The Oneida Nation encourages all tribal citizens and Oneida Reservation residents to become part of the political process. Our approach to elections is non-partisan. We build rapports with candidates and elected officials who have an understanding of Oneida and a willingness to learn about our government and organization.
We want to ensure our tribal citizens are informed voters and take the time necessary to know who the candidates are and what they represent. Seven of the eight City of Green Bay mayoral candidates have replied to a questionnaire and these are their answers.
Joe Moore
Why are you running for office?
I was a very good representative of my District for six years as an Alderman and I feel I am best suited to bring solid decision making and excellent decorum to the Mayors office.
What would you like to accomplish during your term?
I wish to establish 2, 5 and 10 year goals which are realistic in building tax base and cutting expenses and improving services without additional burden on the tax payers. Actions withing these plans are mergers of Green Bay Metro Fire, A Service Agreement with the Oneida Nation, Eliminating the Wheel Tax, and getting TIF funds into the General Levy.
Why should voters choose you for this office?
I have a history of supporting growth and working to negotiate deals that provide the least amount of risk. I have no partisan ties, and would be beholden to nobody but the residents of the City. I always prepare myself to be knowledgeable on all decisions that must be made at City Hall. I have plans ready to put in place to reduce tax payer burden and improve services. I am also the best candidate to bring neighboring communities together to repair damaged relationships.
Are you satisfied with the current relationship between the City of Green Bay and the Oneida Nation or do you feel changes need to be made?
I am extremely dissatisfied with the relationship between, not only, the City and the Oneida Nation, but also the County and other neighboring municipalities. Egos need to be put aside and people need to be welcomed to the table to ensure that there is mutual benefit in every decision. One of my top priorities will be to come together with the Oneida Nation on a long term Service Agreement. The Oneida Nation has proven willing to pay a fee above assessed value on property in trust, and there are just a few details that can be worked out with better communication and willingness to move forward.
Patrick Evans
Why are you running for office?
I love Green Bay! My parents instilled in me the principle, drive, and work ethic to take an active role personally, professionally, and civically. I live by those beliefs. I ask voters to review the qualifications of each candidate and vote for the most qualified, which I believe I am. Green Bay needs a Mayor with a strong budgeting and finance background, along with the leadership skills to fix our roads, drive economic development, and solve community issues. I ask voters to choose me because I have actually demonstrated and done that, not just talk about “what I will do.”
What would you like to accomplish during your term?
I would like to fix the roads in Green Bay, develop our Industrial and Business Parks, and find ways to address the homeless issue we have in the City. Please see EvansForMayor.org for The Evans Plan.
Why should voters choose you for this office?
Life-long Green Bay resident. Strong banking, finance, and budgeting experience. President, Vice President, and Director of multi-million dollar companies. Conducted business in 30 countries. Supervisor for 17 years holding numerous leadership roles. Bachelor and Master degrees in Business. I use Common Sense! Speak Spanish and Portuguese. Community-minded. Awarded the “Community Impact Award” from the United Way, the “Excellence through Partnerships for Children” from Brown County Early Childhood Council for work I’ve done for children who have been abused and neglected, and two-time finalist for the Press-Gazette “Person of the Year” for work I have done for adults with Down Syndrome.
Are you satisfied with the current relationship between the City of Green Bay and the Oneida Nation or do you feel changes need to be made?
No. As a Brown County Supervisor, I was on the team that developed the Oneida/Brown County Service Agreement (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes). I worked closely with Chairman Rick Hill, who I have a great amount of respect for. I was the person who provided Oneida Police Department with the “first-responder” authority when calls are received for “Downtown Oneida.” I believe I am the candidate most suited to fix the fractured relationship that exists between Green Bay and Oneida Nation. I believe in a fair and equitable Service Agreement that will be a win-win for both parties.
