For those of you who do not know me, my name is Ron Baitsholts, and I would like to introduce myself to you, and give you a little personal background about myself and my family. I have live in the Town of Cairo for 24 years. I have been married to my wife Stacey Gallagher Baitsholts for 33 years, and we have two children together. I have worked for the Town of Cairo Highway Department for the pas
t 15 years as both a mechanic, as well as a worker on the road crew. At the same time, I operated my own business as an auto mechanic, and have also worked in a variety of other professions through the years here in Cairo. I grew up on a family farm, which gave me a sense of experience and hard work, which has served me well through my lifetime. I am running for the position of Town of Cairo Highway Superintendent, and believe that my past experience qualifies me for this position. The job of Highway Superintendent is a unique position, in that person who hold this position has tremendous responsibility directly to the people of the Town of Cairo. Although many elected positions in the town are voted on party lines, the job of Highway Superintendent crosses party lines, as it influences the lives of everyone who lives, or works in the town no matter what their political persuasion. People drive the roads of Cairo every day, and the conditions of the highways reflect the basic philosophy of the town toward the constituents. Discontent with the roads, or the Highway Superintendent can have a devastating effect on how people view the town, which ultimately can affect commerce within the town, which is desperately needed. That being said, I do realize that there are political implications to this job. The public needs to feel that they have a say in what is being done, as they are the funding source through their taxes. Being fiscally responsible is one of my top priorities should I get elected. Having been a mechanic for the town, I have seen areas where improvements could be made in this area. Having run my own business, I understand the balance between providing a quality service at a reasonable cost, and will carry this same philosophy into the Highway Superintendent position. As far as my qualifications for this job. Having run my own personal business, I have been on both sides of the fence. I have dealt with the public as a public servant, as well as being in the public eye for many years. As a sole proprietor I know the effects of poor quality service, and the consequences of what it entails. As such I feel that this has prepared me well to deal with public complaints, as well as to meet the technical requirements of this position. With the deteriorating economic climate of this region, preparing and working within a budget is not only a good idea, it is essential. Missing the mark on budget can have a disastrous effect on town government. I will scrutinize each budget to cut any waste, and stand ready to explain to the public the parts of the budget that are crucial Having spent many years working on town equipment, I have some suggestions which could realize some immediate savings. Two examples of these budget saving items: one, using a vehicle to full potential. Second: Installing a waste oil heater to heat the garage bays where the service working is performed. Currently this oil is not being used to heat the buildings which are most used to perform service and maintenance work. This can save money multiple ways, as well as being environmentally responsible. Time does not permit me to go into more detail, however, I would be willing to discuss some of these savings further with anyone who would be interested. In closing, I believe that a good Highway Superintendent needs to be responsive to the needs of the community, prepare and stay within the confines of a budget, and foster an attitude of quality workmanship within the highway department to be effective. I believe I have the qualities to meet these objectives, and would ask for your support as I pursue the position of Highway Superintendent.
