Longtime Brookfield Alderman Sutton Announces His Resignation

BROOKFIELD, WI — After 16 years as an alderman in Brookfield, Dan Sutton is moving on. Sutton announced his decision to resign effective September during a recent meeting .

Sutton said he and his wife, Sarah, found a home in Lake Country they didn't want to pass up. The parents of three children, Sutton and his wife are now empty nesters. To downsize, they are moving to a smaller home.

"It has been a pleasure being an alderman these past 16 years," Sutton told Patch. "It is time to take an opportunity as I get older to move out and live the Lake Country life."

One of the rewarding aspects of being an alderman was representing his constituents, he said. Earlier in the week, he was called by a woman who inspired an ordinance.

"A neighbor of hers was feeding geese and pooping all over the place," Sutton said.

The neighbor now had other birds, and the woman was concerned about what could be done.

"No matter if it was a big problem or a small problem. It must have been a big problem to them (resident) if they contacted me," he said.

What helped him become a good alderman was Sutton's ability to sit and listen to residents.

"If I could do something, I would do my best to help," he said.

The longtime alderman is known as being vocal but attributes it to his day job of working in sales. He said if he sees something that is "right," he will promote it. If he sees something "wrong," he will point it out.

Using his voice

Sutton moved from California to Brookfield in 2000. He joked that he didn't know what an alderman did when he was younger. In 2003, he received his tax bill. He read in the news about aldermen voting for a pay raise.

"I'm vocal and thought, 'Son of a gun, my taxes went up,' and these aldermen voted themselves a pay raise," Sutton said.

He went to City Hall and found out how the aldermen voted for it. His alderman was up for re-election and had no opponent. Sutton decided to run and ended up winning.

One of the first things he did was propose legislation barring any alderperson from getting pay raises, unless the alderperson goes in front of the board and requests the pay raise.

"As alderperson, you don't do it for the money. You do it as your service to the community," Sutton said.

Sutton's advice to people interested in elected office is to knock on doors and listen to people. One of his guiding principles was to vote how the majority of residents would want you to vote. If there is a divided hot topic, Sutton said, "You have to do what you feel is in the best interest of those in your district."

Sutton said he is not ruling out a run for office in the future; however, he is looking forward to time with his family.

He described Brookfield as having a great mix of people and places.

Most of all, Sutton said he will miss the great friends he made over his career as an alderman .

"I've lived all over the country," he told Patch, "and I've made more friendships here than any of the other places I have lived."