Candidate Profile: Courtney Day For Franklin District 4 Alderperson

FRANKLIN, WI — The 2023 spring election is heating up in Wisconsin with several key local and statewide races on the April 4 ballot.

In Franklin, voters will choose their next mayor as well as new alderpersons. Patch asked every candidate in Franklin questions about their platform ahead of the spring election and we'll be publishing answers from each as they are received.

Here is what Courtney Day told Patch about why she believes she should be elected as an alderperson:

Age as of election day:

43

Position sought:

Alderperson District 4 – Franklin, WI

Party affiliation:

This is a non-partisan position, however, I consider myself a Conservative

What is your educational background:

Bachelor of Arts in History from St. Norbert College; Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bellin College.

What is your current occupation and work background?:

I am a Registered Nurse and currently work at the American Academy of Pediatrics as the Manager of Community Health & Partnerships. Prior to this position I spent the last 12 years working in public health in two municipalities. My roles in Wauwatosa were as a Public Health Nurse and then the Nursing Supervisor. From 2019-2022 I served as the City of Franklin Health Officer and Director of Health Services.

What previous elected or appointed offices have you held?

City of Franklin Health Officer 2019-2022

What is your campaign website?

https://courtneyday4council.wixsite.com/courtney-day-for-cou

Why are you seeking office?

I’ve always had a passion to make the community I live in a better place to live and raise a family. I currently have two children in Franklin schools and a third that will be there in a few years so my family will be holding our roots in Franklin for the foreseeable future and why I want to make sure we stay on track. In my 10+ years in Franklin I have been witness to many great new developments but have also seen opportunities fall through the cracks. I think my professional background, ideas, and prior connections and partnerships to community stakeholders would bring a new lens to the Common Council that will help to continue to move the City in a forward direction.

What is the most pressing issue facing your office, and how do you plan on addressing it?

District 4 is bursting with opportunities for new development, especially with the recent announcement that Northwestern Mutual will be leaving their Franklin campus in a few years. As the representative for this district it will be critical to make sure incoming development matches not only the City’s Master Plan but also is a good fit for this area of the City. This includes holding North Western Mutual accountable for their property until a new owner can be found as the recent closure of this TID is instrumental in assisting in our tax base. From a City perspective, our Staff are our most valuable asset. As such, we need to fill the important vacancies left at the Department Director level, the City Administrator, and work with our first responders on ways we can creatively fill vacancies. Part of this plan includes the budgeted reserve funds dedicated to work on a succession plan to make sure we are able to fill these vacancies timely, and work within the budget to find ways to improve current staff retention.

What are the critical differences between yourself and the other candidates seeking this office?

During my tenure as Health Officer, I had the opportunity to work alongside my opponent, and I believe he has the best interests of Franklin at heart. However, I believe the biggest difference between us is that I have a much broader experience in municipal government. My experience lies in building partnerships with community stakeholders, residents, and other City staff to identify and address areas of need and where opportunity exists in Franklin. I also have experience working with other municipal and state leaders on issues that impact Franklin. These skills will be needed to address resident concerns as well as work with new and existing businesses to continue to improve Franklin’s development and tax base.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

• Communication: One area I feel the City needs to improve upon is communication. While the paper newsletter is informative about issues and events upcoming in the community, it is not timely. We need to work on updating the website as well as find other ways to communicate with residents and businesses in a more efficient and timely manner about issues that impact them and the City.
• Budget: There are many big issues bubbling to the surface in Franklin that the new Council will have to deal with. Chief among them is how to prioritize spending with issues like a new fire department, a potential change in water supplier, and large infrastructure projects. This Council will have to find a way to work together to prioritize these and other projects. I believe I have the ability to look at the big picture for the community and be able to make informed decisions that not only benefit Franklin now but also for many years to come.
• Connect the Dots: To make Franklin a better community we need to invest in the term Community and welcome everyone to our events, schools, and unique recreational facilities. We can do this by looking at our housing options and making sure we have housing stock that matches the jobs available in our area or by bringing in businesses that will keep those that work in Franklin in the community for dining and shopping to increase our tax base.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am most proud of my work in partnerships and leadership during the pandemic. While working as the Health Officer, and when not constrained by state mandated requirements, I took a measured response and weighed many factors in our recommendations after the Governor’s order ended. These recommendations were dramatically different than the other communities in Milwaukee County and made in consult with many partners to put the health, safety, and prosperity of the greater Franklin community first. This included my staff contacting the majority of our businesses and offering technical assistance if they needed it to re-open in a way they felt comfortable.

Working with the Franklin School District to come up with an in-person option for the 2021-2022 school year (the only school district in the county that began that school year with an in-person option). This approach allowed Franklin to move through the pandemic in a way that allowed businesses and residents to conduct themselves at their own comfort level. I believe the way I handled the pandemic illustrates the way I make important decisions, by doing my own research, weighing the benefits and risks to the community, and then communicating those decisions in a timely manner.

Best advice ever shared with you?

I recently heard a Theodore Roosevelt quote that I thought summed up my work in the municipal sector and my thoughts about entering a political campaign.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”