Bill Peard for Waukee Mayor

Bill's Record

It's easy to find a candidate who will make promises to get elected; it's not so easy to find a public servant with an impressive record of results. Bill Peard is a can-do public servant who focuses on the right priorities and gets things done.

Economic Development:
"As mayor, Bill has partnered with local business and community leaders, the Dallas County Alliance, Iowa Department of Economic Development, Waukee Chamber of Commerce, Waukee Economic Development Corporation and our congressional delegation to spur additional economic development and funding opportunities in Waukee."  Paul Hassebroek

The signs of Bill's leadership on economic development are visible all around our community, including his work:

• Creating the Mayor's Task Force on Economic Development which served as the precursor to WEDCO. Bill Peard identified the need, formulated the solution and implemented the program.
• Spearheading the creation of the Waukee Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO).
• Securing funding for the Alice's Road Overpass and Corridor Project which will make Waukee more accessible to all metro communities. This project is a vital component to not only maintaining but expanding the growth of Waukee's economy.
• Annexing Waukee's border so that our community will be able to continue its growth of safe, connected and affordable neighborhoods while expanding our commercial tax base and recreational opportunities.
• Developing the Waukee Downtown Master Plan.
• Founding and serving as a board member of the Waukee Leadership Institute on the 2009 Iowa Leadership Institute.
• Providing diverse recreational opportunities to address the needs to all our citizens, including welcoming construction of Iowa's largest YMCA; enhancing recreational opportunities with the bike and pedestrian "Heart of the Warrior Trail" linking Waukee to Iowa's Raccoon River Valley Trails; completing Copeland Recreation Complex master plan - a long-term plan to provide diverse outdoor recreation needs to our community; and purchased the Clayton property for additional long-term recreational and civic needs.
• Developed and implemented Mayor's Business Visitation Program

Efficient, effective government

• During his time in office, Bill Peard has identified and helped implement ways to make city government and city services more efficient and responsive to the needs of the public.
• Bill was one of the driving forces behind the reorganization and professional development of city staff that ensures Waukee has an efficient, effective government.
• Bill was involved with the hiring of John Gibson, who has streamlined and improved the public works department.
• Bill played a role in hiring the city's first college-degreed city administrator.

Environment

• Bill led the creation of a "Green Initiatives Committee" to help do our part in creating a sustainable community without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Fiscal responsibility

• In the last decade, the City of Waukee has not levied any property tax increases despite its need for considerable new infrastructure to keep pace with its growth.

Infrastructure

• Bill provided leadership and support for the widening University Avenue from 74th Street to Warrior Lane.
• Bill took an active role supporting the Triangle renovation project.
• Bill was involved with the decision-making process to partner city government with the Waukee Community School District to build new schools.

Public safety

• As a councilman, Bill was part of the feasibility study to build a new public safety building that would insure the safety of our citizens now and for years to come.
• Bill recognized the need to expand the fire staff as Waukee continued to grow at a rapid rate and provide overnight staff.
• Bill worked to make sure the police department's capital needs were funded by working to pass the bond issue for the city's first-rate public safety building.
• Bill was involved with restructuring the department and increasing its staff to best meet the community's needs.
• Bill's action led to upgrading the city's tornado systems to state-of-the-art technology.
• Bill provided leadership in hiring a full-time fire chief and the creation of a full-time EMS service.

Public involvement

• Bill listens to his constituents and works to see that they have an active voice in Waukee's future. In addition to the city's six standing committees and boards with 42 citizen members, Bill tenure has included citizen appointments to the following committees: Copeland Recreational Complex Master Plan, City of Waukee Comprehensive Plan, Green Initiatives, Downtown Waukee Master Plan, Waukee Economic Development Task Force and Alice's Road Key Intersections Improvement.
• Under Bill's leadership, the city has conducted mail-in surveys for its Parks & Recreation Residents and Youth activities and its community services and priority planning assessment.
• On Bill's watch, the city has sought additional citizen input with online surveys about the Green Initiative and the public's communications preferences.
• Bill has also encouraged citizen volunteerism in the city's annual festivals the Spring Easter Egg Hunt, Waukee Fest, Wauktober Fest and the Holiday Festival at Triangle. And, Waukee had its largest-ever event during this year's National Night Out event connecting neighbors with neighbors.

Recreation

• Bill Peard and the council have provided diverse recreational opportunities to address the needs to all our citizens, including welcoming construction of Iowa's largest YMCA; enhancing recreational opportunities with the bike and the pedestrian Heart of the Warrior Trail linking Waukee to Iowa's Raccoon River Valley Trail.
• During Bill's time of public service, the city completed the Copeland Recreation Complex master plan a long-term plan to provide diverse outdoor recreation needs to our community; and supported the purchase of the Clayton property for additional long-term recreational and civic needs.

Leadership

• During Bill's tenure, the community's lobbying trips to Washington, D.C., were started to ensure Waukee is receiving appropriate federal funding for projects such as the Alice's Road interchange.
• Bill was active in the development of a comprehensive plan for the city of Waukee to ensure there is a dynamic vision for Waukee's future.
• Bill has worked with neighboring communities to maintain and promote mutually beneficial relationships.
• Bill's results-oriented leadership puts the city of Waukee's needs first.
• Bill is engaged in the day-to-day direction of our community and takes responsibility for its results.As mayor, Bill has invested the time necessary to complete all phases of a project, from identifying a problem, soliciting input on how to solve that problem, and creating a framework to address it.
• Bill is responsive to the people of our community and is a founding member Board Member of the Waukee Leadership Institute.  He has been isntrumental in the development of the cirriculum and the recruitment of new classes of the Leadership Institute since it began three years ago.  The Institute was created to educate community leaders on the issues that Greater Waukee faces.
• The Iowa Association of Business and Industry selected Bill as one of the 40 class participants from over 200 applicants for their leadership class.
• Bill serves as Chairman of the Dallas County Mayors Association.  The Dallas County Mayors recognized what the citizens of Waukee have known for some time.  Bill is a proven and trusted leader.