Greg Walz-Chojnacki
My support for Dennis McBride comes down to three things: character, competence and experience.
I’ve known Dennis for many years and I understand that personally and professionally he has worked to support the values we share; his work at the EEOC, for example, has demonstrated a commitment to fairness in the workplace and the rights of under-represented people.
As a civic volunteer, Dennis has played a large role in rescuing and revitalizing Hoyt Pool and the wildly successful The Landing – whose benefits are enjoyed by people well beyond our city’s borders. He played a similarly important role in the founding of Support Our Schools; his role in the rescue of Wilson School is a great example of his long-standing commitment to public education in Wauwatosa. Read more about Dennis’ unparalled contributions to our community.
When considering our concerns about the city, it is important to understand the constitutional, legal, and financial constraints that city officials must operate within.
One example is policing, which has been a source of concern for many of us. It’s important to understand that the power to hire and fire police chiefs and officers lies with the Fire and Police Commission, not the mayor, But under Dennis’ leadership, the city will begin hiring social workers to do the public safety work that sworn officers are not trained to do (something that is best described as re-funding, not “de-funding” the police).
Another example is that, while the mayor chairs Common Council meetings, the sole legislative power exercised by Wauwatosa Mayors is the ability to break ties in Council votes. Beyond that, the strength of the mayor lies in lending her or his experience and advice to alders who must consider and enact policy.
Dennis also well understands the importance of working with our neighboring communities to share resources and solve common problems.
I urge voters to contact the alders they have elected to learn about their experience with the two mayoral candidates, and who they think has the qualities and experience a mayor needs to serve the interests of the entire community.
A word about our unelected city officials. As a citizen and alderman, I have found our city staff to be unfailingly transparent, respectful and patient in explaining the complexities of the issues before them, and sharing their best judgment as to how to address those issues, from public safety, water, roads, and more. They make themselves available to alders, and to citizens, as time allows. Two of the city’s most nettlesome problems – housing and transportation – are being dealt with as well as can be expected, given the lack of support from the state legislature.
Every American city has significant problems, but under Dennis’ experienced and competent leadership, Wauwatosa is addressing those problems with uncommon success.
One important measure of that success is the recent growth of the city’s population after years of decline. This growth is driven in large part by an influx of young people who want to raise their families in one of the most successful municipalities in the state.
I will close with a very personal observation. As a parent of a child with Down Syndrome, I am appreciative of Dennis’ support of efforts to provide supportive housing to people with special needs – part of the city’s broader commitment to address housing concerns in Wauwatosa. There have been setbacks, but I have complete confidence in Dennis’ – and city staff’s – commitment and competence to address housing concerns in the city.
This confidence stems from Dennis’ long-demonstrated competence and commitment to the welfare of Wauwatosa and its residents and visitors.
We all want progress. I’m supporting Dennis because I know he can get it done.
