Cumberland’s Future

by Cumberland Mayor, Carl Bents

I would like to thank the voters in Cumberland for placing their trust in me for another term as mayor. We have made some wonderful improvements in Cumberland and it is an honor to serve as your mayor, a job I take very seriously. At the beginning of my last term I outlined the goals for the city and I am taking this opportunity to tell the City Council and citizens what I would like to see for the next two years. We have several new council members and we will also miss the leadership and many years of experience of the outgoing members. On behalf of all our citizens, I thank them for the service to our city.

My first goal would be to continue the renovation of “Main Street” businesses that was started two years ago. We have many new and remodeled businesses and our downtown has really “come alive.” We are all grateful for our business leaders who have the confidence to invest in our community. There are too many to list, but Peter and Annies, Isle Theater, The Dancing Bird Art Studio, Jacobsen’s Eye Clinic, Mainstream Boutique, Radio Shack, and Mr. G’s Car Wash are a few. I am asking all the residents of Cumberland to support these fine businesses. There is still more to do, but with the help of our Chamber of Commerce and the business leaders in Cumberland we will continue this joint effort. A community’s “downtown” says a lot about the pride of the community. The improvements in Cumberland make us all proud.

A second goal is to improve our City Hall, Municipal Court, and Police facility. By any measure, our 1945 building does not meet the needs of our city, is in violation of the handicapped accessibility codes in Wisconsin, wastes valuable energy, and cannot be expanded for future growth. We have the opportunity for a building with environmentally friendly “green construction” as part of the leadership legacy in Cumberland. The city council has looked at two possible sites to locate a new facility. I clearly believe a City Hall is part of the culture and history of a town and belongs downtown where it is accessible to everyone. As mayor, I am willing to lead the effort to build a new city facility. I believe the recent public vote on whether to build a City Hall was unfortunate because it lacked sufficient information on cost and location for citizens to make an informed decision. If the council authorizes the construction there will be many opportunities to voice your opinions. I appreciate the recent editorial support by the Advocate, noting that “communities need to keep moving forward or they slide backwards.” Our City Hall is a disgrace to the citizens of Cumberland.

A third goal is to clean up Library Lake, a goal with which every citizen in Cumberland should agree. One of Cumberland’s greatest assets is our chain of lakes that makes us the “Island City.” Library Lake is the signature view that we see from “Main Street” and highways going through Cumberland. It should be restored. Our Lake Management District, our council, and our Public Works Department are all working on plans to save Library Lake. A senior architecture student from the University of Wisconsin-Madison is working on a recreation plan for the lake. Our plans for a library addition will likely utilize a front view toward the lake. These plans need to be supported.

Next on the agenda is support for the five-year street and municipal improvement plan in Cumberland. I would like to move ahead with the difficult work of improving our streets and water systems to avoid any future problems. This plan should have the city pay for installing sidewalks on every street project. I would like to work with the Healthier Cumberland Coalition to develop a city-wide walking program so that all residents can safely use our sidewalks.

Finally, I will continue to work on improvements in city administration. In my two years as mayor, I have learned to respect the dedicated contributions of the women and men that work for us all as city employees. They keep us safe, protect our property, maintain our streets and parks, and do that financial planning and administration that keeps the city running. There are many good ideas to improve our services and we will be looking for ways to support these ideas.

Our city council works hard to make Cumberland a wonderful place to live and raise our families. I look forward to working with the council on all the issues that will attention in the years ahead. There will be numerous other issues for the city to address, but these are the five priority areas where I would like to focus.

I also appreciate hearing from citizens so we pay attention to what is important to you. Again, thanks for the confidence you have in Cumberland and my efforts as mayor.