Three in race for town board seat : Courierlifenews.com

Onalaska Town Board Supervisor Howard Kelly faces two challengers — Jake Speed and Sandy Thompson — in his bid for re-election to his second two-year term.

The top two votegetters in the primary will move on to the April 6 election.
In an effort to help voters get to know more about the candidates, the Courier-Life asked them to answer a questionnaire about issues, motivations and qualifications. Here are their answers:

Why do you want to serve on the Onalaska Town Board?

KELLY: I feel it is my duty as a citizen of this region to be involved and do what I can for the community rather than just sit home and point fingers.

SPEED: I have had an interest in serving my community for about six years. It started when I was a member of the July 4 parade committee in Harrisburg, N.C. It was further expanded in Charlotte, N.C., when local laws were passed that devastated the small business community.

They were so detrimental to the business climate that I moved to Onalaska in December 2008. That is when I made a commitment to make sure that small businesses have a voice in local government. I am devoted to bringing fiscal responsibility to the town of Onalaska.

THOMPSON: I believe that the town board needs to be more responsive to all the citizens of the town of Onalaska and keep them better informed about everything that is going on in their town. I am also disappointed in the budget process and want to work toward tightening our town budget and holding the line on taxes for the residents of the town.

What personal qualities and experiences make you the best qualified candidate for the job?

KELLY: I have had the opportunity to manage budgets and run businesses with revenues well into the $40 million a year mark when I was the editor of a national magazine living in California.

Now in my second position with a Wisconsin based company, I have grown to understand the climate of the area and can see what needs to be done to protect the interests of the community.

Personally, I am what you get. There is no fake persona, no hidden agenda. I say what is on my mind, regardless of the situation, and you know where I stand and why.

SPEED: I have lived in four states in my life, starting in a town of 15,000 to the metropolis of San Fransisco Bay. I have the proud honor of a Navy commendation although I have never been enlisted. I saved the Department of Defense several million dollars as an early 20s employee and was rewarded with the commendation. I have been doing such things for businesses ever since.

Doing more with less has become my reputation. As a crew chief in the Craftsman Truck Series of NASCAR, my team outperformed Dodge factory teams spending more than 10 times our budget.

As a small business owner, I have built businesses from nothing and made them full-time businesses in a very short time. This is experience that is needed by government to keep our taxes low and our cash reserves high enough to get through tough times like we have now. As the La Crosse Tea Party organizer I have already shown the community my willingness and desire to serve the people.

THOMPSON: I have taken leadership roles in various business organizations as well as in my church. I listen to the interests of all who have concerns, comments and opinions and I look for ways to best meet the needs of all without bringing my own personal agenda and interests to the table.

I am fair, honest and open minded and I believe that ALL sides of any situation have value worth considering.

What are the three most important issues facing the Onalaska Town Board and what would your approach to dealing with those issues be?

KELLY: Education of what it takes to run the town. There are many misconceptions about what the tax bill pays for and how much of it goes to the town versus schools and state monies. My priority is to work on that education path.

School taxes going up. I am a big believer in busing. I do not see why we cannot work a deal with La Crosse — a city closing schools and laying off teachers — to send kids from this area to La Crosse for school and pay a flat fee per year per student. This would keep the schools that are already built open, and not burden the tax payers in our area with building new schools and hiring teachers and the associated administrative staffs. Its a radical idea — but it works in major cities around the country flawlessly.

More citizen involvement in the town. We are well on the way to bringing back all the committees — I think it is of paramount importance that we continue.

SPEED: The issues most important is having a plan for the future to maintain fiscal responsibility. To end the trail of corruption that has plagued the town since I have lived here and to also make sure that more than Brice Prairie is represented in the town, as the entire board are Brice Prairie residents

THOMPSON: Most important is unifying the town citizens behind a leadership board that they believe they can trust. There has been far too many accusations and blaming someone else, and not enough accountability for the situation at hand. This has gone on for at least the last two boards, as well as the current board.

I hope to be someone that the people will trust, coming in with no previous “agenda” and that they can trust will listen to everyone and try to find solutions that best suit the majority.

I also believe we need to get back to publishing a quarterly newsletter that is informative and available to the town citizens. I believe we can do this without significant cost by utilizing electronic communication as often as possible and distributing the paper copy of a newsletter through the businesses in the town.

I would be willing to head up a group of volunteers who would create and distribute this publication both in hard copy and via e-mail.

And finally I am concerned that the entire budget process in the town of Onalaska is in serious need of overhaul. I think there is wastefulness, and that we can have a budget that does not create tax increases but will still maintain needed services.

In connection with the budget, there are also many residents in the town who are not satisfied with the assessment process or the responsiveness of the assessor. We need to look at what changes might be needed in the entire assessment process as one the first priorities of the new board to be sure that all properties are assessed fairly and equitably and that we have an assessor who will communicate with the residents when asked.

MEET THE CANDIDATES

Howard Kelly

AGE: 47

FAMILY: Wife, Marcia

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Penn State University

PROFESSION: Director of communications and marketing, Multistack LLC

PREVIOUS OFFICES HELD: Onalaska Town Board supervisor, 2008-present

Jake Speed

AGE: 50

FAMILY: Single

EDUCATION: Graduated high school early via the California Proficiency Exam. Attended technical school to learn mechanical design.

PROFESSION: Owner of American Signs And Printing

PREVIOUS OFFICES HELD: None

Sandra ‘Sandy’ Thompson

AGE: 61

FAMILY: Husband, Tom; two grown children, a son and daughter

EDUCATION: La Crosse Central High School, 1966

PROFESSION: Self-employed in construction business with husband (T.N. Thompson Enterprises, Millennium Homes). Also own small resort business on Brice Prairie, Cozy Corner Cottages.

PREVIOUS OFFICES HELD: None

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MEET THE CANDIDATES

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