Getting to know the candidates: Alanna Feddick and Josh Witt
Over the next several weeks, leading up to the April 7 elections for Marshfield City Council and School Board, Hub City Times will interview the candidates running for those offices so that readers may learn more about who is running and what they stand for. This week we interviewed city council candidates for District 2, incumbent Alanna Feddick and her opponent Josh Witt.
Hub City Times: Why are you running?
Alanna Feddick: I’m running because I believe I can still make a difference for the city. I am passionate about the
area in which I live in the city. I’m passionate about the city of Marshfield.
I want to make sure that—and one of the things I’ve been fighting for—is No. 1 to lower taxes but No. 2 to make sure that we have some kind of vision for the future for the city of Marshfield.
What is this city going to continue to look like for us, (for people) of my age as we retire, for those who are just finishing high school, for those who are in grade school? What’s it going to look (like) for our grandchildren, our children? What’s it going to look like in the future?
HCT: Is there a single biggest issue facing Marshfield that you hope to work on or work with?
AF: Having a single biggest issue is difficult I believe because I think it’s a lot of little issues that make up one big, I wouldn’t say problem for the city of Marshfield but just an issue that needs to be addressed. But I think one of the biggest things and one way that we can most help our community is by having that vision for what it’s going to look like in 15 years, in 50 years. That’s what I think truthfully is going to make the biggest impact.
HCT: What do you think, being on the council, what do you think the council needs to do better to better serve the city?
AF: Well, one way is I think we need to have more transparency and understand that our role as city council members is to be that check and balance between city staff doing an amazing job and the taxpayers paying their money to support that job that the city employees do for the benefit of the whole community. So I think No. 1 we need to work on thinking outside the box.
We need to be wise stewards of our resources and understand what our role is as city council members to show that transparency to be that liaison as it were between city staff and the community so that we can not only express what the city’s trying to do and how we’re moving forward doing that but also understanding how your tax dollars are at work and if they’re being used wisely. I think everybody deserves to know that.
Hub City Times: Why are you running?
Josh Witt: I’m running because I grew up in Marshfield. I was (involved) in the community when I grew up. I
played a lot of sports. I did a lot of things.
When I moved away I realized how great Marshfield really is. I worked five, six, seven years to ultimately get back to Marshfield.
Now that I’m here, I want to make an impact. I want to bring some ideas in, be progressive, make sure that we’re doing things the right way in Marshfield not only for every single citizen but also for people and prospective citizens that want to come into Marshfield.
HCT: Is there a single biggest thing that you look at, an issue that’s facing Marshfield, that you want to work with or work on?
JW: I would say, and you can’t really put a word to it, but I call it citizen retention, making sure that the people who are here are happy and they don’t have to go elsewhere for entertainment, food, and it also comes down to basic programs: safe places for kids to go, safe places for elderly people to go, that kind of stuff.
If I put two words to it, I call it citizen retention, making sure that everybody in the community is happy, healthy, and has the opportunities to stay here in Marshfield and make sure that they live a quality life.
HCT: What do you think qualifies you, or what are your qualifications to be on the city council?
JW: I think I have several qualifications. When I went to school I was voted as president of Delta Epsilon Chi, which is a business marketing and management association. So with that at a younger age, I got to see leadership roles and how to be a leader not only by what I say, what I do, but the end result, and I think that’s the biggest thing is the end result.
I’m also … a very caring person. It’s not just about me getting on city council. It’s me getting on city council to help everybody not only in my district but the whole community.
(I also work for Case IH as a territory sales manager.) I oversee hundreds of people throughout the state, and I project numbers that I have to hit and am responsible for, so I basically organize those people, make sure they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing. … I have to hit that end goal on a monthly basis, so I get held accountable for that kind of stuff.
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