Name: Teresa (Tere) Dunlap

Occupation: Writer and farm owner; retired news reporter. 

Years lived in village: 24

Incumbent? Yes, as a trustee; No, as Village President

Have you been on the village board or held any other public office before? If so please describe: Monticello Village Trustee since 2013.

Why are you running for Village Board President? I was asked by several of my fellow trustees to run for Board President, and as a trustee, I found we have some methods and procedures that are in need of updating, that are limiting the trustees in their ability to work with a complete overview of the village needs and future.

What issues do you find most important to the village board? How would you handle these issues? Improving Broadband capability and updating the Wastewater Treatment Plant are probably two of our most important tactical approaches toward improving our major physical assets and economic development in the village. Those efforts have already begun; now we just have to stay attentive to the plans laid out for them.

But I also see a broader, more abstract issue in town is frustration affecting our public, our board, and our staff. I am amazed to discover some people don't know their rights and responsibilities – or the limits thereof. We all need more knowledge and understanding of our state statues, under which we must work, and of our village ordinances and policies, within which we must operate. So, if I am President, the next Board of Trustees will have a lot of reading ahead of them, not just to protect the village and themselves, but also to empower our citizens.

As president, I will insist communication avenues be improved between and among the public, the board, and the staff. We need to use the free and inexpensive, professional services and information available to municipalities for guidance, education and training. Board members want to, and should, come out of their committee boxes to work creatively together as a whole to improve some issues, particularly the budget. Old ways may have worked, but that doesn't mean they are efficient, effective, or frugal.

Any additional comments? Monticello needs to draft (minimum) 5-year plans, particularly for capital expenses. The Public Works Department and Committee have had a Capital Equipment plan since about 2013; it revealed the alarming age of our vehicle fleet, and the increasing urgency to prepare for replacements. Recurring breakdowns because of age and out-of-service vehicles are not efficient use of our assets nor of our labor resources.

We also need a 5- to 10-year rolling plan for projects, which takes into consideration and prioritizes items from our 2015-16 Comprehensive Plan – otherwise, all that is, is a $10,000 wish list.

Every village department should have on file, updated annually, readily available to the Board, documentation detailing what its future needs are expected to be, so trustees can plan accordingly and navigate requests responsibly. Planning ahead a better approach than jumping to "put out fires."