I am honored to continue to represent District 1 on the Menasha City Council. Elected for five terms (11 years), I have chaired and served on numerous committees during my time in office. In 2022, I was also elected to the Winnebago County Board. County policies have a significant impact on our daily lives in Menasha, and it’s a privilege to serve in this position as well.

Budgeting

One of the biggest jobs a council member does is work on the annual budget. With ten years of experience, I understand the budget process and how to work with department heads to keep costs down and service levels steady or improving. I’m proud to have been part of a process that has helped keep Menasha moving forward.

Consensus Building

Committee participation is where much of the city council’s work gets done — developing the policies and programs that directly affect our daily lives, such as how our parks function, when to upgrade equipment, development and developer agreements, and more. Building consensus with my fellow council members, city department heads and staff, and constituents has been a top priority for me.

I’ve collaborated with several city departments and Menasha Utilities to get the lead out of Menasha’s water system, and found ways for the city to work with a downtown business to decrease dust and improve air quality in the downtown. I was even able to work with the railroad to repair some street crossings — an ongoing challenge in Menasha.

My commitment to improving our neighborhoods started well before my time on the Menasha City Council.

While I grew up in rural Chilton, my husband, Jeff, is a lifelong Menasha resident. When we married, we could have lived anywhere in the region, but we chose to buy a house and make our home here on Doty Island, where my community involvement has included serving first as a board member and then as President of the Doty Island Development Council, Inc.

During my time with the development council, I organized and participated in events like the the Doty Island Clean-Up and the annual summer picnic. I also initiated an annual fund drive to support non-profits on Doty Island including YouthGo, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Community Table, and Double Portion.

I have continued to focus on investing in neighborhoods and improving quality of life for all of Menasha during my time as District 1 Alderman, where I have worked with the Park & Rec Department to re-open and redesign Shepard Park as part of Loop the Lake.

In my experience, government works best when the process for making decisions is transparent and residents and businesses are both informed about and involved in those decisions.

As your next mayor, I am committed to improving communication with City Hall — both sharing information publicly with you and listening to your feedback and concerns.

Whether it’s through providing online access, participating in regular neighborhood meetings, keeping office hours, or even being interviewed on the radio, I want to share how decisions made by the city will impact your daily life, and I want to hear from you.