JOE KIEFER LIKELY TO REPLACE WINNECKE ON VANDERBURGH COUNTY COMMISSION

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JOE KIEFER LIKELY TO REPLACE WINNECKE ON VANDERBURGH COUNTY COMMISSION

CCO Staff Writer, Tim Eckels

The Vanderburgh County Republican Party will gather December 22nd to decide on a replacement for Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke’s seat as a Vanderburgh County Commissioner. Republican Joe Kiefer is hopeful that the next decision forced onto the party will be choosing his replacement on the Vanderburgh County Council. Kiefer is currently unopposed for the seat and the party’s most likely choice to succeed Commissioner Winnecke. Winnecke’s term will end next year and Kiefer says he will then run for re-election.

Joe Kiefer served as an Evansville City Councilman from 2000-2007. In 2008 he was appointed President of the Evansville Economic Development Commission by Democrat Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel. Since 2009 Kiefer has been a member of the Vanderburgh County Council and was elected County Council President in 2010.

During his tenure with the Evansville City Council Joe Kiefer served on numerous committees including Finance, Salary Review and the Area Plan Commission. He sponsored the Homestead Tax Exemption resolution and voted to extend the Homestead Tax Credit every year. In 2005 Kiefer spearheaded the initial study of potential consolidation of city and county governments. His goal of bringing the subject to a public referendum was ultimately accomplished.

Joe Kiefer believes in true representation of the people. His objective as a public servant has always been to listen to the people and do their will. He wants the people he represents to be informed and included in decisions that will affect their daily lives. His philosophy is to best represent his constituents’ wishes regardless of his personal feelings or ideas on any given matter.

County Councilman Kiefer is excited about the opportunity to serve as a county commissioner. Having served on the Evansville City Council and the Vanderburgh County Council he has a well-rounded government resume and experience that will prove extremely useful in the transition to a more legislative position. Kiefer worked with current County Commissioner Steve Melcher on many bi-partisan projects when they were both on the Evansville City Council. He states that he likes and respects Mr. Melcher and that they have shown the ability to work well with each other. Kiefer also believes that he has much in common with current County Commissioner Marsha Abell. He says Ms. Abell is a great leader with great ideas and they share a common goal of making local government easier to work with.

Studying other governments that are thriving in this economy is crucial to our success according to Councilman Kiefer. Regardless of size there are communities around the country that we can take ideas from and apply them locally. He cites the recent progression of Chattanooga, TN and Baltimore, MD. He wants local officials to look at these places, ask common sense questions and find out what these communities are doing that works. “In this economy we can’t afford to do business as business has been done” says Kiefer. His experience in commercial real estate has taught him what companies are looking for when considering Evansville as a home. According to Kiefer we need to be more open-minded as a community. Too many times we give people “no” for an answer just because that’s how it’s always been. A positive attitude, an open mind for improving government and a little humility seems to be Joe Kiefer’s recipe for successful progression of our community.

There is another side of government that County Councilman Kiefer would like to see improved. In the private sector it is known as customer service. The key to maintaining respect within the community is happy employees. Kiefer says that government employees should have more influence in how their departments are operated. He recognizes that the people dealing with the public everyday are the ones who could bring the most valuable change ideas to the table. He wants each department to have a vision and a mission statement, made by the employees. He believes when employees are engaged and included they will likely take more pride and ownership of their positions.

Kiefer also recognizes a need for more accountability within departments. The CitiStat model is one idea he brought forth while on the Evansville City Council and as a Vanderburgh County Commissioner will re-approach. CitiStat has been a successful program for Baltimore, MD. Since 1999 this program has saved the city $350 million dollars. The idea is surprisingly simple – data-driven governing. Baltimore originally used the system for tracking absenteeism in government offices. In its first year it saved the city $13.2 million. Why? Employees were being held accountable. $6 million of their first year savings was in overtime pay. As the chronic absenteeism dropped so did the overtime paid to the remaining workforce. It also made the remaining workforce happy, and as Kiefer points out, happy employees provide better customer service.

Vanderburgh County Councilman Joe Kiefer is a well-educated, well-read and well-rounded creative thinker with ample experience in local government. He has a track record of leadership on two local governing bodies and is excited about the opportunity to transition to a third.

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13 COMMENTS

  2. A Poor Choice, Must be slim pickings in the Local GOP. This Guy supports the blank check Merger, and thus is an enemy of the Checks and Balances of County Government.
    I will vote, and campaign against him when he runs in the next election.

    • Another ego driven half wit that will most certainly be appointed to this seat since no one else even applied. Evansville is hurting for people of substance who are interested in public office. The only decent thing in this guys head are his perfect teeth. Come on Mr. Parke, you can do better than this.

        • The county line. I live on the other side of it but work in Vanderburgh. One of the reasons I chose a different county is the looming consolidation.

          • I have done the same, and am happily inhabiting Posey County. I work for EFD, and can’t say enough about the advantages of not living in the county, other than the fact I couldn’t vote against Mayor Weinzaple and his cronies! Of course, I STILL have an Evansville address…..best of both worlds? So far so good!!

  3. Give the guy a break. Consolidation was promised to be a money saving plan to the City and County. Now the hard facts are coming in and that changes everything.

  4. If the Republican Precinct Committeeman select Joe Kiefer to fill the Winnecke Commissioner position this Thursday December 22, I believe with Joe’s background/experience he will be a very good County Commissioner. The opportunity for others to apply ends 6:30 PM Monday December 19.

    Wayne Parke
    Chairman VCRP

    • Mr. Parke, IMHO Joe Kiefer will do a great job with Ms. Abell as a County Commissioner. It is also special to see the transparency of the Repubs versus the double dealing triple secret operations of the Democratic Central Committee.

  5. Joe Kiefer is smart, honest and sincere. What other qualifications are are required for this positin?

  6. None. Mr. Kiefer will do an excellent job working with Ms. Abell in representing the best interests of the Vanderburgh County residents. High on the list will be working with Mayor Winnecke to fix the Ececutive Inn fiasco left by the Weinzapfel administration and their useless ERC.

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