Why I decided to run for Alderman

What initially got me thinking about running had to do with how many people felt deceived after Sysco came to town. Back when Sysco came to Lincoln, we were told the jobs Sysco would bring would average $40,000 per year. When Sysco arrived, most of the jobs paid significantly less than $40,000 per year resulting in many people in Lincoln felt deceived. To this day, no one has publicly explained why there was a difference. My suspicion is that the difference was simply a matter of the difference between an average & a median. A median is the middle point, what most people think of when they hear the word average. An average actually means something different. I don't expect all local officials to catch it, but the difference between an average & a median is basic enough, hearing no one catch it left me wonder about the level of financial understanding among our local officials.

I think there are reasons the Council is 10 persons & not one person. I think the idea is to bring people from all over town with their skills, abilities, & perspectives. I believe it would be a benefit to the City to have the Council include someone with expertise on money, which I have. The easiest evidence I have of my expertise is that I am Licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Late last year, I attended some City Council meetings. First, I want to say that I came out of those meetings with a very positive perspective on those at City Council meetings as people. However, I did see a couple of matters that indicated room for improvement with the understanding of money present at these meetings.

The first involved lawn mowing at Postville Court House. The State was having someone drive here from New Salem to mow the lawn at various State Historic Sites. What struck me was that if the State contracted out individual sites, someone from here could mow the lawn at Postville Court House & get the income that comes with it.

The second matter involved the purchase of two police vehicles. There are multiple viable police cars used around the country. The City took bids on the make & model they wanted, got one bid, & decided to purchase from the one bid. In the process, the City took a misstep by deciding which vehicle it was buying without seeking offers for the viable alternatives. I have no complaint with the particular vehicle purchased, but the method of stating to auto dealers which vehicle they are purchasing before getting prices is not the best way to handle our money.

I am running to bring financial expertise to the City Council & vow to display care with City money, which is our money. I plan to work with the other persons involved in City Council to help achieve the best results for the City.