Paul Boucher
I am running for office because ,I see the many short comings of the city along with it’s strengths. I feel Green Bay needs my ideas, energy, and vision to allow it to grow. The city should be a world Champion like their football team. 2)During my first term I would like to: a) Build a Chinese style Arch dedicate to the Hmong. b) Build a University dedicated to Diversity. c) Increase the population by 5-10% annually. d) Beautify the city. e) Generate revenue by creating tourist attractions and promoting tourism. f) Build indoor climate controlled parking and skywalks. g) Make the city less congested and more accessible. h) Build road way tunnel under the Fox river. 3) I have more ideas to allow the city to grow and become a place where Educated people do not have to leave to succeed. I want to fight lethargy, complacency, minimalism and the know-it-all attitude. 4) I would like to create clearer lines of communication between G.B. and O.N.
Nick Mortensen
Why are you running for office?
- Green Bay needs someone with a technological background to bring personnel & processes into the present and guide it into the future. Technology-wise, Green Bay is living in 2005.
- I have a window in my life where I can do public service. In 4 years my daughter will be 9 and that’s a no-go. I wouldn’t put her in a position to deal with the scrutiny of being the Mayor’s daughter as a tween. Not in the smartphone era.
- I know many candidates from other areas of my life. Some are dunces (in those areas, at least). Other than Mark Steuer, I wouldn’t hire any of them for middle management.
What would you like to accomplish during your term?
- “City Council NXT” – A project that will empower 18-28 year-olds from minority groups to become the next generation of city leadership.
- Shift the decision making paradigm to data-driven. We are very backward from a tech standpoint. Data-driven decision making is the way forward.
- Ranked-Choice city elections.
Why should voters choose you for this office?
- I’m not a politician. I’m hoping to not get much politician on me.
- Since 2011, I’ve played significant role in growing Jones Sign Company from a single location w/100 staffmembers to 15 locations w/500 staff members.
- I understand tomorrow’s technology. I can guide the city through a technological leapfrog.
- The city desperately needs someone with my skill set as a decision maker. I would not be affordable to hire on as a consultant.
- My honesty is rooted in my desire to not waste time and resources cleaning up the messes that inevitably spring from being dishonest.
- Pure charisma. I’ve got it in spades & the other candidates have next to none of it.
Are you satisfied with the current relationship between the City of Green Bay and the Oneida Nation or do you feel changes need to be made?
Not satisfied at all. City leadership has been publicly petty and privately dishonest toward the Oneida Tribe. Trust has to be restored. Each of Us Needs All of Us.
Eric Genrich
Why are you running for office?
I loved serving my community as a State Representative, but we are at a very pivotal point as a city. I’m running for mayor, because I believe Green Bay’s future depends on the leadership we elect today. We have a proud history and a bright future, but we can only achieve the best of what’s in front of us if we tackle our challenges head on. And I’m not one to shy away from a challenge.
What would you like to accomplish during your term?
These are my priorities:
- Fixing our roads and investing in our infrastructure to strengthen neighborhoods in every corner the city.
- Spurring economic growth and creating jobs by centering our economic development strategy on retaining, growing, and attracting small business.
- Ending the bickering at city hall and fostering civility, responsiveness, and openness in city government.
Why should voters choose you for this office?
As a three-term state lawmaker, I served six years in the State Assembly. During this time, I was an effective and productive legislator, because I worked well with colleagues of both parties. That record of effective, pragmatic leadership matters, and it is in that spirit that I will address the challenges we face as a community.
Are you satisfied with the current relationship between the City of Green Bay and the Oneida Nation or do you feel changes need to be made?
I’m not at all satisfied with the current relationship because we currently lack a shared services agreement. City taxpayers have lost out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue, resources that are sorely needed to strengthen our community.
Put simply, the Oneida Nation deserves to be treated with the respect due to an entity that adds tremendous value to our culture and economy. Throughout my tenure in the legislature I have had a very positive relationship with tribal leaders. I’ll continue to be open and honest with the Oneida Nation and its leadership, viewing the Nation as an integral governmental and development partner and acknowledging and respecting tribal sovereignty.
