Three candidates vie for the City of Wall Mayor position

Gordy Kraut

Why are you interested in running for this position?
We have a great community here in Wall and I appreciate all that this town has to offer.  I want to keep this a place where people want to continue to live and also want to come back and raise their families.  This would also be a great way for me to personally give back to the community.  I truly want to do what is best for Wall and I know we can keep this community thriving and successful and look forward to being your next Mayor.
How many years have you been in the community?
I have been in this community almost 13 years.  I have lived in bigger cities and smaller communities and have always gravitated towards the smaller communities.  I feel this gives me a unique perspective on what makes Wall a great place to live.  We built our permanent home in 2016 and look forward to many more years to come here in Wall.  
What involvement have you had with events, committees, or volunteer work within the Wall Community? 
I have been involved in various activities since I have arrived in Wall.  I have been on the Chamber of Commerce Board for the last two years.  I have also been a member of the Wall Golf Course since my first full year and been the Treasurer of Wall Golf Course Board for the past three years.  I was also the President of the Lion’s Club for several years here in town.  I believe I have participated in all but one of the city-wide clean-ups and been involved in several parades etc. in town.  I have flipped pancakes at the pancake supper and on occasion tend bar for golf course events. I will continue to participate in events in town and am looking forward to serving this Community in the capacity of Mayor.
What is your present profession?
I am currently the Chief Financial Officer for Golden West Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc.  I have been in this position since I arrived almost 13 years ago.  I have been in the accounting and finance profession for more than 33 years.  I am currently a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and have both an MBA in Finance and an undergraduate degree in Accounting.  
As the new mayor what leadership experience/capabilities could you bring to the city council and community of Wall, SD?
I have over 25 years in management and leadership positions in companies I have worked at throughout my career.  I have over 33 years of total experience in accounting and finance.  I currently am Chairman of the National Exchange Carrier Association Average Schedule Task Group which is a national industry group that handles rate making and settlements for certain rural telecommunications companies.  I am Vice President of Express Communications Board of Directors.  I have worked with budgets, expense control and forecasting my entire career and will bring a business mindset to the position of Mayor. 
What do you feel are the top three concerns for the City of Wall in the coming year or near future?
My top concern is the availability of affordable housing.  We can put all the businesses we want in town, but if we don’t have housing, we will not have the employees to be able to fill those jobs.  I know the City is working on this but we need to continue to grow housing availability for current residents and new residents to Wall.  That brings me to my second concern which is where do we find employees for our local businesses.  Finding employees is not an issue that is unique to Wall but is something we need to continue addressing.  We need to continue to be the community where younger families want to come back to Wall.  I have been fortunate to hire a couple of employees that just wanted to get back and raise their families here in Wall and that has had an impact on me and my respect for the City of Wall.  Lastly, public safety will always hit my priorities.  We need to continue to make sure we are properly supporting our police, fire, city workers and ambulance services appropriately.  These are the people that keep us safe and respond during bad weather or in times of need.  To them I say thanks!  My goal though will be to listen to the citizens of Wall and represent their needs to the best of my ability.
If you were awarded a $1,000,000 grant, for improvements to the City of Wall, what would you propose to do with it? 
Typically grants are for specific projects and I would assure that the money was spent on the project that was proposed.  However, making the assumption it is for any project we wanted, the first thing I would look at doing is continuing improving the infrastructure around town.  With all the traffic in town, we always have a need for continued work on our roads.  If it were for projects outside the normal infrastructure, I would look at putting in additional bike paths and lighting.  If we want to grow housing, one of the things that draws members to communities is activities.  
Closing comments on why you should be elected Mayor of Wall, SD.
I want everyone to get out to vote on April 12, 2022, and I hope that you will consider me to be the next Mayor of Wall.  I have the background and experience that will be beneficial as Mayor and want what is best for the City of Wall.  I would be honored to have your vote.  Feel free to contact me via email at gkraut@goldenwest.net or find me on Facebook at #VoteGordy or Gordy Kraut for Mayor.
 
