Theresa Village Board Candidates

All candidate responses have been unedited except for minor grammatical errors to help with readability.

Name: Joseph Haak
Occupation: Doctor of Chiropractic at Haak Chiropractic in Lomira
Community Involvement: I’ve lived in Theresa since 1997 and have been involved with the Theresa Village Board for 2.5 terms.
Why are you running for candidacy: I’m running to continue to support our community with reasonableness and, hopefully, sound decision making.

What are your qualifications: As a current board member, I’ve been involved in the decisions of the community for the past several years, and yes, even some of the unpopular ones.
What experiences have best prepared you to serve as a village trustee: Being self-employed (going on 28 years), decisions need to be made that affect how an efficient organization runs. I feel that I have the ability to make decisions that positively impact the community.
What do you feel is the biggest issue facing the community in the next year, and how do you plan to address it: There are several big issues on the horizon in the next year, the biggest probably being the Hwy 175 construction project through the Village. Without sound infrastructure, the Village will surely suffer. My goal is to facilitate the smooth completion of that project and to support the businesses that will be affected by the street shutdown.
Why should people vote for you: As a longer-term resident, I care deeply about the community, its safety, its growth, and its future. There will most likely be many tough decisions that need to be made in the next two years, and I ask for your vote to continue the work I’ve done. Thank you.

Name: David Brandenburg

Occupation: Golf Course Manager, Rolling Meadows Golf Course, Fond du Lac.
Community Involvement: Member of Saint Theresa Church, Resident since 1998.
Why are you running for candidacy: I am running for office to continue to help guide the Village of Theresa into the future. As a small community, we have limited resources, but our residents still want quality of life items, such as parks, clean water, and safety.
What are your qualifications: My qualifications to serve [are that] I am a good listener and enjoy working with others, solving problems for the greater good.
What experiences have best prepared you to serve as a village trustee: My experiences that prepared me to serve as a village trustee are:
• Serving on the village board since 2010, serving on [the] Public Works, Public Safety, and Finance Committees.
• Serving as a board member for golf associations for over 30 years, helping with a number of committees and boards.
What do you feel is the biggest issue facing the community in the next year, and how do you plan to address it: The village faces limited funding and rising costs, along with aging infrastructure. We need to continue to be cost-efficient but invest in the future. Villages our size struggle to raise revenue due to levy limits, and taxpayers already pay more than they want through taxes and fees for services. There is no easy answer. As an individual board member, I will work hard to make the best decisions for the current and future taxpayers.
Why should people vote for you: I think citizens should vote for me because I will work hard to make the village as safe and cost-efficient as possible.

Village of Theresa Candidate Jim Polster, Jr. did not submit a completed questionnaire for print.