Donald Gloo, 58, is throwing his hat in the ring to run against incumbent Martin Meissner, Mike Rohrer, Kate Maurer, and Milt Habeck on April 6, 2021, for Wind Point Village Trustee. Residents will vote for three candidates and the top three people with the most votes will be sworn into office. To read more about other races, click here.
Where do you live? Wind Point
How long have you lived there? 15 years
Age? 58
Spouse or partner’s name? Julia
If you have children, please include their ages? 23 & 20
What is your current profession? Village Trustee
What position are you applying for? Village Trustee
Donald Gloo outlines his vision for Wind Point
What motivated you to seek out this seat? Wind Point is a great community, with a long tradition of low taxes and a high-quality local government service. My family and I were drawn to Wind Point for those reasons when we moved here in 2006. When the opportunity arose in 2016 to give back to the community through public service on the Village Board, I jumped at the chance. There is always room for improvement, however, and I want to continue bringing my energy and expertise to bear on the long-term challenges the community faces.
Why do you think you are a good candidate for the job? My combination of a master’s degree in business and 30+ years of working to solve problems in local communities make me an ideal candidate for Wind Point Village Trustee. I believe I’m level-headed, open to hearing differing opinions, and committed to finding creative solutions to the challenges our residents and our community face. Whether it’s working to keep property taxes low or finding new ways to offer the high-quality services our residents want, I’ve proven over the past five years that I can help Wind Point continue to build on its tradition of being a great place to live.
Name three things you would like to see change with how things are being done. First, I’d like to see more engagement between the residents of Wind Point and the Village Board. The 2020 Resident Survey was a starting point, but we need to do more. We need to find creative ways to engage those residents who may not have time to write letters to the editor or show up at Board meetings. Second, we need to recognize the challenges presented by the changing Wind Point demographics. As empty-nesters downsize (or move south), we’re seeing an influx of young families and non-traditional households. Providing a range of services and amenities that meet the needs and desires of all of our residents will require careful planning. Third, I’d like to see more opportunities for community gathering. The past year has been difficult for everyone. As the pandemic fades, I want us to look for opportunities to join together, raise a glass, share a meal, and celebrate all of the good things in our community.
What resources would you need to have to accomplish that? The beauty of the three initiatives I’ve outlined is that none of them requires a lot of resources. They just require focused leadership, careful planning, and a recognition that community, inclusion, engagement, and communication are critical to a healthy community. I look forward to working with my fellow Trustees and with my Wind Point neighbors to see these to fruition.
What would success look like and how would you measure that success? Wind Point has a history of neighbors knowing and helping their neighbors. One measure of success would an increased level of communication between the Village Board and residents. Another would be the participation in the various community functions that the Village Board sponsors and supports. It will be great to see residents gathering again–at the Village picnic, at the Village Green beer garden, on movie night, or on beach clean-up day–as soon as we can do so safely.
How would you seek buy-in from either the community and/or your colleagues to accomplish those tasks? I’m confident that the current Trustees already support a greater level of communication, engagement, and sharing. We were making great progress towards those goals before the pandemic stalled our forward progress. As vaccination rates increase, and it becomes safer to gather in large groups, I’m sure we can once again get back to the things that make us one of the great, small communities of the Midwest.
What characteristics do you bring to the table to accomplish those tasks? I think the most important characteristic of a community leader is the ability to listen. And by that, I don’t mean “listen so you can respond”, I mean “listen so you can understand”. Hearing and valuing what people have to say can help a leader understand more clearly the challenges residents face, what problems they want their elected officials to solve. In my five years on the Village Board, and in my 35 years of working with communities across the country, I think I’ve developed a good ear, and that helps me to focus on crafting solutions that can make a difference in people’s lives.
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