2025 City Council Candidate Lisa Weston
District 12
LA CROSSE CITY COUNCIL
Lisa Weston
email: [email protected]
About You:
I originally came to La Crosse for college and fell in love with the city and opportunities here. I left for 5 years to work in De Pere and then Graduate School at the University of Northern Iowa and then came back to work at UWL. While my degree from UWL is Secondary Education, Social Studies, I have spent the 20 years of my career in Student Affairs/Higher Education overseeing student housing. I am currently an Associate Director for Residence Life at UWL. My husband moved from Missouri/Arkansas to work in La Crosse at Trane and has done so for almost 11 years. We have two children (ages 6 and 8) who attend State Road Elementary. We purchased our home on 30th Street 10 years ago and have worked hard to make it what our family needs.
Why did you decide to run for City Council, and what experiences or skills do you bring that will help you represent your district and the city effectively?
Decisions made in local government have great impact on the day to day lives of those who live here. I will make City Hall accessible to residents of District 12, by bringing information and questions to them. I have always been civically engaged and highly in tune with what is happening with decisions made at a local level. I am a naturally curious person who loves to learn. My greatest strength is communication and I will use that to listen to the various priorities of my neighbors while also sharing information and questions from City Council. People must feel like they know who to turn to when they have a question or a concern and I hope those in my district find me to be well informed, an advocate for their needs, and someone who can be trusted to respond.
How would you ensure residents in your district are actively involved in city planning and decision-making processes?
While parts of District 12 do have a Neighborhood Association, most of the District does not. While I value those involved in Neighborhood Associations, the only way I can ensure that my neighbors are involved is by seeking them out in ways that work for them. I use multiple tools to reach people, from social media, to emails, to phone calls, to knocking on doors. I have very much enjoyed speaking with people on their doorstep as I ask them what is important to them. Not one person has said they have no priorities. Everyone is eager to speak to someone and share their frustrations, expectations, and stories. And many have been surprised to have been asked!
The City Council delayed a vote on hiring a City Administrator until after the election. Do you support the creation of this position? How do you see this role working in collaboration with the City Council and the mayor’s office?
I support the creation of a City Administrator. I appreciate the intentionality the City Council is now taking to work through nuances of what a position like this might mean for strategic decision making in the future. An effective City Administrator will work with the Mayor and the City Council to set priorities and establish shared values for the city. When the core of those things are determined, it becomes easier for the person in the role to pull people together and help weigh competing priorities. An effective leader as a City Administrator should save money in the long run a they can better look at the larger picture for inefficiencies, seek innovative opportunities to move the city forward, and ensure seamless transitions between elected terms of the Mayor and City Council.
What role do you see the City Council playing in addressing homelessness in La Crosse? Do you support the Pathways Home initiative? What aspects of the plan do you find most effective? Or what alternative solutions would you propose?
I plan to be actively working towards solutions. Over 1 Million people are homeless in America. Logically, some of that population is local. Pathways Home, a collaborative effort, is the right direction. It has shown the data to demonstrate it is working. Continued support and removing barriers for those who are motivated to tackle this critical need is a priority. My District must be represented by someone who is invested in this concern. Approaches must be multifaceted, include grants from state and federal programs, and be research-based. Homelessness is a symptom of poverty in an era where we know over half of the population is one missed paycheck away from needing critical assistance.
What steps would you take to increase the availability of affordable housing, particularly for working-class residents and vulnerable populations?
I am excited to represent my neighbors with this in mind. The future of the vacant Trane property will impact District 12 residents. The 2024 Housing Study has comprehensive ideas for addressing housing. Increasing housing for all life stages is needed to draw people in. Those that already live here, need autonomy and flexibility in upgrading their own properties. Complex building codes, permitting, and zoning restricts flexibility and keeps some contractors from wanting to work in the city. The Council’s goal to reevaluate codes is long overdue. I am excited that hundreds of new housing units are scheduled to become available in the year few years, but we also need to be considerate of the types of neighborhoods we have throughout La Crosse.
How would you balance supporting new business development and sustaining existing businesses while preserving the unique character of La Crosse’s downtown and neighborhoods? Are there specific projects or ideas you would advocate for?
I believe in empowering highly motivated individuals and building projects around them. In many instances, archaic policies or protocols exist for reasons no one can remember that restrict creative business owners from exploring building their vision in La Crosse. I make strategic decisions based on shared values and goals. I simply love the character of our downtown. It wasn’t until I left for a few years that I truly appreciated how unique and charming it is. Many people have put incredible work into revitalizing the area and making it a true visitor’s must-see. Today, there is a shared goal of putting energy into maintaining the charm of our city in various areas from Pearl Street to Caledonia Street to Pammel Creek. We can certainly maintain the great things we have while building upon it without unjustified policies that restrict creativity.
Recent reports show a decline in La Crosse’s population. What strategies would you support to attract and retain residents, particularly younger people and families?
