It’s Time to Get to Work, Wayzata!
Wayzata is a growing city, with natural beauty and PEOPLE who are unmatched. We need a Mayor ready to roll up his sleeves, get to work, and make sure the city maintains its strengths without growing unsustainably or in a direction which fundamentally changes who we are. These are the issues I’m running on.
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Public Safety
As your potential mayor, I understand that Wayzata's growth brings both opportunities and challenges, especially concerning public safety. Our city has become a regional hub and an attractive place to live and work. But with more people come more noticeable challenges. I hear this from residents all the time. Sadly, the current administration has failed to adequately prepare for this growth. While they claim that public safety is a priority, their actions don't always match their words. We need a long-term plan to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents. This includes enhancing our independent police and fire departments. We must also address leadership transitions within these departments, ensuring continuity and effectiveness. Moreover, we need to focus on recruitment and retention strategies for public safety employees to ensure the long term viability of these essential public services.
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Congestion and Infrastructure
Over the past decade, Wayzata has undergone significant commercial development, leading to increased congestion and traffic challenges. Our downtown area, in particular, faces parking and circulation issues. It's clear that we need to make changes to our public street parking and explore creative solutions to mitigate traffic congestion along Lake Street and Wayzata Boulevard. Additionally, we must address the safety issues from the narrowed road along Lake Street and explore the possibility of a third exit from 394 into Wayzata, further to the west. These measures are essential to improving traffic flow and ensuring accessibility for our residents.
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Clean Up City Hall / Fiscal Responsibility
Wayzata's annual budget is substantial, yet we've struggled to allocate resources effectively. While we've invested in well intentioned initiatives like solar panels and explored municipal control and sale of marijuana, we've neglected crucial areas such as public safety. I am calling to question what are the highest and best use of of tax payer dollars? We need to prioritize fiscal responsibility by investing in essential services like law enforcement and firefighting. Instead of wasting resources on unnecessary administrative positions and consultants, we should focus on meeting the needs of our residents and enhancing their quality of life.
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Bring the Public back into Public Service
As your mayor, I believe in proactive community engagement. Our current City Council has been passive in its approach, often leaving important decisions to city managers and attorneys. This lack of engagement is unacceptable. I'm committed to being a visible and accessible mayor, engaging with residents and businesses directly to address their concerns and feedback. We need leadership that listens and responds directly to the needs of the community, not one that hides behind bureaucracy.
Looking to our Past and Moving Forward Together
In recent years, Wayzata has seen significant developments like Presbyterian Homes, and Panoway. Our neighboring Cities are in significant conflict over the direction of independent Public Safety. These projects and conflicts will continue to shape our community and deserve ongoing attention and scrutiny.
From the completion of Lake Street reconstruction to disputes over boat slip fees, it’s essential to learn from our recent past and ensure that future decisions benefit our residents.
As your mayor, I’ll work tirelessly to address these issues and lead Wayzata towards a brighter future.