Election 2011: Candidate Profiles for Hudson Common Council

Hudson Patch asked all the local candidates on the ballot in the April 5 election to provide some information about themselves. The following is the information submitted by city of Hudson candidates with minor grammatical edits:

Randy Morrissette II

Occupation: General Store Manager at Northland Liquor.

Experience: UW Stout, BA in psychology with a minor in child psychology and juvenile criminal justice. 

I am a born and raised Hudsonite. I have been on the Hudson Common Council for five years. I have been the council president and I am currently the chairman of the Public Safety Committee. I am currently on the Finance Committee, Park Board and the Tourism Committee. I have also been on EMS and the Fire commissions.

Why do you want to be an alderman?: Over the past five years I have been a strong advocate for the general well being and safety for the citizens of Hudson. I have been a member of the public safety committee for the last five years while on the council. I strongly supported the increase in police officers, equipment, and the technology upgrades the department needed, including the purchase of the former NMC building that now houses our police department and library. If I am reelected, I will continue to support the police department and listen to the needs that will help protect our city, well into the future. I truly feel we need to keep pace with all the technology available, so we can upgrade and streamline the police departments operations, and maximize officers “on the street.”

What is the most pressing issue facing the city of Hudson and where do you stand on that issue?: I am proud of the things the council has accomplished over the last five years. Some of the things that I supported or helped accomplish:

• Created Sexual Offender Resident Restriction Ordinance
• Kept tax rate and the mill rate low
• Paved multiple roads in District 1 and throughout the city
• Updated Lakefront and Prospect parks
• Supported the library purchase for the police department
• Held city engineers accountable
• Helped update the City of Hudson Comprehensive Plan

I want to continue to keep taxes and mill rate the same or lower. The council will have to think outside of the box in the next budget cycles, to keep positive balances. We need experienced people in these challenging economic times. The Hudson Common Council has always done a great job not relying on shared revenues from the state of Wisconsin. We will need to be very conservative when it comes to spending. We will be challenged to provide the great services that the tax payers of Hudson expect and deserve. We need to hold the line when it comes to our wants versus needs. We need to do what every household has had to do: “live within our means.” I will continue to ask the hard questions and be willing to change opinion when warranted. It is about common sense, and that is what I will continue to bring to the Hudson Common Council. I appreciate your support and encourage everyone to get out and vote on April 5. Thank you.

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John Hoggatt

Occupation: Building materials manufacturer

Experience: My career has given me an invaluable mix of experiences
and skills. My background includes 12 years of business administration and
management, 17 years of sales and marketing, 20 years of information
technology and five years of teaching/technical instruction. I will be able to draw upon this knowledge base as I work in city government for your benefit.

Why do you want to be an alderman?: As I have been preparing for alderman, I have become much more in tune with the requirements of the job and the types of decisions and challenges the Hudson Common Council faces. Many people have asked, “Why would you want to go and get involved in city politics?” My response has been, “I am up to the challenge. I am sure I can do a good job for the people in District 5 and in all of Hudson, and I am looking forward to giving back by serving this community.”

What is the most pressing issue facing the city of Hudson and where do you stand on that issue?: Hudson is faced with economic challenges due to statewide budget cutbacks, rise in the cost of goods, services and labor, increased costs to maintain our infrastructure, changes in property values, and increased requests from outside organizations such as the library. But there will also be new opportunities for redevelopment of our existing businesses and to attract new enterprises to Hudson. In addition, the city must constantly evaluate how it can provide better public works, parks, public safety and other public services that make Hudson a wonderful place to live. Now more than ever, we need a fresh perspective on how to handle these challenges and opportunities.

If elected I will draw upon my skills and experiences to provide a fresh approach, new ideas, and new energy. I will listen and engage the people living in District 5 and be their voice on the council. I will be the representative who takes the time to learn what the constituents have to say. I look forward to meeting you and hearing your ideas. Thank you for your support, and please vote on April 5.

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Scot O'Malley

Occupation: Owner/manager of Midwest Radio and partner of Hudson Ventures

Experience: Twenty-seven years of broadcast management and ownership, three years as managing partner of Hudson Ventures, Hudson homebuilder.

Why do you want to be an alderman?: I want to continue to serve on the council because there are two important jobs that need constant attention: one is working to keep Hudson attractive to potential new residents and new business, without sacrificing any of the small-town charm that brought us all to live here in the first place. Second, we have to work hard to achieve these goals at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayer. Being able to balance these two jobs comes only with practice and experience, and I have a record of keeping both these goals uppermost in mind in all council decisions.

