MONONA VOTER GUIDE 2012

The Natural Step Monona compiled this Voter Guide. The Natural Step Monona is a non-partisan, non-profit organization. It is not responsible for the accuracy of any statements made by the candidates. Candidates’ responses are printed in the order received.

Responses from Candidates for Alderman

1. What is your vision for how the city can help revitalize the Monona Drive corridor, our main thoroughfare? Please address both public transportation and pedestrian concerns.

Brian Holmquist: With Phase 1 complete, Phase 2 set to begin this year, and Phase 3 scheduled to begin in 2013, most of the infrastructure planning is complete. Although much of the focus has been on business development, it’s critical we also encourage multi-family housing along this corridor. As one of our two major thoroughfares, we must find ways to use Monona Drive to “connect” ourselves with the greater metropolitan public transit services while providing safe access for pedestrians and bicycles to make our community more walkable and attractive to young families.

Mary O’Connor: The reconstruction project is a good start towards revitalizing the corridor. We should consider improving city transit service within Monona, perhaps with a route that travels along Monona Drive, stopping at Pier 57 and South Towne. Access to Madison Metro routes along the Drive needs to be improved.

Pedestrian safety has been strengthened by decreasing the number of driveways exiting onto Monona Drive. More effective signage at cross walks and making the crosswalks more obvious will help to improve safety for people crossing the Drive. Additional benches in public areas along the Drive make the area more attractive to pedestrians.

Kathy Thomas: My vision for Monona Drive is for it not to be a street with vacant buildings, but instead a thoroughfare lined with retail businesses where we do our shopping.

To do this:

We need to finish the road reconstruction and build an attractive streetscape that is biker and pedestrian friendly.

The City needs to maintain the façade grant program to help businesses.

The CDA needs to continue acquiring properties to assemble a parcel that is attractive to a developer.

The Mayor, and the CDA need to recruit developers, then provide TIF funding to encourage the development Monona needs and wants.

Jeff Wiswell, Sr.: No response from candidate.

2. In what ways have you participated in sustainable measures, both publicly and privately?

Brian Holmquist: I believe it is important to use the framework of sustainability when making decisions as a individual and as a community. A few ways I have participated in sustainable efforts and living include: helping build the Winnequah School Garden, supporting local farmers’ markets, continuing to upgrade the energy efficiency of our home, keeping a large garden and edible landscapes, preserving our own fruits and vegetables, practicing water-conservation and reduction of run-off, making homemade cleaning supplies, and composting.

Mary O’Connor: As a Library Board member I have approved a number of steps improving energy efficiency at the library. As a result, utility bills have shown a marked decrease. The library also has a rain garden and makes use of a rain barrel for watering landscape plants.

My family composts, uses energy efficient light bulbs, installed an energy efficient furnace and windows, and has added insulation where needed. We also do fewer, larger loads of laundry, use a trash compactor and recycle a lot. My husband takes the bus to work and primary car is a Honda Civic with manual transmission.

Kathy Thomas: “Use it up, wear it out, do without.” A mantra that I learned from my mother-in-law. There is no runoff from our roof, it is piped underground, and our house is pointed so it get maximum winter sun and minimum summer sun. We have no garbage disposal, we compost. We buy energy efficient appliances, have led lightbulbs, don’t use chemicals on our lawn, water most of our lawn with that we pump out of the lake, turn our furnace down and we repurpose items.

Jeff Wiswell, Sr.: No response from candidate.

3. With shoreline protection and restoration crucial for lake health, how would you address the tension between the public interest in stewardship of Monona’s shoreline and the personal property rights of shoreline homeowners?

Brian Holmquist: I believe in individual property rights and freedoms as long as they are not producing a negative impact on the community’s shared resources, and the rights and freedoms of others. Although individual actions have an impact on our watershed, we need coordination from all stakeholders to make significant improvements. Two critical issues are runoff and shoreline erosion. By utilizing relevant research and data we can work cooperatively with regulatory bodies and property owners to reduce harmful runoff and prevent erosion.

Mary O’Connor: The condition of the Monona shoreline impacts not only shoreline homeowners, but everyone who uses the lake. Improved communication and education can address the tension between the city and shoreline homeowners. The city can educate homeowners about practices that can damage or improve the shoreline and make sure ordinances are understood. It can sponsor demonstration projects so residents can see examples of good practice like rain barrels, rain gardens and porous driveways firsthand. Each has to understand the priorities and needs of the other and be willing to work towards compromises that hopefully will satisfy both interests.

Kathy Thomas: Being a lake owner, I can assure you that people who live on the lake are also concerned about the quality of the lake and maintaining the shoreline. It isn’t and shouldn’t be about lake owners, it is about all of us. Go to Lake Edge Park and take a look at the shoreline along Monona Drive. Nearly 95% of that sludge and debris comes from Madison, particularly uphill from that area.

Jeff Wiswell, Sr.: No response from candidate.

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Candidates were limited to 100 words per response.

Instructions for voting in Monona are available at the City of Monona Elections page: www.mymonona.com/pages/city_government/elections/.

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