By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
The Town of Waterford has two incumbents and a challenger fighting for two seats this spring.
The newcomer is Teri Jendusa Nicolai, a domestic abuse survivor whose story is known nationwide.
The two incumbents are Jan Alvey and Timothy Szeklinski.
Jan Alvey (Inc.)
Age: 67
Occupation: Realtor, broker, sales agent, sales director
Education: high school, Indiana Central College, UW-Milwaukee
Political experience: Town Board 2014 to present, Waterford Plan Commission 2013, Racine County Health Department Board.
Organizations: Lakes Area Realtors Association, Wisconsin Realtors Association, National Association of Realtors
Family: Husband, Dan, and three sons and three daughters-in-law.
Alvey said her participation with the Town Board is a “deeply felt obligation to our community.”
“I take seriously my role of public servant,” Alvey explained. “I’m committed to helping our community remain strong.”
Alvey added that the residents of Waterford deserve to be heard and have a voice in the decisions being made on their behalf.
“That is my main goal as a member of the Waterford Town Board,” she said.
Alvey said that the water level on the river is important, keeping it raised and “a vibrant part of the community.” She said the Town Board has a role to play in bringing new commerce to the area as well.
“We need to be good stewards and encourage people to participate in our community,” Alvey said.
Timothy Szeklinski (Inc.)
Age: 45
Occupation: fiduciary real estate development, real estate broker
Education: high school, MATC, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Institute of Real Estate Management.
Political experience: Town Board 2010 to present, Washington-Caldwell School Board, role of treasurer and president.
Organizations: Tichigan Lake Lions, Institute of Real Estate Management, past president of Apartment Owners and Managers Association
Family: Not available
Szeklinski said the most pressing issue for the town is financial.
“While the current Town Board has done an exceptional job of maintaining services and balancing the budget, both the state of Wisconsin and the federal government continue to mandate services along with greatly regulating how they must be, completely without providing any funding.
“My experiences will benefit the board and the citizens of the Town of Waterford by continuing with a common sense approach,” he added. Szeklinski added he believed that always doing what is right and treating people fairly would be at the forefront of his work.
“I wish to continue to serve the people in the Waterford area,” he said.
Teri Jendusa Nicolai
Age: 50
Occupation: Inspirational speaker and advocate for victims of domestic abuse
Education: three years at UW-Parkside
Political experience: no offices, but helped raise funds and advocate for various candidates, including Scott Walker.
Organizations: current vice president of Generations Against Bullying, Women’s Resource Center of Racine, volunteer speaker at Gateway Technical College for police recruits.
Family: husband, Nick, three children.
After surviving near-death domestic abuse attack by her ex-husband in 2004, Jendusa Nicolai got involved with testifying and helping bring forth bills fighting domestic violence in the state capitol.
“I love it,” she said. “I love the whole process. To see things that are helping people.”
With her children now at an age where she can look into other interests, she decided it was time to run for the Town Board.
“I just feel like I have time to devote to that,” she said. “I’d like to be a voice for my neighbors.”
Jendusa Nicolai said the water level on the river, as well as keeping taxes low, are issues that have come up. She also believes the Tichigan Fire Department should provide accounting numbers and show how that money is being spent.
“If we are giving town money to anyone, we need to see where it’s going,” she said.
She also wanted to make town government more open to residents, as the 5:30 p.m. meetings are sometimes difficult for people to get to.
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The current board is a fiscal mess. Agreeing to provide police services to the village despite warnings it will take public services and safety (and thusly tax dollars) from town residents. The Tichigan Fire fiasco. It’s time for some responsibility and accountability from this board.
Teri Jendusa Nicolai has professed her commitment low taxes, public safety, and open government. She has the integrity and courage to move our community in the right direction. Please vote for Teri!
I agree completely. Taking on the additional liability and putting it on the backs of town taxpayers to provide services for the village is ridiculous! What’s more, this board has failed to be fiscally responsible in many ways including its failure to call for an accounting of the funds it provided to the fire department.
The Tichigan fire department is made up of many excellent hard-working volunteers and they provide an invaluable service to us. However, it’s unfortunate that the alleged actions of their former Chief has caused embarrassment. All of that could have been easily avoided had the town board done its due diligence and merely asked for an accounting of the funds it provided to the fire department.