www.oshkoshforall.com

@fordm10

Re-Elect Michael Ford oshkosh City Council

FIRST ELECTED IN APRIL 2020

Results over rhetoric

Competent Non-Partisan Leadership

How we do things in local government matters. Understanding the Council-City Manager form of government matters. Earning the trust of colleagues matters. In my first two years on council I have demonstrated my ability to communicate with Oshkosh residents, work with colleagues and City staff, my knowledge of local government, and my ability to get things done. Every step forward is a group effort, and I believe I have proved to be an asset to Oshkosh’s governing team. I am most proud of these achievements in my first two years on council:

The Love Oshkosh Campaign

During the worst days of the pandemic I worked to bring Oshkosh residents together. I convened a wide group of stakeholders to help find common ground, and to launch a community effort to fight Covid while supporting our local economy. No single local campaign can end a global pandemic, but it did combat the divisive nature of the debate.

Supporting Local Business during Covid

We avoided any local-imposed shutdowns due to Covid. There were no easy decisions during the worst days of the pandemic, but, I felt we could not negatively impact the livelihoods of so many Oshkosh residents by imposing shutdowns. Instead, we supported business with regulatory flexibility and financial relief.

Building an Equity Framework for Oshkosh

Oshkosh is an incredible community that has provided my family and I with a great quality-of-life. But, we need to ensure that every Oshkosh resident has the same positive experience in Oshkosh. To that end, I helped design a framework built on department-level equity measures and goals approved by the City’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee. This framework ensures we deal with objective facts while weaving equity and inclusion into the fabric of our government. Like everything I do in government, I am working to make a lasting impact rather than a short-term gesture.

Increasing Transparency

Transparency is so much more than a data dump. During the past two years I have pushed for improved organization of our public documents, interactive reporting of City finances, enhanced communication, and more public education on our form of government. City staff were often ahead of me in these efforts (which is awesome!), and always supportive. A government cannot work for its residents if residents do not understand what it is doing and why. I remain committed to making that happen.

ARPA Policy

The City of Oshkosh will receive over $20 million dollars through the American Rescue Plan Act. We cannot afford to squander these funds. I drafted a policy that gave the City Manager guidance on how to maximize the impact of these funds. Because of this policy, funds will be spent as part of a coherent strategy that facilitates our recovery in a fiscally responsible fashion.

Core Tenets of my Platform

Financial Responsibility

The budget is the contract between the City and its residents. An Oshkosh that works for everyone starts with an inclusive, transparent, and performance-focused budget process. I am committed to an honest budget focused on the City's long-term goals.

Diversity and Inclusion

Oshkosh is strongest when everyone has a seat at the table. I am committed to celebrating and utilizing all of the things that our residents have to offer. If re-elected, my focus is on implementing our metric-based equity framework.

Proactive Transparency

Transparency requires a deliberate ongoing effort to get the right information to all residents in an accessible format. If re-elected, I will continue to push for improved outreach to all residents.

Economic Development

A strong city requires a strong economy. I will work hard to make Oshkosh attractive to businesses large and small. It starts with creating a quality of life, and tax climate, that makes people want to be here. Our government will ensure fairness, not pick and winners and losers.

A Positive Vision

Oshkosh is a great place to live. I will always celebrate our successes, and will work tirelessly to improve in areas where we can do better.

All Hands On Deck

Our challenges cross sectors, neighborhoods, and political ideologies. So must our solutions.

What You Need to Know About My Campaign

Who Am I?

My name is Michael Ford and I live in Oshkosh with my wife of 16 years, Allyson, and my two sons, Charlie and John. Our kids attend Webster Stanley and Emmeline Cook schools, and Ally and I both work here in Oshkosh. Since 2013 I have taught Public Budgeting and Financial Management, State and Local Government, Analytic Methods, public-private partnerships, and other classes in UW Oshkosh’s Masters of Public Administration program. Prior to that I had a career in public policy.

When I am not working you can find me taking advantage of all Oshkosh has to offer. That may be running the trail at Menominee Park, fishing from the shoreline or through the ice on Lake Winnebago, playing tennis at the Y, strumming my guitar and singing off-key at church, trying my best not to make errors at shortstop in summer league softball, or just spending quality time with family and friends. I have a passion for public service and local government, and yes, I sometimes read budgets for fun. If you have any questions about me please shoot me an e-mail at mford3482@gmail.com.

What Are My Community Ties?

I have deep community ties that put me in position to serve as an effective bridge between the values of Oshkosh residents and City Government. I currently serve in the following capacities:

Member of the Oshkosh Common Council
Member of the City of Oshkosh Plan Commission
Member of the City of Oshkosh Committee on Aging
Board member of Clarity Care Inc.
Member of Oshkosh Area United Way’s Fiscal Health Evaluation Committee

Why Do I Want to Serve?

The last two years have been challenging for Oshkosh residents and businesses. But, I have been impressed with the resilience of our community. Everyday I see that we have more in common than not. It is in that spirit that I want to continue to serve as a unifying voice that brings people together towards the common goal of a high-functioning city government that meets the needs of all Oshkosh residents.

Resources are finite, needs are infinite, and values are contested. Every resident owns a share of our government, and every resident has a right to be represented and heard. Every voice matters. To me the role of the city council is serving as a bridge between the values of our residents, and the professionals delivering services in our city. An efficient, effective, and equitable local government requires a high-functioning council where voices can be heard, civil debate can be had, and decisions can be made. I want to continue to play my part.

Who Do I Strive to Be as a Council Member?

I believe the role of a council member is to serve as a bridge between City government and the values of Oshkosh residents. To that end, how do I view my role on council?

I listen and learn. This includes considering formal feedback from residents, as well as simply making myself available and visible.
I strive for a more active transparency. I believe a government must be trusted to be effective. I support taking small steps to improve the accessibility and searchability of our codes, policies, and financial documents. We must anticipate what residents want to know, and get that information to them in an accessible format.
I will continue the positive progress on controlling our city’s debt-service costs. The city has made progress on this front, and I will work to keep the positive momentum going by exercising good financial oversight.
Continue the city’s commitment to smart economic development by making Oshkosh a place where businesses want to be.
I believe the number one economic development tool is a good quality of life. I will always work to improve our gateways, strengthen our neighborhoods, improve our parks, and keep Oshkosh safe.
I will continue to work to improve our city’s data systems. The more analytics we have to inform decision-making, the better.
Complex challenges require all hands on deck. I work to build bridges between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The City alone cannot solve all problems, but we can coordinate collaborative solutions.

Most broadly, I will continue to exercise a commitment to the governance role played by the council in a City-Manager form of government. I am committed to respecting boundaries, and working collaboratively with other members of the council.

What Are My Formal Qualifications?

I have a unique combination of experience and skills relevant to serving on the Oshkosh City Council. I have a clear understanding of the machinery of state and local government in Wisconsin, including extensive knowledge of policy, government structure, and the specifics of local government revenue generation and concepts such as municipal aid.

My formal education includes a Ph.D. in Urban Studies, which involved extensive training in planning, analytic methods, and the specific of public management. In my current position I teach a variety of courses relevant to local government. My full resume can be viewed at www.michaelrford.com.

How Can I Learn More, or Get Involved?

Please reach out to me at mford3482@gmail.com, or view my full resume at www.michaelrford.com, or follow me on Twitter at @fordm10 .