What is the most pressing issue facing the city of Hudson and where do you stand on that issue?: It’s odd in a troubled economy, but managing growth continues to be the most important task for the city, and is the primary reason I was asked to join the council some years back by my neighbors in District 5. Representing the oldest part of Hudson has meant preserving our neighborhoods, but it also means encouraging good ideas that will advance the goal of creating new opportunities for business to flourish while keeping out the welcome mat for new families to live here. 

Managing growth is always a major concern, especially now with a possible sale of the dog track property that may mean repurposing over 100 acres in the city. Any development here must be carefully planned. 

Complicating that task will be the reduction in shared revenues from Madison, so we need to be smart in allocating our resources. Much of my work on the  council has centered around looking for a better way to get things done, to deliver maximum services to Hudsonites with minimum impact on their taxes.   

On this point there is a very clear difference between the two District 5 candidates: my opponent recently said in a Channel 15 interview that his response to this reduced revenue sharing would be a blend of cutting some city services and also raising taxes. My answer was to do neither, because by smarter allocation of our existing budget we can absorb the reduction in shared revenue without cutting services and without increasing taxes, and I gave an example of how we could do this. My solution is to keep city services with no tax increase. 

Voters should watch the interview to form their own opinions. 

I thank voters for their support in the past, and I ask for their vote on April 5, to continue the work.

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Richard Vanselow

Occupation: Retired from 3M after 34 years, 17 years in various manufacturing functions and 17 years in sales and marketing with two years living and working in Europe.

Experience: Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago Circle with a B.S. in business management.

Why do you want to be an alderman?: Over the past 25 years as I traveled doing my job, someone was serving on the Hudson Common Council taking care of the community. Now that I am retired and have the time, it is time for me to give back to the community by serving on the Common Council. I want to do that and am willing to do that.

What is the most pressing issue facing the city of Hudson and where do you stand on that issue?: Based on my current understanding of the city’s budgeting and planning process, I believe that long -range planning for the repair, replacement and expansion of the city’s infrastructure is essential to maintaining a thriving community.

This needs to be addressed by planning yearly projects over the next five to 10 years to repair, replace and expand the city’s infrastructure and to include these costs in the yearly capital forecast.

Also, with the current financial situation in the state and within the federal government, the most important issue facing the city is controlling spending. We already know that state revenues will be reduced. We do not know by exactly how much. So, we need to plan for these reduced revenues and adjust our spending while minimizing any impact on services. Increasing taxes to offset the reduced revenues is not an option because it would only hurt our local economy.

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Mary Claire Potter

Occupation: Business development director for Ellerbe Becket, an AECOM company, an architectural, engineering and interior design firm.

Experience: As a resident for 15 years, I currently serve on the city of Hudson Plan Commission, appointed in 2008, and also the Hudson Board of Zoning Appeals, appointed in 2007. As president of the Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau from 1996 to 2004, I understand the importance of creating a positive atmosphere for commerce of all kinds in our community. With more than 17 years of experience in leading and working for chambers of commerce, I have had the opportunity to interact with a wide range of people. During those years, I worked to build consensus among the members, which ranged from small retail shops to major manufacturers, regarding issues facing the businesses and the community. I represented the interests of 500 to 1,200 members—similar to a city council member representing the constituents of a district.

Why do you want to be an alderwoman?: I love Hudson and all that it has to offer. When I ran the Hudson Chamber, I worked in partnership with the mayor and city council and I would like to be a part of that again.

My seven years experience working with the Hudson Common Council, serving on the Hudson Board of Appeals, and my work on the Hudson Plan Commission have given me great training and experience to represent District 6.

This position needs someone who can hit the ground running, and I can do that based on my knowledge, involvement, and experience in this community.

What is the most pressing issue facing the city of Hudson and where do you stand on that issue?: These are challenging times for all communities. We need to continue to provide services to all residents in a fiscally responsible manner. We need creative thinking to address these challenges. We need people on the council who have been responsible for meeting budgets and payroll, just as I have, and can work in cooperation with others to develop creative solutions.

We need to continue to grow the tax base by creating additional business growth in the St. Croix Business Park and also by filling storefronts downtown and on the hill. In addition, we need to continue to promote Hudson as a great place to live, work, visit and do business.

The tax rate needs to be maintained. We need to be mindful of the current economic situation of many of our residents—this is not the time to raise property taxes. This is the time for creative thinking, cooperation and creative solutions within the city.

We need to be sure that the city has a strong infrastructure plan in place to maintain our streets, parks and water needs, and which also addresses our flood issues. I will work with the council and city departments on the infrastructure plan for the city.

Flooding has been an issue for many years, both along the river as well as excess run off from Vine Street. We will be faced with this issue again this spring, and with that will come additional road problems that will need to be addressed.

I have the skills, experience, desire, and energy to fulfill this position. Please vote on April 5. Thank you.