Sunday, January 27, 2013

District 11 Forum

After attending the forum for the 5 candidates for Alderman in District 11 today I thought I'd post a somewhat less formal blog about the experience.

First, thank you to Sarah Millard of Patch.com for moderating and Victoria Hekkers for organizing the forum. Simply as an observer I found this event to be very interesting and with 5 candidates to pick from, very needed. I of course do not have a vote in this District but as a candidate myself in District 12 one of these gentleman I would work closely with if I am elected. I think it is important to be aware of what is on the minds of residents of any District since decisions I would make and votes I would cast also affect other areas of the city. I found it surprising and disappointing that there were not other candidates there. I will also be attending the forum tomorrow night and hope I am not the only one there again.

Lots of questions were asked and issues discussed. Here were just a few...

Grocery store for down town
Crime & safety
Clarke hotel
Crimes related to drugs
Code enforcement
BID committee
Water issue
Re branding the city as "Guitar Town"
City taxes vs. BID taxes
Shared dispatch services with Waukesha County

The candidates shared some good ideas and I'm sure we'll hear more tomorrow night. I hope to see each person given the opportunity to explain what sets them apart from the other 4 candidates. There are differences between them and I believe it serves the people well when those are pointed out and discussed.

For those on Twitter feel free to follow the campaign at @perry4alderman. Like I did today I will live tweet from the forum tomorrow evening. The forum is at Avalon Square 222 Park Place in Waukesha. This forum to be moderated by Sarah Pryor.

Enjoy the week!










Thursday, January 17, 2013

Campaign has begun!

An exciting time is upon us in Waukesha. Soon spring will be here and the weather will be better.  The April 2nd election will be here before we know it. With just one opponent there will not be a primary for District 12, just the general election between Gary Krivos and myself.

Even though the election is coming up fast, there is still plenty of time to share thoughts on issues and ideas for our district and city. I want to take the opportunity to communicate how supportive I am of growing business and attractions to downtown Waukesha. Embracing our history while continuing to move forward is a realistic and exciting idea to think about. Events such as Friday Night Live and Waukesha Janboree are great opportunities for residents to enjoy the best of our city and celebrate just a few of the comforts that make Waukesha special.

Growing the downtown area of course does not come without its growing pains.  We should always strive to improve the look of our city while addressing concerns from citizens and business in the area. As a candidate for Alderman I believe this is a challenge worth taking on. The challenge to make our city special by embracing downtown culture and cultivating the family way of life of more of our outlying areas is a unique opportunity many cities do not have.

I encourage you to follow the campaign on twitter at @perry4alderman, on Facebook at Vote Perry, and feel free to contact me directly with questions or comments at perryforalderman@gmail.com. Have a great weekend and enjoy the Waukesha Janboree!