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2/18/2008
A bittersweet election in Menasha
Menasha, I’m proud of you. Five candidates for mayor. Wow. In a city of 16,000. And we in Appleton, over four times your size, couldn’t come up with a single candidate to oppose our incumbent mayor.
Two cities. Two mayors. And both have cost their residents dearly, presiding over major, multi-multi-million dollar blunders.
Bummer.
So Menasha – how will you vote in this primary?
I suspect you will put Mayor Joe back on the ticket, as he has been since 1988. I like Joe Laux – and I like those 20 years of experience. But it’s time enough to become a bit head-strong and perhaps over confident. More about that before the general election.
How many of you folks have voted for Joe Laux for all that time? How many of your hands has he shaken, babies kissed (!!!) and all that? In order for a long-term incumbent to be defeated, somebody has to convince several hundred of you Joe Laux fans to switch your time-honored votes. And that means an opposition candidate must go negative. Really negative. I know, everybody says they don’t like negative campaigning. Trust me. In a situation like this, it works. And it’s essential. And as much criticism as there is of Mayor Laux out there, I haven’t seen anything more from the challengers than dancing around the edges of the problems with the steam plant and the Lake Park Villas.
So of the remaining four candidates, three will most likely lose. I’m wondering if any of you would consider moving to Appleton to undertake a stealth write-in campaign…. Bittersweet that not all of these dedicated public servants could win the mayorship.
I asked all of the candidates if they would support a “local TABOR,” essentially a limit on annual spending increases citywide. Only one, James Taylor, would support such a limit. The others felt it wasn’t necessary or that elections were the tool to control city spending. I completely disagree… but again, that’s for another day.
I asked about that darn steam plant. By when will you put in place a written strategy with accompanying accountability benchmarks and timeline for the steam plant?
- Laux: We have such a strategy – the Sargent & Lundy report.
- Don Merkes: Sargent & Lundy is not an implementation plan; I’d have an implementation strategy in place within the first two months I’m in office.
- Joe Lingnofski: Didn’t answer
- Stan Sevenich: Can put a strategy in place when we get another customer on board, i.e., SCA; is interested in the city bonding for the necessary pipes.
- Taylor: Is ready with a corps of engineers to volunteer their time to put together and manage such a plan.
Aside from Laux, Merkes and Taylor have the best working knowledge of the steam plant. All will be challenged by it, challenged to implement workable solutions. But implement and lead your mayor must.
I asked too, if the candidates would support, lobby and campaign for a regional transit authority (RTA) in the Fox Valley. (A RTA is good policy, but any new taxing authority must be very carefully monitored so as not to result in higher taxes.) Only Merkes had a current grasp of the issue, suggesting that a change may come from the feds that would eliminate the need for a new taxing district anytime soon.
Lastly, experience. Merkes and Taylor currently serve on the Common Council. Mr. Sevenich served on the Council for a total of 18 years, but has been off the council since 2003. Mr. Lingnofski has not served on the Council, though is a retiring Menasha police officer.
In my experience, Mr. Merkes has been very well informed and responsive. Were I not in Appleton, I’d give him my vote.
COMMENTS
Way to go Jo choosing Don Merkes!
It will be a surprising election.
You like Joe Laux. People do. But in the last 4 years, have you attended all the Council Meetings, Steam Plant Meetings, really looked at how appointed committees are run, how the administration is currently run? We are constantly, as residents, made promise after promise after promise. Do you really know what goes on behind closed doors? Oh for that matter, even open doors?
I can't agree with you more that DON MERKES is the best candidate. Again, Laux needs to move on and leave the Menasha problems to someone that can stay on top of them and support what the residents want!
They voted down the Broad Street Condos 4 times. The Owner has units where property taxes still have not been paid since inception. They want a grocery store, not a Sav-a-lot. But you have commissions that do not meet regularly to address this. There are those of us that know how this can be done. Mr. Laux wants a kayak park but there are no numbers on future maintenance and all that comes with it. He supports accepting $30,000 for a minimal parking lot at Racine & Broad when we have over $350,000 into it. If he has such good financial education, why isn't it being used to its advantage? Behavior outbreaks are uncalled for in a Public Office. Have you been a witness to all this?
Again, keep up the fine reporting. Love your site.
Mary (Mon Feb 18 07:18:44 2008)
"How many of you folks have voted for Joe Laux for all that time? How many of your hands has he shaken, babies kissed (!!!) and all that?"
Good point. I don't even LIVE there and Joe has shaken my hand several times. He's talked nice to my kids. He's shown up at the same biz openings and parties I've been invited too and been 'a good guy'.
Brian (Mon Feb 18 08:48:59 2008)
If Alderman Merkes has an implementation plan that would "solve" the problems at the Menasha Steam Plant, doesn't he have both a fiduciary and an ethical responsibility to bring that forward at a Common Council meeting? He has voted for virtually all phases of the Steam Plant. It is one thing to be part of the "loyal opposition", but especially in local government leadership takes responsibility. This is a commodity that Merkes has not shown through his action on the Council, nor in any of his campaign promises.
