Portage voters will decide who will fill three seats on the city’s Common Council in the April 1. In the District 2 race, Steve Crager and Shannon Dunahee will face off for a three-year term after incumbent Susan Bauer-Frye decided not to run for re-election.
Steve Crager
Crager
Age: 39
Occupation: Human resources
Prior elected office: None
Other public service: Local church programs
Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University, Idaho; master’s degree in psychology from UW-Stout; master’s degree in business administration from UW-Parkside.
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Email: stevecrager@gmail.com
Shannon Dunahee
Dunahee
Age: 54
Occupation: Title clerk administrative assistant
Prior elected office: 13 years of local government experience, serving the village of Cambria as an elected trustee.
Other public service: None
Education: Portage public schools third to 12th grades.
Email: s.dunahee@gmail.com
Q&A
Why do you want to be on the Common Council?
Crager: I believe that our city needs more families and more housing for those families. Our community also has to address our property tax issue. Our property taxes are very high.
Dunahee: I enjoy being a part of my community. I am passionate being a voice and a representative of my community. I see serving on the Common Council as a chance to have an impact, meaningful and direct, on the the lives of those in our community. I am motivated and deeply committed to contribute to the growth of Portage and to address the needs of the residents. Being a member of the Common Council, I can be an advocate for the citizens in Portage for the issues that matter the most, such as economic equity, affordable housing, preserving the downtown and growth. I want to be the voice of the people, to address their concerns, to help ensure that their voices are heard. The idea of being a connection of the community is what drives me to continue to work at the local government level.
I grew up in Portage and there has been a large amount of positive changes. I am also aware that there are still some areas to be improved upon. I would like to share my knowledge and experience to help work toward the city of Portage that we all desire. I believe in the ability of local government to make a real difference for local people.
If elected, what unique expertise or experience would you bring to this office?
Crager: I have spent two years living in a foreign country, Brazil, learning their language and serving them as a proselyting missionary. I have been married for 16 years, have five kids, I have three degrees and have had success in my business career. I hope to bring what I have learned from these experiences to the city of Portage.
Dunahee: If elected, I would bring 13 years of local government experience. I served the village of Cambria as an elected trustee. The experience of trustee has given me the knowledge of local governance, the establishing of policies, problem solving, and community interaction. I have worked with community members one on one, to plan events, to solve concerns, and to establish the best platform to continue with moving forward.
I have experience in analyzing complex issues and translating that information into clear, actionable strategies. My expertise with working with others, collaborate, and the ability to offer guidance to others, has helped me become a leader and a better listener. In my experience of local government, I have been able to contribute my knowledge, citizen’s concerns, and questions at meetings to insure the community is well informed. I have participated in scenarios where I was a voice for the community, for the safety and the well-being of the people.
What is the most pressing problem facing the community, and how would you fix it?
Crager: As previously stated our most pressing issue is twofold. We need to encourage more families to live in Portage. This will help encourage businesses to come here and it will also help build up our tax base and spread out the property tax burden among additional families.
Duhanee: Housing, low-income, is really needed right now. There are homeless people in our community. I would like to work with local groups and help people find homes. There are programs out there that can help. But the information isn’t always readily available to people that need it. There are property owners that also need assistance in order to be able to provide housing for people. Rental owners can’t afford to make the changes need to house disabled renters. They are unable to pay for the updates because of material cost or contractor cost. We need to find a better way to assist the property owners who are willing to house low-income renters.
Affordable child care, the need for more mental health and drug counseling are also concerns in our community. Once you are able to find a solution to one, you may just have a solution for all. Community outreach will make it work.
What do you most want for your community?
Crager: In one word, prosperity. I want individuals to be self-sufficient and have local opportunities to be self-sufficient here in Portage.
Dunahee: I would like to see the people of Portage have a stronger sense of belonging, diverse and inclusive opportunities, vibrant local businesses, affordable child care and more mental health and well-being available.
In the District 2 Common Council race, Steve Crager and Shannon Dunahee will face off after incumbent Susan Bauer-Frye decided not to run for re-election.
