An Old Aquaintance

Nick Winkler ran for mayor in 2009 and we come to meet him again as a candidate for council on the West End of the borough.  Nick is presently the President of Johnsontown Community Group and is well known in Downingtown, so I feel no introduction is needed, here are his answers to the three questions.

Q:What is the best skill/asset that you will bring to borough council.

A:Strategic planning. I believe that we have qualified and dedicated individuals working for Downingtown. They understand the specific details in what it takes to manage the borough and they carry out their role as good as, if not better, than any other municipality in the area.


However, I believe that it is the role of the council to assist in the overall vision of the of the borough, and then assist in accomplishing that plan. My background in consulting for local small businesses, campaign management, or more recently public relations for the Governor, all require an aspect of strategic planning.

Q:With your volunteer work with Johnsontown Community Group and your new position in Harrisburg, how do you propose to juggle those with being on borough council?

A: The answer is a simple one, time management.  Being successful in any endeavor requires the productive use of each day we were given.  Again, my background has helped pave my ability to not only multi-task, but be productive within those 24 hours. 

Like most people, working in Harrisburg at first sounded like it would pose a challenge to serving on borough council.  However, when I realized that the train ride west to Harrisburg was more or less equivalent to the typical morning commute East to Philadelphia (that many in Downingtown make on a daily basis), I realized the opportunity that exists.  With the additional commute time on the train I now can work on many different things that I was not able to do when I had to drive to work. 

Q:What do you see as the most pressing issue in the borough that you feel needs more attention and possibly has not been given the spotlight it deserves.

A:I am not sure it has not been given the proper spotlight, but the pressing issue is clearly borough economics. Now there are many issues that factor in to our economics; low taxes, controlled spending, debt management, new business, etc., but in short, in today's climate, the answer is hands down economic sustainability.

The borough was able to hold the line on a tax increase last year by making some difficult decisions. Compare that to a neighboring municipality that increased their borough tax 20%. We are going to have to make some tough decisions again with the upcoming budget, and we are going to need people that understand that reality. We are going to need a borough council in touch with the residents that understands that with a large elderly population on a fixed income, who are struggling as it is, we are going to have to do what is necessary to hold the line again.



Thank you Nick and I hope this gives everyone a better insight into what Nick hopes to do if elected.  Good luck in the polls.