By Press Times Staff
BELLEVUE – It’s a five-way race for two of the Village of Bellevue’s four at-large trustee seats up for election in 2022.
Incumbent John Sinkler will face challengers Jackie Krull, Larry Hamsing, Victor Hoffman and Kenneth Garwood.
The top four candidates in the primary advance to the general election.
Incumbent Tom Katers did not seek reelection.
The Press Times emailed each candidate the same question and gave them 200 words to respond.
The question: What do you see as the most important issue facing the Village of Bellevue, and if elected, how will you address it?
Jackie Krull
A: Bellevue is transitioning toward full buildout, with development at the edges of rural working lands.
Cultivating our community is a balance of vision and investment that requires a long-range view of next-level items, while understanding the deep places of the heart of our former rural community.
Within Bellevue’s borders, you will find goods, services and wages to support a family through all stages of life.
I am running for Bellevue village trustee to give my public voice a vote.
I embrace holding a public office as an act of service to all Bellevue residents.
My civic life is a citizen concerned with the affairs of the community.
My political life supplies a vote towards carrying out goals.
My long-range focus as a Bellevue village trustee is deliberate choices for infrastructure investments and pavement management to shape the community.
My mid-range focus is to expand the biking, walking and rolling culture with safe on-road paths and off-road trails to string community neighborhoods together.
My short-range focus is to enhance technology safety nets to safeguard municipal continuity and digital connections to residents during increased volumes or in times of crisis.
Visit GeneralPublicJackie.com to learn more about my community endeavors.
John Sinkler
A: Bellevue is always growing. Last year we had $64 million worth of permits issued.
Emergency services have to grow with us.
We have increased our police coverage, starting this year, by backfilling when officers are out on leave.
We need to keep our neighborhoods safe. We have to address the direction of the capital improvements in the near future.
We have an aging community center.
I would like to see something for all age groups to utilize.
Larry Hamsing
A: There are several major issues facing Bellevue, but the most important, the one everyone seems to talk about constantly, is taxes and funding, especially related to our infrastructure needs.
And keep in mind that infrastructure is more than just the roads.
It’s also parks, water distribution, public transportation and the sewer system.
The village needs to assess those items periodically to be sure they are up-to-date and can handle future growth.
Increasing funding without increasing property taxes is difficult.
I strongly feel our impact fees for new homes, apartment buildings and condos are too low, compared to villages nearby.
Other fees for dog licenses, bike permits, bartender licenses, etc., are also on the low side, in comparison to other villages.
The village is growing rapidly.
An important issue is public safety.
Making sure our first responders are adequately funded is very important, but a related issue is using the Brown County Sheriff’s (Office) for our policing needs.
We spend a lot of money for police protection, and I think the time has come to at least debate whether the village should have its own police force.
Anyone wanting to know my views on any issue, contact me via email at [email protected].
(Editor’s note: Hamsing did not provide a photo).
Kenneth Garwood
A: Critical issues facing Bellevue:
Safety – Protecting our citizens is government’s No. 1 responsibility. I support the recent increase in police protection. I will also support activities and investments that:
• Provide safe neighborhoods.
• Increase safety for our parks and trails.
• Include traffic flow issues due to new developments.
• Balancing taxes and services – Bellevue enjoys a favorable property tax rate compared to surrounding communities. I commit to strong fiscal management to maintain our low rate while also responding to the changing needs of village residents.
Zoning – We need to protect the investments we have made in our homes and businesses, while still attracting growth in all sectors. Specifically, I believe we need to attract more single-family homes and small business development. Both will benefit our community and will also add tax revenue to support necessary services.
Infrastructure and technology – Road maintenance, increasing storm water regulations, TIF districts, facility planning, village IT needs, staffing and equipment are just a few of our ongoing challenges. I will ensure decisions address both current and long-term needs.
Transparency and Communication – Effective communication is vital for a healthy community. Increasing citizen information meetings will provide an opportunity for effective communication with our residents. There should be no surprises.
Victor Hoffman
A: I believe looking to the future and finding more opportunities to serve our Bellevue residents and businesses is the best way to move forward.
This hand-in-hand will solve any issues, or opportunities, as I like to call them.
This will help pave the way to easier, quicker and thoughtful resolution for future opportunities.
I believe with the opportunity of growth and change that this election brings, we may have the opportunities to keep moving our community in a positive direction, and to keep the vision of everyone on the horizon.
From homeowners to renters to small business owners to developers and corporations, they all play a role in our Bellevue community, and we all rely on our board of trustees to listen to us and to make the decisions that affect all of us.
I look forward to the opportunity to be a part of the process as your village board trustee.