April 7th Election Results

April 7 Election Results

Mayoral

Bob Link was elected mayor of the city of Columbus yesterday after defeating one-time mayor Peter Kaland by 100 votes. Link, who recently served as an alderman in the city, beat Kaland 607 to 507.

Aldermanic

It wasn’t a good night for incumbents in yesterday’s election. Beaver Dam Ward One incumbent Alderman Clancy Knaup lost to challenger Donna Fuhrman (117-53). In Mayville, incumbent Alderwoman Marge Nitschke lost to challenger E. Jay Gering (113-36). In Waupun, challenger Matthew Hickman garnered 85% of the vote to defeat incumbent Eric Navis (130-22). Incumbent Chad Veleke withdrew from the race and did lose but still got 40% of the vote (113-77). In Columbus, incumbent Darrell Augustine lost by 28 votes to former Mayor Dave Bomkamp, who had been alderman in the Second District before a short stint in the mayors seat. Meanwhile, District Three incumbent Bill Bruns kept his seat, after defeating challenger Raymond Lawler by 24 votes. Beaver Dam Ward Three incumbent Glen Link retained his seat after beating Kenneth Anderson (62-16). Both incumbent alderpersons in Juneau won reelection. Ward Two Alderman John Schuster received 75% of the vote to defeat John Burgbacher (82-28). Ward Three Alderwoman JoAnne Link beat Daniel Schamberger by 10 votes (47-37). All four incumbent aldermen in contested races in Watertown beat their opponents. Steve Zgonc beat Raymond Koehler by 14 votes (121-107). Tony Arnett defeated Charles Damaske (205-84). Ken Burg bested Benjamin Griggs (228-184). And Brad Blanke beat Ron Buchanan (207-161).

School Board

In the Beaver Dam School District, incumbent Marge Jorgenson secured the most votes of the six candidates vying for three open seats. Jorgenson will join former school board member Gary Spielman and Dan Feuling on the board. In the Waupun School District, incumbent Percy Harper was unseated by Ron Paul. Scott Fairbank will take the seat being vacated by Cathy Loomans. Fairbank received 762 votes, but there were 286 write-in votes. The incumbent president of the Fall River School Board lost his seat to two newcomers: Wendy Corlett and Douglas Lee beat David Brozek by a three-to-two margin. In Columbus, where there were four candidates competing for three seats, the winners were Sally Owen, Pamela Larson and incumbent Don Nelson. On the Dodgeland School Board, incumbent Scot Niemeyer lost his seat to Shawna Rennack by 19 votes. Incumbent Neil Whiting secured his seat with 72% of the vote over K.R. Montgomery. On the Horicon school board, incumbent David Westimayer beat Jerry Tribbey by four votes. On the Watertown School Board, incumbents Dennis Rambo and Kurt Larsen will stay on but Michael Kujawski lost his seat to Jennifer Hepp, who received the most votes of any of the five candidates. In Neosho, board president Thomas Schafer, Jr. will stay on for another term, but Paul Balmer lost his seat to Jacob Jaroch.

School Funding Referenda

One of the three school funding referenda on the Dodge County ballot was approved yesterday. Voters in the Herman School District narrowly (142-137) approved a plan to exceed their revenue cap by $75,000 a year for five years for operational expenses. A one-year, $300,000 school funding referendum in the Horicon School District was voted down (822-505). A four-year, $700,000 referenda in the School District of Oakfield in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties also failed by a vote of 344 to 308.

Town Board

Barring any challenges, there will be all new faces on the Ashippun Town Board. Longtime Chairman Jim Schoenike lost his seat by three votes to Steven Panozzo (355-352). Incumbent Roger Kopfer lost his seat to William Bremer. And James Meyer beat Syl Hoerth for the seat formerly held by David Wendorf. In the Town of Fox Lake, Dean Streich (strike) moved from the Supervisors seat to the Town Board Chairmen’s seat after beating Tom Wissing. Julie Fleming was elected to Streich’s former seat and John Lehman will stay on for another term. Other Town Board Chairpersons elected yesterday: Randy Vande Slunt by seven votes in Waupun; Daniel Holz in Chester; Lee Miller in Hustisford; and Walter Minnig, Jr. in Westford.

Village President

Village presidents elected yesterday: Dennis Uecker in Hustisford; Tanya Schmit in Kekoskee; Jeanne McDermott in Neosho; George Marsh in Theresa; Glen Williams in Cambria; Dale Standke in Fall River; Melvin Gillen in Rio.

Jefferson County Referendum

Voters in Jefferson County approved a referendum that will increase their 2009 property taxes nearly 15 percent. Fifty-two percent of voters said “yes” to a question to exceed the county levy limit to raise $3.5 million dollars over the next four years. The money is for the ongoing operation of the county-owned Countryside Nursing Home. Next year alone it will add nearly $80 to the tax bill of a property valued at $150,000.

Supreme Court

Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson has easily won her statewide race to retain her seat. Abrahamson defeated Jefferson County Circuit Judge Randy Koschnick. It's the fourth time she has been elected to the high court. She's just four years short of being the longest-serving justice in the history of the state's Supreme Court.

State Schools Superintendent

Tony Evers won an easy victory in the race for state school superintendent. Evers defeated Rose Fernandez with more than 55 percent of the vote. He has been the deputy superintendent for the last eight years. Fernandez had promoted herself as an outsider to the education system, who was on a mission to make changes and improve schools for Wisconsin's kids.