Wolfram von Schoen, Merrimack Town Council Candidate

Wolfram “Wolf” von Schoen

Age (as of Election Day)

48

Position sought (including district number if applicable)

Town Council

Party Affiliation

Not applicable for a town position.

Family

Married to the love of my life for 21 years, two children in college and high school. A not so smart GSD mix rescue (“Bella”) and a fiercely hungry Beagle mix rescue (“Heidi”).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Wife volunteers at the planning board in Merrimack.

Education

Automation Engineering degree, Universities of Stuttgart and Pforzheim, Germany

Occupation

Self employed consultant, interim manager and business mentor. Formerly VP and Managing Director of various automation and software companies. 30+ years of experience.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Currently commissioner and staff liaison, former vice chair for the Merrimack Village District Water Works (MVD). Second term.

Campaign website

Wolfram von Schoen for Merrimack Town Council 2023

Why are you seeking elective office?

I enjoy serving the community. And I intend to bring my experience pursuing PFAS polluters on behalf of the MVD to the town council, in order to also help private well owners in seeking restitution.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Long term financial planning in light of the uncertain economy and the resulting risk of tax increases resp. cost cutting. The current and past town council members have done a great job balancing the budget while responding to key needs like the recent purchase of multiple fire engines. We need to continue supporting and adapting our infrastructure and first responders without taxing people out of their homes, and I believe I have shown to be voting fiscally responsible while also voting for necessary expenditures and improvements.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I believe aside from one of the other candidates I have a better than most understanding of the authority, limitation, and order of business of the various town entities and how they work together. My years of leading and managing organizations and their budgets have prepared me well to serve in this position. I also have a great working relationship with town management and police from my work as board member and president-elect for the Merrimack Rotary Club, e.g. organizing the Electronics Recycling events.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I am running for a vacant seat and strongly support the work of the outgoing member and current town councilors. My intent is to continue with them on their journey, not working against them.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Responsible governance is key for a small town. But the explosive growth specifically with apartment complexes in Merrimack requires adaptation and maybe a bit of reconsideration of current permitting processes and fee structures. At MVD I have moved to adjust system development charges and permitting processes to ensure new customers are buying into the infrastructure at their fair share based on peak usage instead of average usage. I believe similar adjustments are necessary on a town level.

Then again, with this growth come new businesses, new entertainment and dining options to town (just look at how the 360 plaza has become a new center of attraction in recent years). I intend to support this kind of growth in order to stay competitive with surrounding communities.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I ran for MVD five years ago to rejuvenate the water district, to be accessible, to be transparent, to be responsive and most of all clean up our public water supply while keeping the rates under control. Today all wells are or will be filtered before summer, new wells are being built, a lawsuit was filed against the polluters with one of the best law firms in the country, MVD has new Facebook pages, websites, newsletters, electronic bill pay systems and an online customer portal. Despite the steep recent increases due to the PFAS cleanup and other necessary investments, MVD rates are still at or below the current New Hampshire average water rates. People searching for my name on the various town forums will find that I have been delivering on my promise of communication and transparency for years. I believe I have proven my impact and responsibility to the voters in these recent years and feel like I can help more so as a town councilor yet.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Ask open ended questions and listen well before you speak.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Never have I ever been engaged in town volunteer roles and politics as I have since moving to Merrimack in January 2015. I love this community and hope to get your support so I can continue keeping this town being the gem it is. Thank you!