Jeff Brandt (Mon Feb 18 09:57:50 2008)
One additional comment. If Merkes can accomplish this is his first two months, why hasn't he introduced a Resolution asking for an appropriation to get this done?
Jeff Brandt (Mon Feb 18 09:59:19 2008)
Good points Jeff. Feet to the fire.
Jo E. (Mon Feb 18 10:18:29)
I agree with Jeff. Council members are all elected by their constituents and have a responsibility to bring forth their ideas to better the community. All I see is certain elected officials continuously running down the current administration and refusing to make any attempt to work together to move Menasha forward. If they have the solutions, we all would be happy to hear what they are as we need them, not just at election time.
Terry (Mon Feb 18 11:15:11 2008)
Don Merkes will get my vote come election day. He may not look like much but he's one of the most intelligent and politically creative, versed individuals I have ever met. He's also not afraid to say no despite political appeal. He cares about Menasha's future development and the terrible mess that Mayor Joe has burdened upon the city. The steam plant, the TIF funds.The police officer would be my second choice... only because he doesn't want the job for the "Title". All the other candidates seem to only be interested in the Mayoral Title and could care less about the "state" that the City of Menasha is in.
Menasha Voter (Tue Feb 19 00:47:10 2008)
I was going to respond to Jeff Brandt's remarks last night but ran out of time - must attend those city council meetings! By the way, Jeff, were you at work yesterday morning when you wrote your comments? I hope you're going to tell us you had the morning off - or at least that you were on your coffee break.
But before I speak further to Jeff's misguided remarks, let me say that I mildly disagree with Menasha Voter's comment that Don Merkes isn't much to look at. Don is my council member, so I see him around the neighborhood all the time. He looks a lot better in the summer when he has a tan and has been riding his bicycle - but don't we all? And I think we need to give him credit for not, to my knowledge, appearing in public in a bathing suit. This is a testament to a degree of modesty and personal discretion that is laudable. Reflecting on the looks of the candidates is not a place I want to go for obvious reasons, but in regard to Don's appearance it does reflect what I like about him - he cares enough about our good opinion to make an effort, but it's not his number one priority. He's not vain about his appearance or his opinions, and that's very refreshing.
Now, back to Jeff. As usual, he's serving up veiled threats and bombast, with a side of nonsense. Alderman Merkes has stated that if elected Mayor, he would make it a priority to have a credible strategic plan in place to address the problems at the steam utility within 60 days. He has been forthright with the voters about the fact that he cannot tell them how this situation will be resolved because he does not have all the facts. He does not have all the facts because he is not privy to the discussions held in secret by the Utility Commission in closed sessions. Every meeting of the commission includes a closed session. (As a voting member of the commission, the Mayor participates in these.)
Now contrast this to the Mayor's insistence that there is a strategic plan in place - a statement that is patently false as any citizen who cares to attend an open meeting of the Utility Commission will discover in an hour or two of careful listening. What is referred to as the "strategic plan" or the "work-out plan" is a topic on every agenda. Every time it is discussed it is described as "in work" or a "living document." In other words, it is unfinished. In other words, there is no strategic plan one can look at that provides anything resembling reliable forecasting of near or long term mandatory capital expenses, ROI, cost recovery, revenue anticipation, or anything else one would reasonably expect from a strategic analysis. What has been presented to the public as a work-out plan does not rise to the level of an adequate project management document, much less a strategic plan.
I suggest that Attorney Brandt advise the Mayor that if he actually has a strategic plan in hand, that he place it in the public sphere so the citizen owners of the utility may have a look at it. Public scrutiny of the current version of the document to which the Mayor refers as a 'strategic plan' would perhaps incite some motivated citizens to step up and offer their energy, talents, and expertise to help the steam utility. There is currently a vacancy on the commission - no applicants at this point.
I'm sure Jeff will refer readers of this blog to the Sargent & Lundy report, which can be found on the Menasha Utilities web site. I heartily recommend that you read it. In fact, it would be great if study groups sprouted up around the city to mull this over and compare this document to the current reality. I have a feeling if people would make a little effort to understand the issues, there would be a lot more pressure on all the candidates running for Mayor to do what Alderman Merkes has done:
-Admit that you don't have access to all the information because it isn't being released publicly.
-Acknowledge that there is a massive financial storm brewing around this situation.
-Commit to placing this at the top of the priority list, bringing to bear every available resource to explore our options before the whole house of cards comes tumbling down.
Mayor Laux is the only elected official with a seat on the Utility Commission. He is mostly silent in the open portion of the meetings. I do give him credit for speaking up for open records in urging the management of the utility to make public documents more accessible. It's a struggle to get anything from them in a timely manner, despite the requirements of state law regarding open records. I wish Attorney Brandt would spend a bit more of his time reviewing the utility's performance under the law in this area rather than making blog entries that imply improper conduct on the part of a political opponent of the Mayor.
