Douglas A. Eldrenkamp: 2025 candidate for Batavia City Council Ward 4

Bio

Office sought: Batavia City Council Ward 4

City: Batavia

Age: 58

Occupation: Distribution sales manager

Previous offices held: None

What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the city council respond to it?

Managing growth: Affordable housing and taxes so all can live and thrive in Batavia. As a council we need to keep a close watch on growth, taxes and spending so residents can thrive and grow their families here.

How would you describe the state of your community's finances? What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed?

Batavia is balancing the budget yearly using reserves. Attracting business to downtown and Randall Road corridor is key to changing this. Our energy plan and infrastructure must be addressed year to year to manage costs, and budgeting executing long-term plans that are paid and budgeted for over raising taxes.

What do you see as the most important infrastructure project the community must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what project(s) can be put on the back burner?

Looking at our electrical contract NIMBA is paramount for our future. Can we exit, what will our power needs be in the future? These answers will hold the key to our rates and what businesses we can attract to Batavia in the future.

Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage local government? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your city council.

I manage a robust group of sales reps. We all bring information to the table and collaborate on projects. It takes many ideas and collaboration to make policy and ideas become reality.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

Years of experience in business and in the construction field makes me the best candidate for alderman, managing costs, budgets and working with a wide range of people, clearing hurdles to make things happen. There are no issues that can’t be resolved through open candid discussions and planning.

What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

We have a great program in our Batavia Boardwalk Shops. After a year, many of these shops leave us for other locations. Let’s create a shop area called “Park Place” that these shops in their sophomore year they can then go brick and mortar, keep building their clientele, grow roots, and stay in our city. We need to support small business and grow together.