MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – A new Mayor of Marshfield will be chosen on Tuesday, March 5th after a nearly five-month campaign period for both Bob McManus and Lois TeStrake.
We wanted to get some final thoughts on the election and what winning would mean to themselves and the City of Marshfield:
Q: We’re putting the final question first so you can hear the candidates’ pitch to you as a voter. What separates you from your opponent and why should voters choose you on April 5th?
Bob McManus: I believe that there are two key distinguishing characteristics regarding the campaigns. If you look at the answers here, on earlier question and answer articles, the candidate forum, and on the recent candidate videos that were done by Marshfield Broadcasting you will see in all those answers, a depth of knowledge of the questions, and actual answers that I gave. As opposed to responses that were filled with fluff and non-answers.
The second distinguishing characteristic is that I am not an insider being told what to do by the insiders. These two items are vast differences in the campaigns. And there is the big question. If you want a Mayor that is going to be told what to do by the insiders and close off communication, that is not me.
HOWEVER, if you want a Mayor that puts the Citizens FIRST, who will listen to your input, and open up the City to a Brighter Tomorrow then I, Bob McManus, am asking for your support and vote on Tuesday, April 5th, and then we can all work together Building a Brighter Tomorrow.
Lois: I would say there are many differences between myself and the removed ex-mayor, Bob McManus. I have made it my mission to bring this beautiful city together and get over the discretions of the past office holder. Throughout this campaign, I have not worked behind the scenes making promises I can’t keep nor, have I fabricated previous successes as my opponent has. I have been nothing but honest and forthright throughout. That is who I am!
I also believe laws exist for a reason. Mr. McManus continues to claim that he was removed unlawfully and without cause. This is simply not true. I have been provided with evidence and legal justification for why he was removed. He continues to claim staff are leaving because of something other than retirements or better opportunity. This is not true. This is one of the many reasons that longtime residents and business leaders approached me to consider running for the office. We have great people in our city’s employment base, and we need to treat them fairly and have them know they are such an important part of our community fabric.
As your next mayor, I promise to work hard with both City Staff and the Common Council. I believe I am the candidate they will respect and trust. I promise the Marshfield residents that I will continue to represent their needs and concerns. I will bring back the integrity that this office lost when McManus was found guilty of malfeasance and justifiably removed.
Listen, I was asked to do this because of my passion for my community, and the “Whole Marshfield Family”! Nobody, I repeat with Jesus as my guide, nobody will dedicate themselves to fixing the black eye that the previous Mayor put on this community more than I. Guaranteed!
May God Bless you all.
Q: How do you plan to encourage the hiring process of city leadership?
Bob McManus: Before you can begin a hiring process you have to fully understand the problem, and be open to the fact that there may be a problem. We have lost a lot of high-level positions over the past 6 – 8 months, including the City Planner, City Communications Specialist, Finance Director, Waste Water Director, Fire Chief, Zoo Keeper, Development Service Director, Human Resources, and most recently our incredible City Clerk! Others have left as well.
Now in fairness, some folks leave because of advancements in careers or more money in the private sector, and I do believe that is a factor. However, when this amount of people leave in such a short period of time, it would be wise to find out why. A couple of them have been very outspoken as to why, and it is not for the reason mentioned above. It would be important to do a survey of ALL employees to see what their thoughts are. And it is crucial that this is done by an outside party to ensure that all employees will be comfortable and give their thoughts, without fear of retribution.
Once we know what all the issues are, you simply address and resolve those issues. But you have to have the courage to ask the questions. Once you address and resolve the issues, you then work aggressively on your hiring process to find great people to fill open positions. This will include more communication and information on what an incredible place Marshfield is to live!
Lois TeStrake: Right now, due to several retirements and opportunities for career growth, several key leadership positions are open. The good news is that the city is often able to promote from within, as was the case with the new Fire Chief, Police Chief, and Wastewater Director. When promoting from within isn’t an option, it’s very important that we use every other available avenue for finding key employees. It isn’t enough just to post a job on a few job boards.
We also need to be networking with other communities and industries which often will produce good candidate leads. The Mayor’s job, as I understand it, in the hiring process is to be part of the committee who interviews candidates. It is obvious, that we need leaders who know the mechanics of the job in which they are considering but, we need leaders that have the ability to think outside the box. Candidates who are innovative and have the ability to inspire others while being an inspiration themselves.
Q: After two consecutive years of tax increases in the community, what are your priorities when it comes to the city budget and how should voters expect your leadership to affect their tax levy?
Bob McManus: First and foremost, the City had to look at the real problem from years past that caused such a dramatic tax increase. From approximately 2008 thru 2018 the City Finances for tax purposes were not properly allocated for, and there was no measurable plan of action, as NO ONE knew the formula they were using from the TIF funds and the General fund. It was reckless, and due to a complete lack of oversight and transparency.