Joanne Roush (Tue Feb 19 08:34:29 2008)
I've tried to refrain from making any statements that would further politicize the steam plant issue in Menasha, but I can't ignore our City Attorney's comments here. I take offense at the implication that I have been negligent in not personally putting together an implementation plan to correct the problems with the steam utility. Brandt encourages me to introduce a Resolution to ask for an appropriation to do so. I don't know where he gets the idea that it's a lack of spending that's gotten us into this hole. An appropriation is the last thing we need at this point.
Let's look at my history on the steam plant project.
The project was approved before I was elected to the Common Council. The project passed despite questions about where the second or third bid was on the project. Getting at least a second bid is a given on ANY construction project this size. Both the Utilities Commission (on which the Mayor is a voting member) and the Common Council failed miserably in their responsibility to protect the taxpayers and customers of the utility.
I did vote for all the refinancing resolutions for the steam plant because, frankly, the only other option was bankruptcy.
I proposed to add seats for a citizen and another elected official on the Utilities Commission to increase accountability. Instead of embracing this effort to bring more people to the table, the mayor turned this into one of his manufactured controversies, insisting that my goal was to remove him from the commission. This couldn't be further from the truth as I was attempting to ADD two people to the commission, not remove anyone.
I've asked Menasha Utilities to provide us with financial analyses for three possible scenarios for the plant. They are: (A) keep running as is and provide reliable revenue forecasts that indicate the likely profit/loss; (B) shut down the steam plant and tell us what the cost would be to do so; and (C) propose a change in operations that would minimize or stop the current losses on the way to creating a sustainable long term business model. The Utility appears to have decided on option C without consulting the Common Council, but it's hard to know for sure because none of this has been discussed in open meetings.
Now let's go back to the notion that the Sargent & Lundy Report, which was delivered to our city government in late July last year, is a plan. It is not a plan. It is a detailed report that addresses the reasons for the loss of millions of dollars, which in the end proposes several key steps to turn the plant around. It was always up to the management of the utility itself, with the oversight of the commission, to come up with a strategic plan that could be implemented in a timely manner. There is at this time NO PLAN. There is a list of tasks, many of which are not mentioned in the Sargent & Lundy report, but deemed necessary by utility staff. These tasks have been assigned priorities, and some have been assigned costs. Where costs have been assigned, they have not necessarily been budgeted for by the utility. Further, 'unanticipated' expenses continue to emerge, such as the need to spend over $340,000 in the next few months to repair a major component of one of the boilers. Where is this money coming from? Nobody seems to know.
It should be noted that none of the tasks identified by Sargent & Lundy as being of the very highest priority have been completed at this time. That includes identifying and stocking an adequate inventory of repair parts to insure a consistent ability to deliver steam to our customers, and renegotiation of contracts to bring prices in line with costs.
The only elected official on the utility commission is the Mayor, and with his vote and his leadership, more should be getting done. Why hasn't our current Mayor seen to it that a strategic plan is completed? Seven months have passed and the best news for the utility recently seems to have been the receipt of an insurance settlement in December that pushed the losses for the year to just under a million dollars.
Citizens need to understand that both the Mayor and Attorney Brandt have made it clear that your elected members of the Common Council have no authority to direct the Utilities Commission to do anything. The only power that we have is to refuse financing requests.
We have no power to compel the commission or utility management to report on their progress. I voted in favor of a motion to request that this be done voluntarily, but it was voted down by a majority of council members. When Alderman Taylor attempted to help with an outside engineer he was chastised. When I received comments from a steam utility customer on the publicly available Sargent & Lundy report, I was publicly berated by both the Mayor and the General Manager of Menasha Utilities. During this angry outburst in a Council session, the Mayor accused me of conspiring with this customer against the interests of the city. Aside from being ridiculous, the charges were an insult to a company that has been a valued member of our community for over 100 years, not to mention a valuable customer of the utility.
As to Attorney Brandt's belief that I should put a plan on the table now, how about this?
How about you work with me, Jeff, to write a Resolution to expand the commission to bring more minds to bear on the problems? I know we're having a hard time recruiting for the Utility Commission, so maybe the solution is to put another council member on while we search for two citizens willing to be appointed. We might even be able to request that alderman provide a report to the council at each session, so the entire community could be kept informed of progress toward stabilizing the finances and operations of our troubled utility.
Don Merkes (Tue Feb 19 09:56:08 2008)
City Attorney Brandt dominates council meetings with his constant sarcasm in response to citizen's concerns as well as boring commentary on issues that he doesn't need to comment on. His role as "sergeant-at-arms" is another exercise that prolongs the length of council meetings. So it is not surprising to see him insert himself into this discussion. Any proposal that Ald. Merkes would have presented would have been dismissed out of hand because of who it came from, and this goes for anyone else not in the Laux Administration circle of influence.
Jeffrey (Tue Feb 19 12:15:13 2008)
Brother Jeffrey, you said a mouthful!
Joanne Roush (Wed Feb 20 07:58:15 2008)
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