Two vie to fill supervisor seat in Town of Linn; Incumbent Livingston faces challenge from Gavin
An incumbent Linn Town Board supervisor is facing a challenge for his seat on the Tuesday, April 4 spring general election ballot.
Incumbent James “Jim” Livingston and challenger Paul Gavin are vying for a two-year board term.
The Lake Geneva Regional News reached out to Livingston and Gavin with candidate questionnaires in advance of election day to give voters a profile snapshot on their backgrounds, motivations for seeking office, and thoughts on what they believe to be the top pressing issues facing the community.
Their responses follow below:
Livingston
Name: James “Jim” Livingston (Inc.)
Livingston
Age: 66
Occupation: Supervisor #2 for the Town of Linn. I am retired from Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin where I served as the Director of Operations for the Laundry Division, a 150-employee operation that serves hospitals and the U. S. Navy. I earned Bachelor and Master degrees from Milwaukee School of Engineering and am a licensed professional engineer.
Address: N1829 Livingston Lane, Lake Geneva. I have been a full time resident of the Town of Linn for 34 years.
Community involvement: I am the current Supervisor #2 for the Town of Linn. Since being elected, I have been the Chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee and Co-Chairman of the Highway Committee. I have been a Linn Sanitary District Commissioner for 33 years. During my tenure, the District has implemented a sanitary management plan; developed and implemented a district-wide septic inspection program; and set up a well testing program for private wells.
Previous elected experience: I was elected to the Town of Linn Board in 2021.
Why do you want to be a member of the board: I wish to continue my service to the Town of Linn as we improve our ability to maintain eight buildings, nearly 70 miles of roads, and retain a solid and competent workforce that knows how to get the job done. As we are well aware, the Lake Geneva area recently experienced the most severe ice storm on record. Downed trees, broken limbs, and power outages affected all of Linn Township. The amazing staff of the Linn Highway Department, Linn Police Department, and Linn Fire Department were able, without their normal communication system, to coordinate efforts to clear roadways of ice and debris, treat icy roads, and notify the utility companies of downed wires.
What are two of the biggest issues you are concerned about in the community: 1. Maintaining services while working within budget constraints. Costs for labor, fuel, and equipment have risen considerably in the past two years. The town board is working with department heads to make sure the funds available are not wasted. Intervals between police car purchases have been extended an additional year without issues. The highway department and administrator review maintenance records on equipment to determine whether repair or replacement is the best option. The town board and administrator search for and apply for grants for maintenance of roads and bridges. In the past year, the town was able to secure an 80% funding grant for the replacement of three bridges, a benefit to the town of over $1.1 million.
2. Development pressures. Recent proposals show there will continue to be efforts to develop new subdivisions in the Town of Linn with requests to change zoning. I am a proponent of the Town of Linn Master Plan that was approved by the whole town, a plan that clearly defines growth opportunities and limitations.
Anything else you want to add: I am grateful for the support I have received as a board member and hope to continue to serve.
The Town of Linn Fire Department responds to the scene of a fire at the professional building, 415 Broad St. in Lake Geneva.
Gavin
Name: Paul Gavin
Gavin
Age: 71
Occupation: I recently retired from a career of managing commercial design and construction projects. I am also retired as a Senior NCO after serving 32 years with the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineering Commands. Currently, I am working as a closing agent for a title insurance company and active in real estate investing with focus on assisting buyers in their process to home ownership.
Address:
Community involvement: On the social side I have been the head coach for an 80-member civilian and military youth swim team and a past president of a 200-member outdoor outings/ski club.
Previous elected experience:
Why do you want to be a member of the board: I am looking forward to serving Linn residents as an active supervisor on the town board, responsible to the residents. I am proud to represent Linn Township, continuing a tradition that has been in my family since the mid-1800s. Living just minutes away from my childhood home on Linn Road, I am seeking to offer the benefit of those social and business management skills to the Town of Linn residents. As a supervisor, I will focus my attention on logical, practical and efficient utilization of taxpayer funds.
What are two of the biggest issues you are concerned about in the community: I’m concerned that lack of staffing on committees, organizational and leadership issues, disregard for code, ordinance or law issues, and lack of transparency to the residents will continue to be a burden. I’m also concerned for the historic rural resort character/image and beneficial operation of the Town of Linn without morphing into a suburban-like community.
Anything else you want to add: I look forward to being a voice for the people of Linn Township. You will find me at Linnsuper2@gmail.com or mcgavin@mindspring.com, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/paulgavinforsupervisor?mibextid=ZbWKwL.
Views of historic Black Point Estate and Gardens on Geneva Lake in Lake Geneva (Town of Linn), owned and managed by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