Jackie Kusser
 
Why are you interested in running for this position?
Voters have expressed to me their strong desire to bring community trust back to the Mayor’s office. I agree. We need to honor the voice of the people, and the people deserve to have an honest, transparent leadership and have trust in our city government. Our voters say they have not been heard. I agree with that, as well.
We also need to do a better job of researching possibilities for the city, both business-wise and legally, before we act. Hasty decisions have cost the City of Wall and its people a lot of money. We need to stop foolish spending. Our citizens want to be reassured that we have their best interests at heart. 
I have no hidden agenda. We need to use what we have; we are a small town, we are not Rapid City. Residents should be able to take pride in where they live; folks, this is your town, and you need to be involved in decisions on how to spend your taxpayer dollars, and how we go about attracting new businesses that benefit our community. Let’s actually DO something about that. 
Do I have all the answers? I cannot promise you that. But I can promise to try to find those answers for you.
How many years have you been in the community?
My family moved here 22 ½ years ago from Alexandria, MN.  I have worked here and raised my children here. I love our little town! I have a great job, and my children are safe and looked after by the wonderful people of the Wall area. They are free to work at their jobs, play school sports and walk home here. Something I am grateful for.  Thank you, Wall.  
What involvement have you had with events, committees, or volunteer work within the Wall Community? 
I joined the Wall Fire Department in 2002 and put in many hours of training to obtain many certifications in firefighting; I was Firefighter of the Year and have worked/trained with the State Fire Marshall for Fire Investigation. In 2008, I began my EMT Certification. While it was a pleasure to assist the Wall community as an EMT during those years, I stepped down to better serve my family in 2015. I have since been elected to the Wall Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors where I served as Board President. I have served on the Board of Directors for Black Hills and Badlands Tourism Association as Treasurer, Vice Chair and Board President; BH&B has a multi-million-dollar budget to market its members.        
My children have joined me in the Annual Wall Clean-Up Day, Wall’s Annual Pancake Supper and other events. My girls are as committed to Wall as I am.
What is your present profession?
I serve as the Executive Buyer/Shipping Manager for Wall Drug Store; including all overseas products, developing product, purchasing of general gifts, rocks, souvenirs, dealing with profit and loss margins and am in charge of a staff that makes sure desired products are available to our guests. A business as large as this must be sure to get the most bang for our buck, as making costly mistakes is not an option. My work is very detail oriented and there is a constant need to make sure that everything is in its place because of the large dollar amounts I deal with on a daily basis. That said, I am my own person. I have no political entanglements with my bosses.  
As the new mayor what leadership experience/capabilities could you bring to the city council and community of Wall, SD?
I have been in leadership roles since I was 18 years old when I was running a Ready-Mix Plant of 15 men, which also included dealing with contractors on many   jobs. On up through my current position, I have managed millions of dollars in budgets and have had to be very detail oriented; I have always made sure to read the fine print. That takes the skills, experience, work ethic and common sense that would be very valuable to our City, our City Council and our area community, as well.
That said, I am always open to learning new or better ways to do things.
What do you feel are the top three concerns for the City of Wall in the coming year or near future?
1. One of my first concerns is how we are spending our taxpayers’ money and are we spending it wisely. We have been blessed the past few years with the tax dollars that have come into the City. As we all know, that will level off, and I have concerns that we may find ourselves in an extreme amount of debt. We must eliminate any foolish or unnecessary spending and proceed only with the projects that will not only help our community prosper but will keep us financially stable. 
2. We have some infrastructure issues coming up. Fourth Avenue has to be completely redone and that project alone will cost the City right around $4million.  That used to be a County expense but since the City quite recently decided to take over ownership of 4th Avenue, July 1, 2016, in fact, it is now a City expense – with no financial gain from doing that. Is there a plan on how to come up with that money?  That $4 million could have done wonderful things for the people of Wall. There are also, as always, other street projects and other important City needs to be taken care of. 
3. We are having serious issues with finding business and school employees; how can we help with that? The housing situation is always the elephant in the room when discussing the need for bringing workers and businesses to Wall. This needs to be taken care of immediately. It will also enable us to offer housing availabilities to future employees. Those needs should be addressed for current citizens, as well.
Our local Ambulance Service is in need of help and support. We do not want to ever lose the life-saving services they give to our community; that goes for our local Fire Department, as well. These local units are vital to our   small, rural area.  What would happen if we didn’t have them? Plus, strong Ambulance and Fire Departments are things that encourage future employees to move to Wall.
If you were awarded a $1,000,000 grant, for improvements to the City of Wall, what would you propose to do with it? 
Infrastructure needs. And I would want to hear from the people what they think is needed, what they want, and what is important to them.  
Closing comments on why you should be elected Mayor of Wall, SD.
Being Mayor means having your City’s best interests at heart, listening to the voice of the people, being unbiased, digging out facts and reading the fine print, and not having just one agenda. It means doing what is best for the community and area as a whole. Tough decisions need to be made at times, decisions that not everyone is always happy with, but a Mayor needs to have an open door and talk and work with and for the people living here.
We want to keep our small town wholesome, friendly and a safe community, something for each of us to appreciate and enjoy. We also want to put that stable vision forward for our generations that will live here in the future.
Let’s use our voices and our votes to join our community together.  PLEASE. GET OUT AND VOTE!
 
