Nonpartisan
Candidate Questionnaire
What motivated you to run for the Horace City Council? (100 words max)
My family loves Horace and we have children going through all levels of school here. We are deeply invested in the future of Horace and want to have a voice in it. Over the last several years we have seen growth and concerns regarding costs, assessments and smart development in the town. We want to have a voice in the direction of the town to ensure that we retain our small town feel. I realize that growth will come and we want to ensure that it is not done to the detriment of homeowners.
What personal, professional, or community experiences have best prepared you to serve as a members of the Horace City Council? (100 words max)
I have a broad range of experience from construction, military, College, IT and currently work for a State agency. I believe that this gives me the depth that is needed to consider the multitude of issues that the city will have to address over the next several years. Additionally, we’ve traveled all of the country and have seen what helps to make great, vibrant towns that retain quality of life while growing opportunities for its citizens. Also, my wife and I have 7 children which has helped me develop a lot of patience, understanding and negotiation skills.
If elected as a City Council Member, what would be your top three priorities for the City of Horace, and why? (100 words max)
Addressing assessments being burdened onto homeowners
Prioritizing smart growth for the city to retain our small town feel
Ensuring appropriate use and transparency of city funds particularly around engineering and legal
Looking ahead five years, what do you see as the most significant opportunities and challenges facing Horace? (100 words max)
Over the next few years Horace has an opportunity to develop an economic base of businesses who want to move here and operate from here and for people who want to raise their families. We can be an example of how to manage growth and attract businesses and homeowners. We must ensure that we do this by not falling into the trap of chaotic sprawl that we see happen to other cities. There must be thoughtful, structured planning not just for five years but fifty years. Managing expenses for the city, businesses and homeowners will be vital.
What strategies or initiatives would you support to attract, retain, and expand businesses in Horace? Please include your perspective on the role of local incentives in economic development. (100 words max)
I support proactive strategies to attract and retain quality businesses that enhance Horace’s small-town character, including targeted marketing of our community’s strengths, streamlined permitting, and infrastructure improvements. I favor initiatives promoting local and unique shops, markets, and services over generic chains and strip malls. Local incentives play a valuable role in economic development. I would support temporary tax abatements, development fee waivers, and other targeted incentives to help desirable businesses locate and grow here—especially those that create jobs while preserving our community’s unique feel and quality of life.
Workforce availability remains one of the most significant challenges facing employers across the region. What role can the City play in supporting workforce attraction, retention, and development? (100 words max
I think that the city must lay the groundwork for quality businesses to want to come here. Then, we must ensure that we have robust and reliable city services that help to ensure that we attract and retain the workforce. We can help to ensure this by also making sure that we are developing the town thoughtfully, with walkability and security. We want people to live and work here and invest themselves and their families into the community.
In 2023, F-M Metro COG conducted a study of the metro area’s housing market that identified the need for 16,400 housing units across the region by 2033. What policies or tools can the City of Horace use to support the development of attainable, market-rate housing in Horace? (100 words max)
I do not believe that Horace needs to focus solely on low-cost housing that builds out quickly. We can and should focus on being good stewards of tax payer money and ensuring that the developments being laid out in the town are made thoughtfully, with green spaces and parks, with good walkability, and not laid out to squeeze as many homes as possible into the smallest amount of space. If we ensure that our town has good housing, with good schools and good business opportunities, people will build and move here for the long-term.
How critical is public safety to the vibrancy and vitality of our community, and what approaches would you support to strengthen public safety in Horace? (100 words max)
Public safety is tantamount to our community. I believe that, as of right now, the Sheriff’s department is the best option for our security and police force and should be retained for the foreseeable future. We must also fund and work with our fire department as we are growing and our footprint is expanding to ensure that we have adequate first responders no matter what the situation that arises. I would like to talk with the Sheriff department as well as Fire to see if they have any they have any gaps that need to be addressed.