By Vanessa Lenz
SLN Staff
A Village of East Troy trustee will try to unseat the longtime village president in the April 2 election.
Incumbent trustee Randy Timms, a Village Board member since 2004 and plan commission member since 2001, is challenging Bill Loesch, who has been on the board for 26 years and president for 16 years.
“I have been active on the board since 1986 and am interested in continuing to serve,” Loesch said.
Loesch has lived in the village since 1978.
Timms, who moved to the Village of East Troy in 2001, said he chose to run this spring for two reasons.
“I have been asked to run for this office for several years by various people in the village. I have declined until now because I have supported Bill as president. Now however, two things are changing.”
Timms said he threw his hat in the ring because Loesch, whose home is on the market, has expressed his desire to move to California to be with his children.
“The other (reason) is my desire to make some long awaited changes in the operational end of the village,” Timms said. “I love East Troy and value what it has to offer, but I believe we can be more by thinking outside the box and having a willingness to explore opportunities.”
The following candidate Q&A’s begin in ballot order.
Q&A with the candidates
Q. What makes you a more desirable candidate than your opponent?
Loesch: “The only items I would point out are the greater number of years experience on the board and my accounting and financial background.”
Timms: “I’m not better than Bill. I’m different from Bill. He has done a very good job performing in a very difficult role. His focus, from my perspective, has been very solid in the area of finance.
“My skill set is different. In my work life, I help create better managers. In so doing, that creates better teamwork and that brings about more positive improvements. The village has made several changes in the last year and I believe more must be done to keep pace with tightening budgets and demands. I’m very good at obtaining consensus and moving projects forward.”
Q. What can residents expect from you if you are elected?
Timms: “Village residents have been witness to my style for several years now. I will never be the type to say what others want to hear just to get their vote. I tell it like I see it. I believe that’s why we serve. To fight for what we believe in.
“The Village President functions merely as a Trustee with a few more authorities. Leadership must be a strength. Compromise should be carefully arrived at when necessary and understanding others’ points of view is a must. We’re supposed to be in this together yet all too often lines are drawn and sides are taken. We must get past that and focus on the greater good for the village.”
Loesch: “They can expect the same level of effort and dedication I have put into the position since I have been on the board. In addition to attending Board and Plan Commission meetings, I attend as many committee meetings as I can. In fact, if not re-elected, I still plan to attend all public village meetings.”
Q: What are some of the challenges facing the Village today, and how would you work to resolve those issues?
Loesch: “I think a major challenge facing the Village Board moving forward will be the maintenance of the current level of services under state imposed levy limits compounded by the decreasing tax revenues due to homes selling at less than assessed value thereby reducing the tax base and tax revenue. Good budgeting and prioritization of projects will be important.”
Timms: “As I have considered the possibility of becoming the next Village President, I have begun to make notes about the things I would like to start discussing. Obviously holding costs is always on the top of everyone’s list. It’s easy to say that, much harder to effect that.
“In mid-2011 I began to closely examine the revenues and expenditures at our airport. I fought hard to show the board a number of areas where expenses could be changed. After hard decisions were made, we have realized profits at the airport and have hired an Airport Manager to run its daily operations.
“This did not happen easily. It took consistent pressure and a desire to make improvements. Some may feel these changes have not been positive, but our airport is beginning to grow and is more self-sustaining than in previous decades. I believe each department within the village must be examined in similar fashion until we are absolute in the way we manage and budget.”
Q: What do you believe to be the Village’s biggest asset and how does it East Troy unique from others?
Timms: “The Village of East Troy is one part of a larger community. Obviously, in terms of a voting entity, we’re speaking strictly of the village. But what we do within our boundaries has an impact outside them also.
“East Troy is a beautiful secret. Those of us fortunate enough to live/work here understand that. We must develop better ways to demonstrate that reality. I’d like to take our assets and improve them further. Capitalize on our strengths. Strengthen the foundation of programming and businesses so each of the stakeholders will gladly step up and make their contribution.
“Economic growth is critical. Without it costs rise so we must be diligent in creating opportunities for business and families to foster an environment we can succeed with. In the end, East Troy has a great deal to offer to a wide range of interests, but we must keep pace with rising costs both within and outside our control.”
Loesch: “We have a small town atmosphere with a lot of the amenities of a larger community.”
Bill Loesch
Age: 66
Education: BBA Major in Accounting, CPA – 1976
Occupation: Currently retired. Previously worked in finance for manufacturing companies with positions including Controller, Chief Financial Officer and
VP Finance
Political experience: 26 years, elected to Village Board in 1986, Village President since 1996
Organizations: Served on Facilities Committee for East Troy Community School District, served on Board of League of Municipalities for two years
Family: Married to Linnea, two sons, 37 and 34, one grandson, 15 months
Randy Timms
Age: 64
Education: 18 years of healthcare facilities management, 22 years of sales management, 37 years of marriage and 64 years of living
Occupation: Vice President – Sales
Political experience: appointed to Village Plan Commission in 2001, elected to Village Board in 2004, Airport Advisory Committee Chair since 2011
Organizations: Previous offices have included president, vice president, secretary/treasurer, church chairman, elder and deacon in a variety of organizations
Family: Married to Jo for 37 years, four children, seven grandchildren and six great-grand children
