West Bend

WEST BEND, WISCONSIN Midwest,West Bend is a favorite destination for treasure hunters from around the region. West Bend CityAdministrator Jay Shambeau explains the governing structure: “We have a part- time Mayor and a Common Council–eight mem- bers strong and voted in by district.The Mayor only votes if there’s a tie, otherwise he facilitates the meetings, serves as the chief elected official, and the individual the council looks to most to set the vision for the City. I serve as the CityAdminis- trator, not CityManager. I work at the pleasure of the Council.We have 15 departments that support the organization and carry out the programs and services we offer, including police, fire, engineering, public works, planning, clerk, treasurer–every- thing that most cities our size (population just over 31,000) have.” West Bend is well positioned to help new busi- nesses grow.A great example: When St. Joseph’s Hospital left the city, they left a large, beautiful building vacant. So,West Bend partnered with the EDWC (Economic Development of Washington County) and put together an attractive package for Spaulding Clinical to make use of that property. According to Adam Gitter,West Bend Economic Development Manager,“If you say ‘Amity’ here, a resident knows we’re talking about the Amity Leather Products building. But that doesn’t neces- sarilymean that organization is still in there.What we do is allow others to come in or help a busi- We’re growing all the time and keeping an eye on where we can build our resi- dential population, as well. West Bend is a community folks have chosen to reside in because of living wage jobs, a good school system (among the top 5 percent of high schools in the nation), and a great park and trail system. JAY SHAMBEAU CITY ADMINISTRATOR