By Bob Peryea
Correspondent
Jerry Anderson, alderman for District 1 in Elkhorn, wasn’t going to run for office again, but when no one else stepped up, he felt he needed to make sure the people of his district were well-represented.
Anderson is running as a write-in candidate for another two-year term on the Common Council.
Anderson is an Air Force veteran with six years of service and an honorable discharge. He has been a contractor his entire life and is currently the building inspector for the Village of Williams Bay. He is also a volunteer with the Walworth County Historical Society.
A lifetime resident of Elkhorn, Anderson wants to help the city move forward on some of its more pressing issues.
“The (Sunset) pool is old and I think we need to put it to a referendum,” he said. We should let the people of the city tell us what they want done. It’s a nice draw, but there has been very little fundraising over the last 20 years. We should let the citizens decide.”
On the subject of a possible residential restriction ordinance currently being discussed by the Common Council, Anderson said, “We need to have something. We can take care of our kids in a safer manner.”
The ordinance would restrict where in the city that registered sex offenders could live. Similar ordinances exist in other towns and cities across the state and the country.
“I believe we need to be proactive, not reactive,” he added.
“We have been reaching out to the (Elkhorn area) school district to enhance the city’s relationship with the school,” Anderson said, when asked about other developments on the council. “There was no relationship until recently. We are building a bridge.”
Over the next 20 years, “we need to keep Elkhorn ‘hometown America,’” he said. “We need to keep our crime rate under control. People feel safe here. We have a low crime rate. Our police and fire departments make them feel secure.”
“Going forward,” he said, “I think we need to have better facilities for our city employees. Some of the buildings are very old. And we need to keep maintaining our roads. Some are already repaired, but we should continue.
“I don’t know what the future will bring for me or the city, but I would like to be an Alderman for two more years to help,” Anderson concluded.