The school district and the city must be working on the answer to this question hand-in-hand. I believe in the public school system in La Crosse and have had wonderful teachers connecting with my children. Ideally, this is a place that attracts the best teachers in the state, which contributes to the effectiveness of the school system! Additionally, there are so many great opportunities for children of all ages in La Crosse. The offerings from the La Crosse Parks and Rec team is simply unmatched; from summer programs, to athletic endeavors, to simply having beautiful parks and playgrounds. And there are many local organizations that serve young children and all types of families. We should be highlighting these opportunities in every way possible. Of course, we also need housing to be available for these families as well, which other questions here address. Even when they become available, many of the current single family homes are aging and needs upgrades to make them work for a modern day family. We need to consider how to remove the barriers that exist for homeowners who want to stay, but need some flexibility to make their home work for them.
What is your approach to improving and maintaining the city’s infrastructure, including roads, public transportation and utilities? How would you ensure equitable access across the city?
Infrastructure is one of the few things that only the city can do! Deferred maintenance does not go away, it only gets more expensive. Budget decisions are difficult, but I believe in prioritizing investing in infrastructure so that we are able to be “ahead” instead of quickly making repairs because we did not allow for regular maintenance in the first place. I believe the current and past city councils have not always made decisions that demonstrated this value. As such, when I knock on doors, I am frequently hearing about the poor quality of streets and neighborhood pools that cannot be maintained. We recently had a series of water main breaks in my district. The city staff did a tremendous job of quickly addressing the concern and talking with the impacted residents in the moment. I had a great conversation with a city staff person who talked me through various nuances of water utilities and provided multiple resources that could be shared with residents who were impacted. Those residents have been relieved and thankful to hear of the time and research I did to provide them with options, even in a very difficult situation. Hearing their stories and the impact on their daily life helps me to be informed when I am able to make a future decision about something like water utilities.
How would you advocate for improvements to transportation options in your district and the city? What ideas do you have for public transportation, bike lanes or pedestrian-friendly pathways?
I am an advocate for anything that helps make our city more accessible for residents and visitors. Many people do not own or use a personal vehicle out of choice or necessity. We should be able to provide housing close to necessary resources as well as ways for anyone to gain access to the great things La Crosse has to offer. I support public transportation for this reason. I also love that we are such a bike-friendly town. Like many citizens have shared, I do not always love how bike lanes appear throughout the city. They are often places in ways that feel like an afterthought or as though someone had good intentions but not great execution. This should continue to be a city priority, but also needs more voices at the tables where decisions are being made so bike lanes are better integrated into the flow of the community.
What strategies would you support to ensure that La Crosse remains a safe community for residents and visitors? What plans do you have to address issues such as police-community relations, crime prevention and emergency response preparedness?
Public safety is a key element to government service. We cannot put safety on a back burner and hope things do not go awry. In my daily work with students living on campus at UWL, I maintain positive relationships with our University Police as it is critical to the work we both do. I trust our officers immensely as we have worked through crisis together. I have seen the effectiveness of officers building relationships with residents when there are no crisis situations in front of them so that when something urgent arises, people know they can trust the person they know, who happens to have a badge. As we have seen across the country, there are individuals who make incredibly poor decisions that can have a life altering effect on someone. When that happens, leadership must hold that individual accountable. And our police force must be transparent in their decision making, while actively listening for feedback. When these elements are all part of a police force, there is so much good they do for the overall safety of any community. We all have a role to play in ensuring we live in a safe community. Watching out for neighbors and sharing concerns when something feels alarming help make each neighborhood safer.
What climate action policies or sustainability initiatives would you champion in your district and citywide? How would you address renewable energy, waste reduction, and the protection of green spaces?
Like other areas of innovation, I believe in building projects around motivated individuals. There are numerous community members who have shared ideas on this topic with me. As they share their ideas, they often also share why it is difficult to enact their work and ideas in La Crosse but not in surrounding communities. If we want to be a leader in this area, then we need to look at the barriers to the movement to sustainability and consider the impact.
How can the City Council collaborate with the school district and community organizations to ensure educational opportunities and services for young people? Are there district-specific needs you would focus on?
As I have shared in other topics: The school district and the city must be working on the answer to this question hand-in-hand. I believe in the public school system in La Crosse and have had wonderful teachers connecting with my children. Ideally, this is a place that attracts the best teachers in the state, which contributes to the effectiveness of the school system! Additionally, there are so many great opportunities for children of all ages in La Crosse. The offerings from the La Crosse Parks and Rec team is simply unmatched; from summer programs, to athletic endeavors, to simply having beautiful parks and playgrounds. And there are many local organizations that serve young children and all types of families. We should be highlighting these opportunities in every way possible.
What role do you see for the City Council in fostering tech innovation and improving digital infrastructure? How could your district benefit from smart city initiatives or local tech industry development?
As a naturally inquisitive person, I am thrilled to learn of ways that other communities are embracing tech innovation. Even something as simple as the city website can be used more effectively for sharing resources, information, and helping residents find the answers to their own questions. While the city’s 311 app is starting to serve a function for some things, it can be so much more. Effective technology also leads to efficiencies when done well.
