Town of Sidney council candidates were asked three questions about running for elected office.
Today’s answers are from Sidney Town Council incumbent Brandon Allen, Democrat.
Incumbents Sharon Rancourt, Republican, and Gavin Parrett, Democrat, and candidate Rebecca Adams, Democrat, are also running, but they did not respond by the deadline.
1. What is your background and why do you think you'd be a good fit for town council?
Allen: My educational background is in journalism and political science. While my work experience includes 27 years in the restaurant industry, 10 of those years I have spent as a business consultant. I deal with finance and accounting management, organizational management (and structuring).
I also work for a nonprofit organization teaching adult education with a focus on digital skills and career counseling and development.
2. What do you think the most important issues facing Sidney are and why?
Allen: Important issues vary. We have a small town, and our number one priority is to maintain a balanced budget, maintain the image (roads, street signs, address the public’s concerns, while managing ordinances).
Our big projects that our board members have been working on is addressing the conditions of our streets and sidewalks. We have not only been working on our roads and sidewalks, but we’ve also hired a town maintenance person and are working on public safety and building relationships with our fire department and addressing the lack of police presence.
3. What do you think the role of the town council should be?
Allen: It’s not about politics. It’s about our community. We are here to ensure our community that we can manage the bigger picture of what our community is facing. Those things include addressing public safety, establishing and maintaining ordinances (in an appropriate and fair manner), maintaining our sewer system to state and federal guidelines and continuing to make improvements that will not only keep our residents here but potentially attract new residents in the future.