Formally introducing themselves to the voters, the four candidates for the Seven Lakes West Landowners Association [SLWLA] Board of Directors provided brief statements during the Tuesday, January 25 Work Session.
Patti Cleary, Jim Ferguson, Jim McCarthy, and Jack Stevens spoke about their backgrounds and reasons for seeking office.
The February 4 edition of The Times will feature more extensive interviews with the candidates.
Patti Cleary
Patti Cleary is a native of Lacrosse, WI and is a self-professed “Green Bay Packers fan for life.” Cleary worked in the banking and mortgage industry for more than 35 years while living in Southern California. She and her husband, Ed Tuton, moved to Seven Lakes West in 2002.
An area rep since 2003, Cleary has also been involved in many other organizations, from Lake Patrol to the Lake Auman Sports Club. Outside of Seven Lakes West, she volunteers as a tax preparer for AARP Tax Aide, has served as a poll worker, and is a Master Gardener.
Cleary said she served the Board as “secretary to the Secretary” when her husband Ed Tuton served in that position. Noting that she has "a continuing concern for the future of Seven Lakes West," Cleary said she was "acutely aware" of key projects underway, including the installation of fire hydrants, repair of culverts, and digitizing of Association legal documents. "But we have a great deal of unfinished business," she said.
“I believe you are either part of the problem or a part of the solution," Cleary said, "I prefer to be in the later.”
Jim Ferguson
An Ohio native, Jim Ferguson spent 23 years of his career in facilities management for the federal government, working for both the Library of Congress and the General Accounting office.
He described himself as a “jack of all trades,” and has put those skills to use since moving the Seven Lakes West in September of 2009, volunteering in the repainting of the mail house and gate house. He also volunteers with the Montgomery-Moore Animal Rescue.
Ferguson said he takes pride in "digging in and finding out what's going on." He said he approaches projects by "looking at it from all 360 degrees, determining whether it's feasible, getting multiple bids, talking it over, and negotiating."
Jim McCarthy
Jim McCarthy is a retired New York City Police detective who has lived in Seven Lakes for more than three years. McCarthy expressed concern that the "negative press" generated by recent controversies in the community had put it in a bad light. An overall objective for McCarthy is to see the community work together.
"We don't need any more negative stuff rolling out the gate," he said. "We need to better this community."
He proposed setting up an online voting system so that everyone in the community gets to vote on key issues and "take an active part in what this community will be." That process also will take pressure off the Board and reduce "finger-pointing and bickering," he said.
Jack Stevens
Jack Stevens is a semi-retired nurse anesthetist with both teaching and managerial experience. A resident since 2006, he is involved in many community organizations, including the Lake Auman Sports Club and the National Sporting Clay Association. He is qualified as a pilot of both planes and helicopters and enjoys both woodworking and flower gardening.
He said he was most interested in "appropriately developing what we have in our community and preserving the value of our investments in this community." If elected, he said, he would work to "augment community spirit and fellowship and the realization of common goals."
