue. I am interested to see the results of the wheel tax, but am in favor of advocating for restructuring how local governments are able to raise funding. Another issue I will touch on is infrastructure repair. While there have been some recent improvements, our roads remained neglected. I will work to ensure our budget is used to serve our community and benefit the residents who call beautiful Pewaukee home.
This article was written by Alex Groth and was published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on March 15, 2022
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