Voters in Paris will have a chance to vote in a contested election for supervisor 1 in the April 2 election.
On the ballot will be Ron Buttke and Amanda Kurt. Incumbent Ron Kammerzelt did not run for re-election.
The same questionnaire was submitted by westofthei.com to each candidate by email.
Here is their biographical information followed by their question responses, presented in alphabetical order:
Ron Buttke — Age: 66. Education: Technical Degree. Occupation: Retired Railroad Manager. Previous elected offices: None.
Amanda Kurt — Age: 29. Education: BS Structural Engineering, Milwaukee School of Engineering. Occupation: Vice President & Project Manager, Kurk Inc, Union Grove, WI. Previous elected offices: None.
1.) Why are you the best choice for supervisor?
Buttke — I was born and raised in Wisconsin and raised 3 children in Kenosha County for 27 years. I have been married for 37 years. I have been a Manager with the Chicago Northwestern Railroad and The Union Pacific Railroad for 32 years and I am now retired so I will have the time to commit to the position. I have been going to the Paris Town board meetings for 3 years and I am the Chairman of the Board of review plus I have been volunteering to work the Paris Elections. I really care about the Town of Paris.
Kurt — To be an effective Paris supervisor and community leader, a candidate needs to be unbiased, committed, informed, innovative, good communicator, flexible, and ethical. The various roles I have held allowed me the opportunity to develop all of these qualifications. I have experience in leadership, development & construction, codes & regulations, landfill operations, and community outreach. I am prepared to use my knowledge and expertise to offer a fresh perspective when evaluating issues affecting the Town of Paris.
2.) What would be your top initiatives for the next term if you are elected?
Buttke — I am concerned about the development of Paris realizing the growth that is happening along with the Residential , Bushiness vs Agriculture that we have with the hope of keeping Paris, Paris. Keeping The Town of Paris Paying the same portion of the county Tax as its been doing.
Kurt — If elected to Town of Paris Supervisor, I plan to contribute to the betterment and growth of Paris, while preserving the rural community lifestyle. I will work to enhance communication with the community and provide transparency between government officials and town residents. It is my intention to continue to monitor the Town budget in order to keep taxes low and provide an excellent level of service to the community. Fiscal discipline includes overseeing and facilitating a potential Legacy Project funded by the Town.
3.) What is your current vision for what would be best for the town regarding the Legacy Committee’s work and initial proposal?
Buttke — I appreciate the Legacy Committee’s hard work and like the Idea, but I would like to see just how many residents would use the exercise room and track. I think we could lower the cost to make it more reasonable. I realize the community is growing. I know that the schools gymnasium is inadequate and this would be a great way to solve a problem with the school at no expense to the taxpayers.
Kurt — The Paris Legacy Committee was organized to explore ideas for a community development that would benefit the Paris community now and into the future. I think the Committee has a great start on the community development and now can refine the project based on the much-needed feedback received during the February presentation. With a project potentially this grand, it is imperative that the committee takes it’s time to clarify the design to meet the needs and wants of the community while staying fiscally responsible. I believe the committee is travelling down the right path and needs to continue to involve the community and solicit additional feedback from residents in order to move forward.
