Mlada Aims to Bridge Gap Between Passion, Action as Port Mayor

Editor's note: This is the first in a series profiling the four candidates running to be the next Port Washington mayor. The other three candidates include: Ricky Ranz, John Sigwart and Jim Vollmar. Look for the second story on Monday.

His excitement and passion about Port Washington is obvious as Tom Mlada talks about his candidacy for the next Port Washington mayor — but it's the feedback from that energy that Mlada said will be the key to success during his time as leader of the city.

While Mlada says he loves Port Washington and that "life is really, really good here," he also recognizes there are areas for improvement, such as boosting local business and the economy as well as community engagement.

His strategy? To create an overwhelming sense of unity among residents by encouraging volunteerism, recognizing good deeds and creating more levels of communication.

"There has to be a sense among us that we are vested in this community," Mlada said. "So much of what you do is about relationships. Especially on the local level, I truly believe its about engaging people."

Mlada said volunteering in the community would be one way people can further make that personal connection with the city they live in, and he would hope to see excitement about volunteering grow during his time as mayor.

"Something to make a tangible difference," he said, adding that volunteering offers a great life lesson for kids. Efforts by volunteers should be highlighted in a variety of ways, perhaps through newsletters or online recognition, etc., he said, as a way to build more excitement around doing good deeds.

Mlada plans to create monthly lunch or coffee meetings, inviting Port Washington residents, business owners and whomever to join him and speak their minds. He also plans to launch a personal website for his campaign, a platform that could later be utilized for further communication with Port residents.

"You've got to have a very active and visible (role as mayor)," Mlada said, adding that though the position is part-time in theory, he believes holding the mayor title makes him a full-time representative for the city. "Everything you do, you represent the community," he said, "You've got to wear (that passion) on your sleeve."

He also has a sketch pad full of ideas to help boost the business community in the city, including:

• amping up involvement in already business-friendly programs such as Port Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce and Port Washington Main Street;
• creating a Business Advisory Board, which would recognize different milestones reached by local business owners, helping create a deeper sense of belonging to the community;
• through the Business Advisory Board, holding local job fairs and other events in the business community, such as an annual Celebrate Port conference; and
• offering six-month trial periods with reduced rent for spaces to encourage business owners to give Port a try, and help them become more comfortable with how to be successful.

"If you can open the door to the community with local businesses, so they can really recognize that local partnership," that can lead to success, he said.

Mlada is a Sheboygan native who has lived in Port since 1999. He works as the Director of Development and Stewardship for St. Monica School and Parish in Whitefish Bay. He's 35-years-old and is married with two daughers. He enjoys the family-friendly aspects of the city, boasts about the "amazing" park system and enjoys the people he encounters in his daily life.

"The people (in Port) are truly something to admire. They're passionate about the city," he said, adding, however, that sometimes there is a gap between passion and action. Mlada hopes he can help build the bridge to fill that gap.

"I really believe I can serve effectively. I want to use this opportunity to make the city better," he said. "It's important we embrace the idea that (Port) can be an exceptional city."