After 6 years, Ed Duquaine is stepping down from the West Bend City Council because he’s moving out of the city. He has been an incredibly positive force on the council during his tenure and will be missed.

Duquaine was first elected in 2010, replacing Richard Lindbeck. “I am proud to have been a part of so many great things that have been accomplished,” said Duquaine. “Without sugar coating, the city’s finances were a complete mess six years ago.

“We were allocating nearly $1 million a year of our day-to-day operational costs to our TIF districts (basically, financing and paying interest on daily operations over a 20-year period).

“Our operations (in some areas) were not nearly as efficient as they could have been. We had no succession planning, little to incentivize career advancement, and a culture that didn’t promote it.

“Our community development department had a reputation of being non-welcoming, tough to deal with and our process was viewed as cumbersome. That has all changed,” he said.

Duquaine said he would have liked to have stayed on for another term, maybe two. “I would have liked to be around to eliminate all capital borrowing,” he said. “And we’re getting close to the hump with our budgetary woes.”

Thanks for your service, Ed.