Incumbent Paul Baum and challenger Matt Heindl make their cases as April 1 Election approaches

Paul Baum: My family moved to Mt. Horeb over 30 years ago. After raising our three daughters, my wife and I moved to Blue Mounds about ten years ago. Most of my career has been in health care, initially as a pharmacist, and later in management. My volunteer experience over the years including a professional association board and as a Sunday School superintendent. I also served on the Christian preschool board at our local church, and later as the church council president. I was appointed to the village board several years ago to fill a vacancy.  When another board member resigned and moved away in late 2024, I volunteered again and was appointed to fill the remaining months of that term.  When the long-standing Village President resigned unexpectedly two months later, I was honored to be asked to serve as the interim president.

Matthew P. Heindl: I have been a Blue Mounds resident and business owner for more than 15 years. I have chosen to raise my daughter in BM and she has attended area schools her entire life. I have been a member of several BM committees/organizations and active in the promotion of Blue Mounds as a great place to live, I am very familiar with the village government and community. I have formal and informal training and education in business and community development. My family and I have deep roots in the Driftless with my ancestors settling west of Blue Mounds prior to Wisconsin statehood.   

Why are you running for office?

Baum: I am running for village president for several important reasons, one of which is critical. I will say more about that in my responses to the questions about important issues and ways to improve.  We have already begun addressing these issues, and I committed to seeing them through. I don’t like to abandon things unfinished.

I think it is important the village is open and transparent with our community. I see areas where we can improve, and I am already working on them. My goal is that every resident will have the opportunity to know what is happening in the Village and not be surprised.

Right now, the village needs a president with the right skills and temperament. In the past, some village staff and officials didn’t always work well together. I want to foster a healthy and civil working relationship among all the village staff and officials.  We do not need a leader who is divisive, or someone with an agenda to settle personal scores.

Heindl: To improve fiscal responsibility, public safety, communication and transparency.  

What are the most important issues the Village of Blue Mounds will face in the coming term?

Baum: The most critical issue facing us in the near term is to comply with state-mandated wastewater requirements.  There is potential for a multi-million dollar costs on the Village, which would have a devastating impact on our residents. It is also vital that the village staff and officials work together effectively, and maintain transparency to reassure the community that the village is being managed properly.

Heindl: Improving fiscal responsibility, public safety, communication and transparency.

What are some things that village leadership has done well in recent years?

Baum: One thing I’m pleased with is the leadership’s decision to update the village’s infrastructure mapping system.  This initiative began before I rejoined the board, and is now beginning to come to fruition. A recent major water leak could have been a disaster, and proved that this improvement will be worthwhile. Since my return to the board, we have started utilizing email as an additional method to distribute meeting notices, agendas, and important Village-based updates. I encourage all Blue Mounds residents to provide your email to the Village Clerk to stay informed.

Heindl: No response.

In what areas could the board improve?

Baum: One area the board could improve is communication with our residents. Since I became president I initiated several efforts to do this. I have already mentioned expanding the use of email for official postings, going beyond the legally required physical posting of notices.  We’ve made changes to the village website to make urgent notices more prominent.  While making these improvements, I found that our website itself is outdated and difficult to navigate. I have started a project to redesign the website, to make it more useful and user-friendly.  To support transparency, we will be preserving audio recordings of board meetings for a period of time, if someone who did not attend wants to hear those discussions.

Heindl: Growing our tax base to balance our financial needs while curbing a need to raise taxes, adequately resourcing our public safety, communication and transparency. 

Tell us what unique skills and/or attributes you could bring to the board:

Baum: Though relatively new to government, I have the experience to stay focused and manage the responsibilities of the job.  I have a lot of experience in working with employees, teams, vendors, and boards. My preferred style is to build a consensus whenever possible, and I make it a point to think before speaking. My professional skills include both high-level and detailed budgeting, project management, and strategic planning. My volunteer experience has helped refine my skills in working with people, both peers and employees.

Heindl: No response.

Tell us about your long-term vision for the village?

Baum: My vision for Blue Mounds is to preserve its charm as a nice, quiet, friendly place to live.  I want to ensure we have services that larger villages offer but stay small enough to avoid the problems that come with uncontrolled growth. I am encouraged by the new businesses that have come to the community in recent years, but I believe we should focus on maintaining our small-town character rather than aspiring to be a city.   

Heindl: It is my goal to work for a fiscally balanced and safe community for all, with good communication and transparency.

Are you familiar with Robert’s Rule of Order and Wisconsin’s various open records and open meetings laws?

Baum: While I haven’t read all 800-plus pages of Roberts Rules, I have studied the key points, including guidance from the Wisconsin Attorney General’s office. While there are many technicalities, the overall goal is to ensure fair and open discussion and decision-making.  I publicly stated at a recent Village Board meeting that I plan to have our village attorney provide a presentation on this topic. That will be helpful for both new members and as a refresher for current ones.

Heindl: Yes.

Village government has experienced some, ahem, drama recently, with disagreements about governance leading to some public spats. (Former Village President Audra Anderson stepped down last year and she expressed criticism of the board and staff in her resignation letter.) Would you be able to work collaboratively with everyone else at the Village Hall? If so, how? 

Baum: The tensions and lack of trust between some board members in the past was unfortunate.  I do believe that everyone involved had the best interests of the village at heart. Instead of rehashing the past or assigning blame, I prefer to focus on moving forward. Good working relationships come from mutual respect and trust, not necessarily personal friendships.  When I left the board several years ago, I had a positive relationship with everyone on the board, the president, and the staff. Since my recent return I have seen no indication that has changed.

Heindl: As long as members of the village government have and continue to abide by the laws and ethics that govern our great land, I see no problems moving forward. Audra is not the only board member who has recently resigned because of issues with fiscal responsibility, public safety, communication and transparency. In total, three board members have resigned in recent years.

What is your favorite thing about living in Blue Mounds? 

Baum: Blue Mounds is a great place to live – quiet and friendly.

Heindl: Blue Mounds is a pleasant and dynamic place to live—located just close enough to the amenities of a city but far enough into the country to have the benefits that come with rural living. Truly a Goldilocks’ community.