Ron Aumann was the Finance Director that found the mess that was created for years before he started. Ron had only worked for the City for a few months before he found the problem. Ron was a brilliant Finance Director and it was a loss when he recently left the City. Now that the process of finance has been corrected it should be easier to manage. However, this is what the City is up against. Look at just one factor – the price of gas. When the city did its budget last year that was approved and passed, the average price per gallon for gas was approximately $2.65 a gallon, today it is at $3.85. Now if you take that $1.20 difference times thousands of miles that could be a huge increase on that one cost. Additional supply chain issues have made way for several increases on supplies and products.
So, this year will be very tricky when it comes to the budget and tax increases because we already know the costs are going to be higher. This leaves the Department heads with an issue that maybe some projects need to be pushed back. But it is important to know that sometimes when you push things back it makes it worse and the problem increases. As an example, our Roads, we do on average about $2,000,000.00 of road repair a year in Marshfield. However, if you talk with the Public Works director and City Engineer, they will tell you that the need of repair is more in line with about $3,500,000.00 or so a year. So, every year that goes by, we fall further behind in the maintenance.
Now to be very clear….it is not because we don’t know about it, it is that we can’t afford it. So, we have to work on alternative sources of funding. And all these things play a role in the taxes. It is important that we all work together during tax time.
I would encourage the public to be involved this spring when the Department heads come to the Council to go over their CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) discussion, which is projects that will be going on over the next 5 years. I would also encourage the public to be involved during the budget process later on in the year, and come to the budget meetings. This is where everything is discussed and Citizens have a right to express themselves during the public comment period. City Staff, Elected Officials, and most importantly the Citizens of Marshfield all need to be involved in the process.
Lois TeStrake: No one really likes paying taxes. From my understanding, the City of Marshfield was able to hold taxes fairly stable, under Mayor Chris Meyer, for many years. It was over the past two years, under the leadership of Bob McManus, that we saw increases. I think there are several reasons for that. From what I am understanding, former Finance Director, Ron Aumann, discovered some inaccuracies in the way the TIF money was being ledgered into accounts under the direction of the previous Finance Director and City Administrator prior. Together, Steve Barq, the current City Administrator, and Mr. Aumann remedied the discrepancies and put us on the proper track.
It is important that I emphasize that there was no money missing but, each year it appeared that the city had more money to spend than they really did. With that, the Common Council has elected to keep taxes low. The discovery made it clear that more money would need to be allocated to pay down debt and tough decisions had to be made to increase taxes. Obviously, we all see where inflation is sitting at this time and the cost and availability of goods is making for a tough environment.
The way to keep taxes in check, are to NOT spend more than you bring in. So what are the choices here? For me, I can promise, I will be directly involved in the budget process. I will question how we are spending the money. But most of all, I really want to focus on other revenue sources and economic growth.
Q: As the city’s elected communicator and promotions officer, what are your ideas for retention of our youth and growth in entrepreneur spirit in our community?
Bob McManus: The City of Marshfield has positioned itself very wisely with much of the current infrastructure and amenities in the City. People are looking for things to do. We have amazing schools, a University, Technical Schools, new sports complex, new library, new water park, and an incredible zoo, a vibrant Downtown, and so much more. These are all part of the attraction to Marshfield. This makes Marshfield a better place for young people to have great jobs and a great city with so much to do.
Additionally, we have Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MACCI) that is an amazing support source for all our businesses, and especially helpful to your trying to start a business here in town. Here So we have all these great things, and resources, but we need to do a better job of reach out programs for our youth and entrepreneurs within the City. A shining example of a reach out program is done by a great local company, Hastreiter Industries. This is an amazing business that does such great work, for companies around the globe, and yet, they reach out to the young engineering minds.
I can see a day where many of our great businesses reach out to our local high schools and technical schools and provide opportunities as apprentices or interns to learn a trade or learn a business. I believe that if we have more of this, we will be able to have more of our youth stay here in Marshfield and get involved in a current local business or maybe even start their own. But again, it gets down to communication and then implementation. You can’t just talk about ideas — you have to implement them.
Lois TeStrake: This is a good question, and one of my favorites. I have a particular interest in a strong community that includes citizens of all ages. The “Brain Drain” is a very real thing. Our youth head off to college, get their educations, and take their knowledge elsewhere.
So what will keep them here? I think that younger adults want things to do. They like things that keep them active. Technology is also a very big deal to them. They want good places to eat. In essence, they want CHOICES. But, it doesn’t stop there. They also want affordable housing, quality employment with good pay and opportunities to advance. Maybe some want to start a business. We should be supportive of this through grants, pop-up shops, and incubators. Eventually, they also begin to look at what life would look like once they start a family. They want a safe community to raise their children, they want good school systems.
So it’s important to be able to communicate the things that Marshfield has to offer but we also have to listen to what they need and what they have to offer.
