Submitted
Westfield Washington Schools (WWS) Assistant Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Brian Tomamichel announced Wednesday his intent to run for Westfield City Council.
Tomamichel
Tomamichel has worked for WWS for over five years and is the recent recipient of IBJ’s CFO of the Year award announced last week. Tomamichel will run for one of two at-large seats on the City Council in the Republican primary in May 2023.
Tomamichel lives in Westfield with his wife Lindsay and their three children: Berkley, Braxton, and Brooks. Brian has an accounting and finance degree from Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, and an MBA from the University of Indianapolis.
In his role at WWS, he manages a $130 million budget and more than 1,300 employees while financially transforming the district over the last five years. Under his leadership, the tax rate of the district has decreased 34.8 percent since 2017 while enrollment has increased by nearly 1,253 students. The district’s Rainy Day fund, nonexistent since 2012, now boasts a reserve of $6.1 million. During his tenure, the district’s bond rating increased from BBB+ to A-, lowering interest rates on projects.
“In my position at WWS, I have been fortunate to be involved in many community projects and I have seen firsthand all Westfield has to offer,” Tomamichel said. “Unfortunately, I have also watched economic development drastically halt, community enhancement projects such as the Monon tunnel under 161st Street be placed on hold, and costly and unnecessary legal battles stall council decisions on what really matters to our residents. I cannot help but think that we can do better, we can expect better, and we can treat people better.”
Tomamichel believes that as the fastest growing city in Indiana, public safety and infrastructure should be top priorities.
“Growth in Westfield is inevitable, and we need to meet it with both firm boundaries and fiscally responsible decision-making,” he said. “This does not mean that we should be anti-growth, but we should be strategic in our planning and development and with the goal of increasing the level of service for our community.”
Tomamichel’s campaign priorities include:
- Strategic investment in infrastructure and public safety as Westfield continues to grow;
- Fiscally responsible decision-making and investment in quality growth;
- Increase level of communication with council, staff and residents;
- Work with leadership on creating a strategic growth mindset for councilors and staff;
- Attract and shape major commercial development and increasing our tax base;
- Continuing to create a fun and safe community for all.
You can learn more about Tomamichel through his Facebook page.