The petitions are in, and Madison has five candidates for two seats on the Madison City Commission. Neither of the incumbents, Dick Ericsson and Scott Delzer, chose to run again, so Madison's five choices are all fresh faces (well, sort of):
- Jennifer Wolff
- Kelly Johnson
- Gene Hexom
- Jeremiah Corbin
- Ashley Kenneth Allen
So it's poll time: interested Madison readers, who do you think would do the best job steering Madison into the future? Vote now right here on the blog in the right sidebar. Remember, you can pick two!
Poll runs until Friday breakfast time, when we'll discuss the results.
By the way, city commission is a non-partisan race, but I'm hearing from my Madison neighbors that all five candidates in this race are Democrats. Imagine that! The GOP must be saving up its ammo for county offices (Pedersen, Wollman, Giles...).
I can't vote, since I don't live in Madtown any longer; but, if I could, I'd vote for Jeremiah and Ashley. I know them both personally and I believe they have the right attitude and ideas to move Madison forward.
I voted even thought it's been 30+ years since I lived there. Only know Gene Hexom and Kelly Johnson (I'm thinking it's the one I know).
Jeremiah Corbin would be a great addition to the Madison City Commission. I have no doubt that he would put in the time and effort needed to make positive changes.
I can not vote becuase I live outside the city, but if I could I would vote to have Jeremiah Corbin be a commissioner, we need someone new, young and fresh in the commissioner spot who is a well rounded thinker. I know Jeremiah would make great thought through decisions for the community of Madison! Since I can't vote I am only picking Jeremiah Corbin.
Now is the time to get to know me Owen. :)
http://www.AllenForMadison.com
Twitter @AllenFor Madison and Facebook.com/AllenForMadison
When it comes to local politics, I am a fiscal conservative. We have limited resources and we must be good stewards of the small amount of money that we have available each year. I promise that I will focus on the following:
1. Infrastructure FIRST: The upkeep, repair, and replacement of city infrastructure is number one on my list. Without a good public works system, we cannot expand our community and it will hurt our economic development initiatives. We have big projects in the works, including a complete replacement of Washington Ave and 2nd Street. Even though this is a SDDDOT project, it will take a lot of oversight by the city commission to make sure that we get everything done the right way. We have made progress on our water systems, our electrical grid, etc. in the last few years. But, we must remember city infrastructure needs to remain our number one priority.
2. Budget Focus: We need to work to retire our city debt faster. Not by raising taxes or increasing footage fees, but by growing our community, increasing retail options, and keeping shoppers local. This will increase our city revenues by keeping our sales tax dollars local. I do not believe we should or need to raise property taxes or related fees in the next 3 years. We can grow our city coffers by growing our sales tax base.
3. Keep them honest: Anyone that receives city funding should account for how the money is spent. I will work to pass a new city ordinance requiring that all money given to ANY organization through the yearly budgeting process that is not city owned will be required to submit a full accounting report on a quarterly basis of how the money was spent. Full accounting, itemized receipts, including a list of all parties involved and how every dollar was spent down to the penny. NO EXCEPTIONS. If you fail to comply, you lose your city funding in the next budget cycle. This will bring accountability and transparency to our budget. The city government will not be a “pass through entity” for secret projects or crony capitalism.
4. We must revisit and streamline our city ordinances related to economic development. We need an "all of the above" approach that allows every sector of our local economy to thrive, not just manufacturing and industry. We need creative solutions that can be carried out without adding to our city debt or increasing taxes and fees.
5. Every person's voice should be heard. We need to work to find common goals and set these forth in a new city plan called the "Madison 2025 City Plan". Aging city infrastructure, economic development, retail development, and quality of life initiatives should be brought back into focus and streamlined. A new “2025” city plan would be a catalyst to jump start and complete major projects in the next 11 years.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to contact me with any questions. I want to meet with and listen to every voter possible before the election. I promise to be a new voice for the future of Madison. I hope I can earn your vote on April 8th.