Mary Williams
 
Why are you interested in running for this position?
Wall has many opportunities coming its way right now. I would like to keep these projects moving forward to completion, and I will work to improve the quality of life that would welcome Wall School graduates and young entrepreneurs to Wall.
How many years have you been in the community?
My husband and I moved from our ranch southeast of Wall, to our home on Kelly Avenue, 21 years ago.  All our children graduated from Wall School and are involved in our local family ranching operation.  
What involvement have you had with events, committees, or volunteer work within the Wall Community? 
I have been involved with Wall Economic Development, Wall Rodeo Boosters, St Patrick Church Finance Council, Wall Senior Living Committee, Wall Marketing Hometown America, Wall School Board, Wall Badlands Chamber, and have written grants for school and community organizations.
What is your present profession?
I am self-employed and a business partner in our family-owned ranch operation.  
As the new mayor what leadership experience/capabilities could you bring to the city council and community of Wall, SD?
Due to my experience in working with the Wall City Council, Wall Economic Development, district legislators, county commissioners, and regional economic development organizations, I understand the responsibility and expectations of the role of mayor. I recognize that the learning curve will be steep.    I currently am President of Wall Economic Development and Co-Chair of the Wall Senior Living Facility/Funding Committee.  I have been on the Wall School Board and a past chair of the Wall Badlands Chamber.  I believe it is important as a leader to bring people together to work as a team to move projects forward. Good heads create great ideas, and much can be accomplished.
What do you feel are the top three concerns for the City of Wall in the coming year or near future?
I see opportunities rather than concerns in the areas of workforce, housing, and retention/expansion in the coming year: 
I feel Wall has an opportunity to create year-round employment opportunities. I believe it is essential this gets accomplished because the 2020 Census shows the Wall population to be 699, a 9% drop from the 766 of the 2010 Census.  The Wall School enrollment is lagging three surrounding communities. In 2021, the range of Wall K -12 students is 19 to 56 less than Philip, New Underwood, and Kadoka.   
The second opportunity is having the land to build middle income affordable, quality housing. As new people come to town, they must have a place to live.  I will use the new housing study to help secure infrastructure dollars (via the Workforce Housing Bill presently waiting for the governor’s signature) and work with developers to increase housing.
The third opportunity is to finish the industrial park infrastructure that will accommodate retention and expansion of local businesses. To help diversify the Wall economy, I will work to recruit value added ag and service businesses to cater to ranchers/farmers who are Wall’s year-round business base.   All of these, workforce, housing, and business development, depend on the other.
If you were awarded a $1,000,000 grant, for improvements to the City of Wall, what would you propose to do with it? 
I would propose about 20% of a $1M grant be used to improve the Wall City Park.  Specifically:  new user-friendly inviting bathrooms that could be used for both the swimming pool and park users, with enhanced changing areas for pool users. The tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, skateboarding all need tweaking too. I would plant an evergreen tree in the park that could become the Wall Community Christmas Tree for an annual lighting event.    Because of my practical nature, the balance of the grant, I would put toward infrastructure south of the interstate. The city sewer system stops right south of the cabins. Two new businesses have come to the city council indicating they would like to locate there.  
Closing comments on why you should be elected Mayor of Wall, SD.
I am eager to work on solutions for Wall.  I believe "A rising tide lifts all boats", and I want to do what is best for “All” Wall. I believe that an improved economy will benefit all participants and that the Wall economic policy should focus on broad economic efforts. I encourage everyone to vote on April 12.  Your vote will make a difference!

 

The Pioneer Review

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Philip, SD 57567
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