Patrick Buckley
Why are you running for office?
I’m not running for mayor as a career politician looking for a paycheck, but as a concerned parent, proven business leader, and former Green Bay Police Officer who wants to make Green Bay the best place in Wisconsin to live, work, and retire. I have seen first-hand the many challenges that our city residents face just to get ahead, and I believe Green Bay needs to be a place where both families and businesses alike want to come and grow. I believe Green Bay is on the verge of exciting growth and opportunity, and needs a mayor with a proven record of getting things done to achieve this for our community.
What would you like to accomplish during your term?
My top three priorities are improving public safety in our neighborhoods, expanding economic opportunities for all residents, and rebuilding our City’s infrastructure. Green Bay is the highest taxed city in Brown County, yet we can’t balance our budget without going to our general fund. This practice is deterring businesses from coming here, pushing young talent away, and has resulted in horrendous roads. We need to fix our roads, lower the crime rate, and create a conducive environment for business to work here and families to live here. I am also committed to strengthening Green Bay’s relationships with Brown County, the Oneida Nation, and the surrounding municipalities, schools, and businesses.
Why should voters choose you for this office?
I am the only candidate with a background in public safety and business development, and keeping families safe and economically secure must be the top priorities of our next mayor. I will not use the mayor’s office as a stepping stone to advance a political career or agenda, but rather as a means to make Green Bay the best place in Wisconsin to live, work, and retire. I have demonstrated throughout my career as a leader how to get things done and bring people together to strengthen relationships, and I am committed to achieving this as mayor.
Are you satisfied with the current relationship between the City of Green Bay and the Oneida Nation or do you feel changes need to be made?
I believe the relationship between the City of Green Bay and the Oneida Nation has room for growth and needs to function as a partnership working towards the same goal of making our community the best place to live, work, and retire. As mayor, I will strengthen this relationship, open improved lines of communication, and look for commonsense solutions to advance this mutual goal. The history, culture, traditions, and positive impact the Oneida Nation has on our community needs to be protected and shared with our community
Mark Steuer
Why are you running for office?
I have 33 years of City experience; 26 as a City employee and 7 as a Green Bay Alderperson. Over time, I have met many citizens, business folks and government officials. I have studied, developed and voted on hundreds of projects and initiatives for the City. A sense of pride exists for me when I see the fruition of projects that have added to the fabric of our community. I run for office because of these experiences and for the fact that I am trying to make Green Bay a viable place to live, work and play.
What would you like to accomplish during your term?
- Repairing our roads and infrastructure
- Reducing City Debt and improving our bond rating
- Studying City TIF districts, service agreements and union contracts
- Backing efforts to strengthen neighborhoods
- Working on a citywide Capital Improvements Program
- Advancing Velp, Military, Mason and University Avenue projects
- Utilizing historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects for tax base
- Networking with Brown County, Oneida Nation and other municipalities for mutual benefits
- Advocating for Special Needs, Homelessness and Senior Citizen concerns
- Streamlining permitting and business development processes
- Promoting tourism opportunities with various City sites, the Packers, Oneida Nation and other entities
Why should voters choose you for this office?
After working for the City of Green Bay for 26 years as a Cartographer/Planning Specialist and presently serving as the President of the Green Bay City Council, I feel that I possess the knowledge and experience to become Green Bay’s 42nd Mayor. No matter the issue or project being studied or voted on, I tend to stay level-headed and do my best to make the best decision possible for the betterment of the City . I look for networking opportunities with Departments, staff, the business community and other governments for the betterment of all involved
Are you satisfied with the current relationship between the City of Green Bay and the Oneida Nation or do you feel changes need to be made?
The City of Green Bay and the Oneida Nation need to sit down at the bargaining table to find ways to reenact service agreements, promote tourism opportunities and work in partnership on various commercial and residential developments. Our communities have been neighbors since 1822 and we need to find the ways and means of continuing to be good neighbors. We need a paradigm shift here, and as Mayor, I believe that we can attain our common goals.
