Meet the candidates running for Bayside Village President
Voters will decide between two candidates running in the spring election to become Bayside's next village president.
Incumbent Eido Walny is seeking reelection and will face Trustee Liz Levins during the April 4 election. The candidates have taken different approaches to funding and construction of the North Shore Library, a project based in Bayside providing a new library space for Glendale, Fox Point and River Hills.
To learn more about how to find your polling place visit www.myvote.wi.gov.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reached out to both candidates to ask about how they'd respond to some of the village's top issues, including their thoughts on the library project.
What makes you the better candidate?
Levins: I have the business acumen and disposition to provide the leadership Bayside residents want and deserve. My real-world experience as an entrepreneur and real estate developer suits the position. I’ve negotiated loans, contracts and leases. I’ve employed architects, contractors, office and maintenance staff. To be successful in business I listened to partners, clients, tenants, lenders and buyers to achieve consensus. I will seek common ground with people who disagree with my views, appointing those who are qualified to Board Committees, which is a dramatic difference from the incumbent who disrespects and belittles those who disagree with him.
Walny: Experience. Leadership. Honesty. Having founded a successful national law firm and served on the Bayside Board for 15 years, I know how Bayside functions and operates. I have relationships with the Bayside Trustees, neighboring community leaders, and other government officials to effectively advocate for Bayside’s best interests. I believe in fact-driven, honest and transparent government. These are absolutely critical skills that the leader of a municipality must have in order to effectively manage a community. My opponent possesses none of these skills or traits. I have proven I have a vision and can effectively lead Bayside today and beyond.
What do you believe are the top two issues in the village and how would you address them?
Levins: High taxes and inequitable real estate assessments are the pressing issues for most residents. With the 22-year assessment freeze on TID properties, this will become increasingly burdensome for taxpayers. I will initiate cooperation with neighboring villages and municipalities to request increased state revenues for our schools, to lessen the property tax burden. I will appoint accounting professionals to our Finance Committee to scour Village accounts and contracts to find savings and ensure best practices. Our Board of Review needs members who listen to residents appealing their assessments; I will appoint them. Bayside residents are entitled to this.
Walny: The single most important issue in Bayside right now is defeating the lawsuit filed by the anonymous association led by my opponent. That lawsuit is frivolous and has cost Bayside taxpayers more than $50,000. My opponent has leveraged that suit to tear our village apart through misinformation, so work must be done to heal our community. Second, we must be creative to manage our budget. Citizens are accustomed to a high level of services and offerings, but costs are going up. A big part of managing our budget will be the new revenue generated at OneNorth, which I strongly support.
Can you describe your thoughts on the funding and construction of the new North Shore Library?
Levins: As a library fan, donor, and member of the Friends organization, I care deeply about the North Shore Library. I am concerned that the proposed new library is only being used to gain acceptance for a poorly conceived apartment building. Despite a year of fundraising only a fraction of the necessary amount has been raised, and major donors are not on board. Important information like this is being withheld from the public. In my opinion, using existing funds to renovate the library, which is centrally located and has 15 years left on its dollar-per-year lease, is a more responsible solution.
Walny: The choice we faced several years ago was to build a new library or have no library. I wholeheartedly support the North Shore Library and worked tirelessly with surrounding municipalities to keep it alive and bring it to Bayside. We are a better community with a modern library featuring modern amenities. I worked hard to secure a donation from the developers for the shell of the library building. I have spearheaded the fundraising efforts to build out the library without one penny of taxpayer dollars. The new library operations will not cost taxpayers any more than the dilapidated current library.
Candidate bio: Liz Levins
Address: 825 E. Donges Rd., Bayside
Occupation and highest education level attained:
Retired Entrepreneur and Real Estate Developer
BFA Tufts University; continued education Real Estate Broker classes,
Any related experience:
Current Bayside Trustee
Member of the Public Works Committee
Member of the Architectural Review Commission (2016-2022)
Website: lizlevins.com
Candidate bio: Eido M. Walny
Address: 9440 N. Fairway Drive, Bayside
Occupation and highest education level attained:
Founder and Managing Partner of Walny Legal Group LLC
Business Consultant for Select Advisors Institute LLC
Founder and Owner of Kokolani Cufflinks
Editor-in-Chief of the NAEPC Journal
JD from Boston University School of Law
Any relevant experience:
Bayside Village President (2020-present)
Bayside Village Trustee (2008-2020_
Milwaukee County Intergovernmental Cooperation Council (ICC)
North Shore Fire Department Board of Directors
Bayside Plan Commission (Chair)
Bayside Board of Zoning Appeals
Website: Walny4Bayside.com
Contact Alex Groth at agroth@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @grothalexandria.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bayside Village President incumbent Eido Walny runs against Liz Levins