-Ashley Kenneth Allen
If I lived in the city limits, I would vote for Jeremiah Corbin. He has a lot of great ideas to improve and strengthen his hometown, and his experience and knowledge make him a true asset for the city.
https://www.facebook.com/allenformadison
BREAKING LOCAL NEWS: The Madison Community Foundation, The Lake Area Improvement Corporation (LAIC), and the Interlakes Community Action Partnership (ICAP) are moving forward with their plans to build a community thrift store in Madison, SD. The LAIC will be giving land and a building currently on South Egan Ave. to the Community Foundation to be demolished. The Foundation will build a new 13,000 square foot store in its place for an estimated cost of $650,000.
In 2012, the group asked for $150,000 in direct funding from the city. The group is no longer asking for direct city funding for this 2014 project. It was not disclosed if the LAIC is helping with funding or loan guarantees, or if it is one of the corporations making a financial donation (other than the land and building).
As you probably know, the LAIC receives much of its funding from the City of Madison and has also been used to shuffle previously owned city property in the past. In more ways than one, these corporations receive city funding and use the money to complete projects that may or may not have been voted on by the citizens of Madison.
How do you feel about this situation? Does Madison need a thrift store? Do we have any open buildings that could be used at a lower cost during a trial period? Do you feel this project has been discussed with the public enough? Will Madison residents support this project? Are there other projects that you think the LAIC and Community Foundation should focus on?
Currently, Mayor Roy Lindsay is our representative on the Community Foundation board and Scott Delzer is our representative on the Lake Area Improvement Corporation board.
This is what happens when we don't have a public discussion. When we give our tax money to private corporations they can hold private meetings that are never disclosed and do not comply with South Dakota's open government meeting laws. They can also do whatever they want with the money and assets after it is in their possession. I am not aware of any public discussion of this project in the last two years since it was last tabled by the City Commission in 2012. Does anyone else know of any public disclosures or discussion? The article in the paper tonight is the first one I have seen in two years time. We need open discussions and transparency.
Instead of taking the public feedback in 2012 and viewing it as an opportunity to improve the project, they took it private and pushed it forward. This could have been an amazing building. It could have housed a grocery co-op, the local food pantry, space for a farmer's market, small retail incubator areas for niche retailers, food vendor fairs on the weekends featuring live events and entertainment, the thrift store, and more. It could have been a multi-use, multi-purpose building that would have been the center piece of a revitalized downtown district. Now, it will just be a thrift store. I am really sad that this was not brought to the public for more development ideas. Instead, we defaulted to our status quo operations.
If elected on April 8th, I promise to be YOUR voice on the City Commission. It is time for transparency and open dialogue.
-Ashley Kenneth Allen
Would have like to vote in your poll but it wouldn't allow me to do so.
That's odd, Marc! Did someone else in your house vote already?
VOTE for WOLFF!!!! Jenny is intelligent,dedicated and motivated to doing her very best at anything and everything she does and strives for the betterment of her community. Vote for Jenny Wolff she won't let u down!
Without taking sides yet, I am pleased to see this level of enthusiasm for candidates. Local elections need more exclamation points!
I watched as each candidate (except Corbin) spoke at the February Dem meeting at Nicky's. Two of the four candidates there consistently talked over or tried to monopolize the conversation. They won't get my vote. Got that, Ashley and Gene???
Jennifer Wolff gets my vote. She will apply the same discipline and drive that makes her a triathlete to all of her undertakings. Anyone who can swim half a mile, ride a bike for 12.5 miles and have energy left over to run for three miles can surly go the distance in leadership.
Vote for Wolff, you won't be sorry.
On April 8th, you get two votes for city commissioner. Give one to Wolff who has been involved in community improvement for 12 years.
Just a few examples of her Community Involvement
» Interlakes United Way Board
» Chair, Friends of the Madison Public Library
» Madison Toastmasters
» MadManMini Triathlon Planning Committee
» Community Center Yoga Instructor
» Totland Park Improvement Committee
» Junior Achievement
» Leadership Madison
If you take the time to find out what Jenny wolff is all about I KNOW SHE WILL GET YOUR VOTE
I am not eligible to vote in the commision racehowever,, I would vote for Jenny Wolff. Her focus on accomplishing goals is second to none. She is up to date on EPA issues, and believes in making her community an area in which others will want to live and raise their families. Good Luck Jenny
Curious, Russ: do you have a choice for the second seat?
I urge Madison residents to vote for Jenny. I an not a Madison resident but am familiar with Jenny's talents and energy. She will bring a lot of innovation to "the table". I want Wolff !