MEET BOB MCMANUS, CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR
Name: Bob McManus
For which office are you running?: Mayor of Marshfield
Where are you from?: I was born in Los Angeles, California, and lived in Redondo Beach, California until 6 years ago when we moved here to Marshfield.
Where are you employed?: I am currently employed at Forward Financial Bank as a Mortgage Lender. I feel very fortunate to be a part of the Forward Financial Team. It is an incredible place to work. I really enjoy my role as a Mortgage Lender; helping people find ways to finance their home is a very fulfilling occupation.
Why did you decide to run for local Office?: I have always been a “community” person. Being involved in my community and with my family has been a passion of mine, including involvement with my kid’s school, former role as a PTA President, Football Coach, Soccer Coach, and other less formal roles as well. When my family and I moved here 6 years ago I really entrenched myself in the community. In my time here I thought that the current Mayor, Chris Meyer, has done a very good job, and when I heard he was stepping down, I immediately knew it was time to get involved in a leadership role in the city. I believe that we need to progress as a city, and there are some serious issues that are ahead. I also believe with my background and experience we can tackle those issues head on.
Why do you think you would be good choice for this office? Because I listen! I believe that the primary role of the Mayor is to listen to “the Boss,” and “the Boss” is the citizens of Marshfield. Aa I have been out dealing with people, I’ve noticed they are speaking very loudly on what they want. Of course, there is the primary role of the city which is Public Safety and basic services. These can be broken down into 4 categories: 1) Police and Fire & Rescue Services (having been a former Paramedic for 6 years these are near and dear to my heart); 2) Infrastructure management; 3) Electric and Water services; and 4) ROADS. We need to find solutions to our roads. Along with these basics we also need to work on Economic Development that will be good for our city, and I will say after speaking with so many of the business owners in the Downtown area…we will start there!
What do you like to do in your free time?: Spend time with family and friends. My wife, Kara McManus, is a native of Marshfield. She attended both OLP and Senior High. She moved out to California where we met and we lived there for years. There was always a pull at her heart string to “come home.” Six years ago, we did finally make that decision to move back home. It is 100% centered around coming home to be close to her parents, Don and Jane Anderson. Don Anderson had his American Family Insurance Agency, barber shop, clock shop and farm here for years, and Jane Anderson worked for St. Joseph’s Hospital for 30+ years. Now instead of living 2,000 miles away, we live 3 blocks from them and we have loved every minute of it. There is just something special now at our kids’ various events when they can look up in the stands and see Grandpa and Grandma that lets me know that the world is OK. Kara and I have 5 kids: Courtney our daughter lives out in California she is an editor for NASDAQ and we just found out Wednesday that she is pregnant, and this will be the first Grandchild! Kyle, our oldest son, had a great career in football and is now the Offensive Line Coach for Occidental College in Los Angeles. Our son Zachary graduated from Marshfield Senior High almost 2 years ago and is now going to UW La Crosse and Playing Football. Our Son Hunter graduated last year from Marshfield Senior high and had a great soccer career and is now going to UW Wood County. Our youngest son, Kade, is a Junior at Marshfield Senior High currently thriving in Ju Jitsu and Boxing. Raising 5 kids has its challenges, but the rewards are worth it. In my early years I was a Paramedic, Business Owner, and have been in the Mortgage Industry for years. I feel as though the diversity of my background, problem solving skills, and communication skills will be a great asset to the role as Mayor.
Anything else You’d like to readers to know?: Growing up in a big city is very interesting. One of the best things about moving here to Marshfield is the family values that are here in Marshfield. It is a great city. The challenge is to keep the great values that we have and yet grow our city. Our city’s challenge is our tax base. Many people that I have talked to here in the city complain about property taxes being too high, and this is a common theme in cities around the country. What we know for sure is that the cost to run a city is not going down. Expenses for basic services continue to rise. That leaves us with only two options. If we keep our tax base the same and do not expand, then taxes will go up. However, if we can expand our tax base with concentrated responsible Economic Development and increase our tax base that will ease the property tax burden. So the answer is very clear on what we need to do, and I believe that I can help bridge that gap. This is why I am asking for you to vote for me as Mayor of Marshfield so that together we can begin “Building a Brighter Tomorrow.”
