Over the next several weeks, leading up to the April 7 elections for Marshfield Common 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 District 10 Common Council incumbent Peter Hendler, who is running unopposed.

Hub City Times: Why are you running?

Peter Hendler: The reason I’m running, I’ve always been in the public sector all my life, and I feel very comfortable in the public sector, and I’m a strong advocate, in my mind, for the citizens or taxpayers in this community.

HCT: Is there a single biggest issue that you look at that’s facing the city of Marshfield that you hope to work with or work on in your next term?

PH: I feel that Marshfield is in a very unique position. In other words, from a tax base standpoint, there is very little room for advancement, so that’s why the strategic planning that’s coming up I think is going to be a very valuable tool for us to utilize the assets that we do have and promote what we have to increase our tax base in some way to continue operating the city as it is now.

Because our revenues are shrinking, our capability of borrowing is not a solution to this entire situation.

HCT: Being a member of the council for a while now, what do you think the council itself needs to do better in order to better serve the city of Marshfield?

PH: Well, I think we need to work cooperatively on the council for issues that serve the citizens (as) opposed to the beliefs of the individuals on the council. In other words, reduce the amount of politics and be more transparent in what we’re trying to accomplish.