KAUKAUNA — Kaukauna will choose an alderperson when voters go to the polls April 5, 2016.
In the race for the District 2 aldermanic seat, Incumbent Brenda Leon will face Philip Kohne, who previously served on the council and school board.
(Previews: Mayor I City council I School Board)
Candidates were contacted and invited to submit biographical information as well as answers to five questions submitted online by readers as well as Kaukauna Community News.
Kohne submitted the following preview. (There’s still time for Leon to reply. Message the page.)
Philip M. Kohne
Age: 63
Occupation: Sales service associate with the U.S. Postal Service
Education: 1971 graduate of Kaukauna High School and 1973 associate’s degree Fox Valley Technical College
Community service: KATODA Prevention Board 1994 to present, Board of review 2006 to present, coached girls softball and Cub Scout leader plus other city committees.
Publicly elected positions: Elected alderman District 4 from 1988 to 2006. Elected to the Kaukauna School District Board from 2009 to 2012.
Issues facing Kaukauna:
What is your main issue? Transparency in keeping Kaukauna residents well informed as to the decisions and major expenditures that affect the cities borrowing limits is one of the areas of concern. (See below) The issue of hidden fees in the utility bills and city user fees including the latest wheel tax is another concern as to what is the true cost of living in Kaukauna.
What ideas do you have to revitalize downtown? The revitalization of the down town hinges on individuals willing to invest in Kaukauna. To better improve the willingness of businesses to come into the downtown there must be a community need for their retail store and 100 percent ownership of the building. Currently there is 60 percent owner-occupied businesses according to the city planner. There are programs currently available to help them get started if they wish to invest.
Do you support the sale of beer at the music festival? If the festival is strictly an adult event and not family orientated I don’t see a problem. In general children tend to mimic adult behaviors at very young age. Some statistics show children participate in at risk behaviors such as alcohol consumption and prescription drugs. This may have been last years concern.
What will you do to involve citizens and provide transparency to city government? As for transparency, bring to the council’s attention that decisions made at Monday night meetings and the minutes are then approved at Tuesday night council meeting does not allow Kaukauna residents ample time to respond to those decisions. Most other governing bodies approve those minutes two weeks later. The other area to help inform the residents would be a semiannual newsletter mailed and not like the one included in the utility bill.
What is your biggest contribution to far to the city? My contribution to the city would be the 18 years as alderman serving Kaukauna’s District 4 with an excellent attendance and a voting record supporting community’s best interest, three years as Kaukauna School District Board member and brought the district back to fiscal responsibility, 16 years as a Kaukauna Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Board member, nine years on the Board of Review.
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