BILL EGGENBERGER
1. What are your top priorities if elected to office and how do you plan to address them?
When I served on the council before, I recommended and followed up on improvements to the sidewalk on part of N. Elm Street. There were other items involved with that project that were not funded. I would like to finish that project. Our streets, sewer lines, and some water lines need replacing. I would like to place priorities on those areas to benefit everyone.
2. What do you plan to do to serve the people of New Boston and make sure their voices are heard?
I would listen and be accessible to all citizens and try to understand, and make sure that through me their concerns are passed along. There is too much emphasis placed on special projects that only benefit a few.
3. What is the biggest challenge the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to New Boston and how do you plan to address it?
As a private citizen or potential councilman, we need to follow the Governors guidelines. Personally, I feel there are too many restrictions on personal freedoms. Follow what you feel is appropriate, and hopefully it will end soon.
4. What are your thoughts about the city’s finances and what program(s) would you like to see added or done away with?
In the past sixteen months, the council has spent, spent, and spent. They approved a multi-million dollar second sewer plant, stopped replacing rolling stock with used vehicles and replaced this policy with an expensive leased vehicle system. Hired an expensive city administrator. Too much authority has been added to the City’s Administrators position. The council has turned the elected mayor into a more ceremonial post rather than a true leadership position, given the city is not being run by an elected official.
The council approved annexation of approximately 38 acres on CR 4001, and through a special arrangement circumvented the present sub-division ordinance and used tax payors dollars to install wet utilities to this property (the developer’s responsibility). It turns out the city will most likely not be authorized to sell water to this area because the water rites belong to another entity. There will be litigation in this case which will also cost the taxpayers more money.
I would make sure that ordinances are presented in full disclosure to prevent any possible quid pro quo in the future.
5. Under what circumstances, if any, would you consider raising taxes.
I would not recommend raising taxes! I believe better fiscal management would prevent raising taxes. Raising taxes is on the agenda for a called council meeting on September 29, 2020.