Now...The Truth
I have been a citizen of Brookfield for 24 years and a member of the Brookfield Common Council for eight years, including two years as president. Many blogs in the past have contained false and distorting info about public affairs. I will provide truthful information and maintain an influence on city policy.
Don't Change Committee Members
The proposal requiring all aldermen rotate to serve on standing committees would be self-serving. I don't mean this in a derogatory context but as a reality that benefits only council members. It would be a detriment to the City of Brookfield going forward. The existing system will better serve the City in the future.
Committee membership must remain as stable as possible. First of all, committee members should be appointed based on the individual's profession if possible. Government is becoming increasingly more complex and it takes several years to develop the expertise needed to make strong policy recommendations. For example, the Sewer and Water Board need to maintain a stable, expert membership to understand why policies regulating Water hookups and refund policies are maintained and not subject to rapid changes by inexperienced aldermen. Of equal import is the Finance Committee. Each member must understand thoroughly the meaning of fund balance. It is not entirely cash that can be used as a substitute for the tax levy for the next five years! Members also need to be educated on the types of investments available. A committee well versed in investing could save the City money by avoiding risky investments such as those entered into by several local area school districts several years ago.
During my eight years on the council, I learned that the first two years is a learning process. I also believe a better solution to council term limits is a process we call an election. In Brookfield we often have a dearth of aldermanic candidates and a lack of incumbents and could result in an appointment by the Legislative Committee. This is not exactly the ultimate democratic process. Let the election process and the council president determine the make-up of the council.
