Madison's mid-winter water crisis didn't lead to cholera, but there has been an outbreak of political enthusiasm. My hometown now has four filed candidates—Ashley Allen, Jennifer Wolff, Jeremiah Corbin, and Gene Hexom—vying for two open seats, and a fifth, Kelly Johnson, taking out a petition (deadline is this Friday, Kelly!).
Allen, Wolff, and Corbin all have Web presence. Hexom likely won't be online unless one of crony capitalist Darin Namken dispatches a flunky to whip up some placeholder page. Besides, the only people Hexom needs to talk to are his familiar old pals at the Community Center, not all those young complainers on their computers.
Speaking of whom, what are our youth candidates saying to the online electorate?
Corbin's new website leads with water as an issue. Corbin touts his experience as a source water protection specialist with the South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems. He also has water all over his brief bio page.
Allen leads with infrastructure as his number-one priority. He talks water but also broadens the topic to include street maintenance and electrical issues.
Wolff's campaign website takes a less traditional, more bloggy approach. Her website so far lacks the standard landing and About pages that we get from Corbin and Allen. Allen does have a blog section on his website, but the blog is the homepage for Wolff. Water does not figure in Wolff's blog posts so far... but she does include some humdingers on the need for repairs to Madison's conceptual infrastructure. In this morning's post, Wolff details how Sioux Center is growing while Madison "stagnates," then offers this hypothesis as to why:
So why the dramatic difference in economic, population, commercial, industrial, and residential growth? For two towns that seem so alike on the surface, when you put them side-by-side, one seems to be floundering while the other flourishes. One relishes being a "little big city"; the other relegates itself to a "big little city".
Perhaps the secret lies in Sioux Center's tagline: "Progress Through Cooperation". This is a city that doesn't let itself be defined by its limitations. It's also a city that seems to embrace partnerships with other organizations and encourage active citizen participation. It has a comprehensive plan that provides a 20-year road map for Sioux Center's future and outlines seven goals. The first goal? Collaboration & Cooperation [Jennifer Wolff, "A Tale of Two Cities," We Want Wolff campaign website, 2014.02.26].
By the way, Sioux Center, like Madison, is still waiting to be hooked up to the Lewis and Clark water system.
Wolff mentions in another post that Madison seems to view "citizen input... as a nuisance rather than a necessity." In a democracy, citizen input is as vital as water. Wolff, Corbin, and Allen all appear to agree on that principle.
At times over the last ten years, I have worked to bring attention to the issues Madison faces. I have spoken at many commission meetings. I have held town forums, wrote letters to the editor, and developed social campaigns, all for the cause of moving Madison forward. At times, I felt alone in the "good fight". Then an amazing thing started happening in the late 2000s, THE ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA MOVEMENT WAS BORN. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tumblr, etc.
All of the sudden, you could quickly socialize with family, friends, neighbors, and so many others you might not know. In the last few years, I have had the opportunity to organize and hold multiple public forums on Madison economic issues and have had many online conversations as well. This has all been made possible by "crowd sourcing" through social media. We have strengthened the conversation and influenced recent movements. The new world of social networks has redefined "coffee talks" and has generated more interest and discussion in local politics.
I no longer feel alone when speaking up about Madison. In fact, we have multiple candidates that have a similar campaign platform this year. We are going to have a REAL campaign and a REAL discussion of ideas this year. Many are campaigning on the same issues I have been discussing and encouraging for the last ten years and I find that refreshing and exciting. It reaffirms that we have a lot more concerned citizens than the previous Madison Administration would ever acknowledge.
A face to face discussion, a hand shake, a "sit down at the table" conversation, cannot be replaced completely by social websites, telecommuting, etc. Since I am a full-time telecommuter, I know this philosophy first hand. There is a reason why I still fly to the east coast for work once a month to meet with my team in person. Sure, I can do everything through technology, but face to face communication is still very important. We value it. We can all have a voice online, but when you look someone in the eye and make a promise, it still holds more weight. Our social media and online campaigns for this election are important, but not as important as meeting with our fellow Madison citizen residents in person.
I launched a strategic social campaign on the day I announced I was running. However, I know campaigns are won by asking for someone's vote, in person, by shaking a hand or having a conversation. Over the last 3 weeks, I have met with over 100 families and businesses face to face. Our conversations ranged from 15 minutes to sometimes over an hour in length. Many of you invited me into your homes and asked me to sit at your kitchen table to discuss the issues most important to you. I appreciate your support and your signatures on my nominating petitions.
I heard many recurring themes when visiting with Madison citizens.
1. Infrastructure: You want to know and trust that your public infrastructure (streets, water, electric) is being maintained and upgraded appropriately.
2. Economic Development: You want more options for shopping, including grocery and clothing retailers, and you want a revitalized downtown district.
3. Entertainment: You want more options for entertainment, including an upgraded movie theater, live music venues, and more options for children.
4. Competitive Electric, Water and Sewer Rates: You want affordable utility rates and you want to understand the reason behind rate increases.
5. Housing Development: You want more housing options and you want to see housing growth in the NE and NW parts of town.
All things "city infrastructure" will be my number one priority. A close second will be economic development, with a focus on improving the retail sector. These two things greatly contribute to "quality of life" issues in Madison.
I hope those of you that are passionate about moving Madison forward will participate in this election and vote on April 8th. No matter how you vote, please vote and let your voice be heard. Every citizen should have a voice in Madison's future.
-Ashley Kenneth Allen
http://www.AllenForMadison.com
I wanted to keep the tone on my blog more conversational, less hoity-toity politician.
If people want to know more about my professional experience, it's all there on my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferiwolff. My Facebook page offers my few more details about my personal life: https://www.facebook.com/WeWantWolff.
I agree with Ashley that social media does not replace face-to-face discussions, but I know a lot of people are uncomfortable with that level of personal interaction.
I am looking forward to the month of campaigning ahead and having more conversations.