Races rev up for upcoming elections
Voters have choices in most communities
The Franklin School Board president is stepping down, an Oak Creek alderman faces a primary and all four Hales Corners residents running for municipal office will be unopposed.
Those are some of the highlights heading into the spring election season as the filing deadline of 5 p.m. Tuesday passed. The general election is April 6 with primaries on Feb. 16.
Here's a look at who's running in the local races.
Franklin
A familiar face will be leaving the Franklin School Board this April.
David Szychlinski, who served on the board from 1991 to 2003 and again beginning in 2007, has filed papers declaring noncandidacy. Szychlinski has served the board as president and vice president multiple times.
The other two incumbents, Debbie Larson, 9113 S. 42nd St., and Jeff Traylor, 4302 W. Woodward Drive, will both seek re-election.
Three challengers have also entered the race: Melissa Klein, 4174 Hilltop Lane; Paul Rotzenberg, 6713 W. Riverpointe Drive; and Hugo Nguyen, 4136 W. Southwood Drive.
Candidates are elected to three-year terms at an annual salary of $3,000.
There will be a new face on the Common Council as Alderman Lyle Sohns decided not to seek re-election. Filling his place in District 5 will be either Bryan Maersch, 8096 S. 47th St., or Doug Schmidt, 7961 S. 68th St.
In District 1, incumbent Steve Olson, 8091 S. Meadowcreek Court, will face challenger and local blogger Greg Kowalski, 8817 S. Golden Court. Incumbent Tim Solomon, 8026 S. Mission Drive, will run unopposed in District 2.
Aldermen are elected to three-year terms and paid $7,200 annually plus $1,800 for mileage and expenses.
Greendale
Three residents will compete for two spots on the Greendale Village Board.
Incumbent Ronald Barbian, 8875 Greenhill Lane, will face challengers Noelle Joers-Yanisch, 5595 Oakwood Circle, and Carl Genz, 4504 Skylark Lane.
Trustee Jeff Birmingham will not seek re-election.
Trustees are elected to three-year terms with a starting salary of $5,345. The salary increases incrementally over the next two years.
Municipal Judge Mark Kapocious, 4995 Saxony Lane, will run unopposed. The judge is elected to a two-year term for a first-year salary of $16,967 and $17,306 for the second year.
On the Greendale School Board, both incumbents will keep their seats this spring, as no other residents filed to run against Victoria McCormick and Thomas Slota.
Slota, 8210 Fairmount Lane, currently serves as School Board president.
McCormick, 5774 Finch Lane, was first elected to the board in 1998. In that time, she has filled the position of clerk, president and vice president. She is also the Wisconsin Association of School Boards president.
School board member serve three-year terms and receive $4,200 annually. The seats are elected at-large.
Oak Creek
Alderman Michael Toman will face two challengers in a primary election Feb. 16, while one name will appear on both the Common Council and School Board ballots.
Toman, 3579 E. American Ave., will square off against Rosemarie E. Annonson, 3920 E. Ryan Road, and Yolanda C. Brossman, 4078 E. Barton Road in the race for District 4 alderman.
The top two vote-getters advance to the April 6 general election. Annonson doubles as a candidate for the Oak Creek-Franklin School Board.
Incumbent District 2 Alderman Daniel Bukiewicz, 8147 S. White Oak Drive, will face challenger Jim Wenzler, 8630 Ventana Drive in the District 2 general election.
Alderman Thomas Michalski, 8720 S. 13th St., will run unopposed in District 6.
Oak Creek aldermen are elected to two-year terms with a salary of $7,200 per year. The Common Council president earns $8,400.
Only one name will be on the ballot for each of the three other municipal positions.
Incumbent Clerk Pamela Bauer, 2075 E. Pendragon Court; Treasurer Barbara Guckenberger, 370 E. Oak Lane; and Municipal Judge Alice Rudebusch, 325 W. Aspen Drive, will all run unopposed for two-year terms.
Four people will vie for two spots on the Oak Creek-Franklin School Board.
Incumbents Paul Mason and Frank Carini both filed for re-election. They are joined by Robert Pelzek, 7720 S. Manitowoc Avenue, Oak Creek, and Rosemarie Annonson, 3920 E. Ryan Road, Oak Creek.
Board members are elected at-large and serve three-year terms and receive $420 a month.
Hales Corners
All four Hales Corners Village Board incumbents up for re-election this spring will run unopposed.
Village President Robert Ruesch and trustees Mary Bennett, Marjorie Stahl and Dan Besson all filed paperwork to get on the ballot.
Board members are elected to two-year terms. Trustees earn $3,600 annually, while the village president makes $5,400 per month.
Four people have filed for three available seats on the Whitnall School Board.
Incumbents Michael Clarizio, 4559 S. 119th St., Greenfield, and Suzette Larson, 5593 S. Meadow Park Court, Hales Corners, will face two challengers - Stephanie A. Richter, 6721 Parkedge Circle, Franklin, and Jon D. Jones, 6433 S. 122nd St., Franklin.
Incumbent Rick Kollauf has filed noncandidacy papers.
Whitnall School Board members are elected to three-year terms with a salary of $3,000. The school district encompasses Hales Corners and parts of Franklin and Greenfield.
Julie Marra contributed to this report
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