Q: As the cost of maintaining infrastructure continues to rise, how do you prioritize what community amenities and city public services are funded in Marshfield without increasing the tax levy?
Bob McManus: This is a very good question. As I stated on an earlier question, I would strongly advise that citizens attend or watch the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) discussions that will take place later on in the spring.
This is where the Department Heads and City Administrator discuss the 5-year plan of improvements with the Common Council. The primary role of the City is to keep citizens safe, so all departments need to be fully funded. And this is where balance comes in. If you make cuts then that means you may be cutting services, and that is a very delicate situation.
Then after the CIP in spring, the Department Heads and the City Administrator work for months to pull together the City Administrators Recommended Budget. This budget is then shared and discussed with the Common Council over a series of 2 – 4 meetings depending on questions.
It is at this time that the Common Council will go through the Budget, page by page with the City Administrator and Department Heads and suggest additions or subtractions to the budget. It is vital that through this process the public is involved! So it is a good idea for Citizens to come to meetings, especially budget meetings, to be engaged in the process. Your Common Council wants to hear your input. Tough choices have to be made and that can only occur when EVERYONE is involved in the process.
Lois TeStrake: This is a difficult question. I don’t want to cut services, especially protective services. I am not sure anyone would want to do that. As far as infrastructure goes, Wisconsin weather is hard on the streets. I feel it is important that we keep abreast of all of the newest technologies for maintaining streets. I think our street department and Dan Knoeck do a good job of that.
We also need to continue to look at collaborations, just as the City is now doing with the County on the possibility of a new, more efficient city garage. We may have to look at more economical was of providing some of the other services the city offers. As much as we can do internally, should be done internally. At this point, the City does seem to go outside for many services and perhaps we can bring some of those in.
Q: The members of the Marshfield Common Council are the governing body of our community. As the newly elected mayor of Marshfield, how do you plan to restore trust and community amongst the members of our council and the citizens of our city?
Bob McManus: The city has been through a lot over the past several years. The City of Marshfield needs to heal. This can only happen if we all come together. As I have been out talking with people one of the biggest frustrations, I hear is that many citizens feel as though they are not heard by their elected officials. Some feel that there are back door deals, and some feel as though there are a few insiders running everything. Right or wrong that is the perception.
Now couple that perception with the reality of what our Elected Officials need to do. Being an elected official is not easy. You have to make decisions on information that is presented to you. And, in a healthy democracy, you should have robust conversations on topics and of course elected officials have different philosophies and ideas. That is all good and healthy. And many times, elected officials may make votes and pass items that the public is not happy with. Decisions are not easy, but they have to be made. Especially votes and decisions made around improvements, spending, and taxes. Those are always difficult.
So the key to this natural divide is to bring everyone into the conversation, and bring everyone to the table. In order to heal it will take everyone, the Mayor, the Common Council, City Staff, our Business Community, and most importantly the Citizens of Marshfield coming to the table and being a part of the discussion. It is time to look forward on where we can go, and what we can do, and open up our mind to a brighter tomorrow.
Lois TeStrake: This City certainly has seen its share of adversity over the past two years. The Common Council has a very tough job. From what I have seen, some of the public mistrust comes because, quite frankly, the City doesn’t always do the best job of communicating to the public. The internet allows for many people to say things that they might not otherwise say but I don’t want to shut these concerns down.
Instead, let’s offer them a platform where they can verbalize their concerns or just ask questions without fear of retaliation. I will have open office hours and I will encourage the public to come and speak to me.
I’d like to encourage the Common Council to host listening sessions and/or town hall meetings. We need a healing in this community but everyone who lives here has to be onboard with that. I’d like to believe that most people are inherently good. In fact, I’ve lived here long enough to know Marshfield residents are good people.
Q: On the first day of office, what is the number one priority that you will take action on?
Bob McManus: It will be a very busy first day. First and foremost is to go around and meet as many City Staff in City Hall that I can. I will meet with Steve Barg the City Administrator to get caught up on what is going on within the City. Additionally, I will make my schedule for the next five days so that I can get to the outside facilities that the City has to meet with the rest of the City leadership and employees.
Once I am acclimated and caught up I will them begin to reach out to our Boards, Commissions, and Committees. Once I am completely caught up, I will then begin a process of communicating directly to the Citizens so that everyone is aware of what is going on. I will do monthly updates as a review of the prior month activities and also explain what will be coming next month.
I believe that if we can all come together, and work together, inspire each other, then we can all work towards Building a Brighter Tomorrow!
Lois TeStrake: My number one priority on my first day, and on my last day, will be to represent the citizens who have elected me as Mayor. I also want to strengthen relationships and be open to collaborations with the CVB, EDB, the MCHS, Mainstreet Marshfield, MACCI, Wood County and the School District.
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