Only one Times-area city election set for spring

There will be just one race for city offices in the Times area this spring and a win could create a sticky situation for the challenger.

The only contest in the cities of Arcadia, Blair, Galesville, Independence or Whitehall comes in Independence’s First Ward. That’s where incumbent Jason Ekern is being challenged by Tiffany Bautch. 

The issue at hand is that Bautch is currently the city clerk and state law indicates she can’t do both jobs.

Citing Otradovec v. City of Green Bay, 118 Wis. 2d 393, 347 N.W.2d 614 (Ct. App. 1984), the League of Wisconsin Municipalities website states that “with a few limited exceptions” a member of the municipality’s governing body cannot hold a position of employment with the municipality. 

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities notes the “incompatibility doctrine” which states “General Rule of Thumb: Municipal governing body members may not hold other municipal offices or positions unless specifically authorized by statute. This is because the governing body exercises control over such matters as the salaries, duties and removal or discipline of most other municipal officers and employees.” 

Exceptions listed on the League of Wisconsin Municipalities website include working as a firefighter, EMT or first responder; serving on local boards and commissions receiving no compensation other than per diem; or serving as a county board supervisor.

The Times sent Bautch an e-mail asking if she intended to resign as clerk should she win the election, but did not receive a response.

According to the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Bautch could automatically vacate the office of clerk if she were to take a position on the council. Though, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities states a “court might allow choice.” 

While that is the only contest in the area, several positions are without candidates as of last week’s filing deadline.

Nobody filed in Independence’s Second Ward to fill the expiring term of Tim Hanson. Randy Symicek is running unopposed in the Third Ward. 

In Galesville, there will be two positions without candidates. While Dave Carlson filed to run for reelection in the city’s Second Ward, nobody filed in either the First or Third where the terms of Bruce Bender and Diane Redsten are expiring.

Arcadia’s Second Ward also doesn’t have a candidate as Brock Haines’s term is expiring and nobody filed to replace him. Incumbents Adam Guenther, First Ward, and Jason Lockington, Third Ward, are both running unopposed.

In Blair, there won’t be any challenges or new council members as the incumbents, Mayor John Rawson and aldermen Chris Ekern, Andrew Stevens and Paul Syverson are all running unopposed. 

There are no city elections in Whitehall this spring. 

The election will be held on April 1. 

Arcadia, G-E-T boards to see contests

Two local school boards are guaranteed to see changes after the April 1 election, though how much change there will be has yet to be determined.

While Blair-Taylor, Independence and Whitehall will only have incumbents seeking school board positions as of last week’s filing deadline, Arcadia and Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau will have competitions.

In Arcadia, only one of the three incumbents is running for reelection. Both Paul Servais, the former board president, and Diana Tempski decided not to seek reelection this spring. That leaves incumbent Rodney Walters competing with challengers Adam Schlesser, Vicki Kreibich, Robert Ortez and Gary Pronschinske for three spots on the board.

While Arcadia’s board positions are all at-large, G-E-T will have competitions for spots representing the town of Gale and the village of Trempealeau.

In the town of Gale, incumbent current board president Adam Leavitt will be challenged by Scotti Berg. In the village of Trempealeau, incumbent Larry Moore filed a declaration of non-candidacy, meaning there will be at least one new board member with Sara Olson and Ryan Vinzant competing for the position. Olson has run for a position on the board in the past, most recently losing to Moore in 2023. 

The G-E-T board also has a vacant at-large position, Amy Schaefer has filed for that spot without competition. The vacancy was created by the resignation of Pat Malone, who moved out of the area. Incumbent Deb Lakey, town of Caledonia, is running unopposed.

In Blair-Taylor incumbents David Thompson, Neil Kniseley and Blaine Koxlien are all unopposed. Joe Bragger and Jenny Solberg are running unopposed for their positions on the Independence school board and Sandra Steig, town of Northfield, and Dave Pienok, city of Whitehall, are unopposed for spots on the Whitehall school board.