OSHKOSH, WI – (WISS & WGBW) – While the presidential primary held no drama, as President Biden and former President Donald Trump each easily took their respective primaries in Wisconsin, there were several races of local interest throughout Northeast Wisconsin.
One of the more interesting races was the contest for Mayor of Menasha. Austin Hammond defeated Rebecca Nichols by only 102 votes. Hammond will replace Incumbent Don Merkes, Menasha’s mayor of 16 years. Merkes chose not to run for re-election. At 26 years old, Hammond will be the youngest person to serve as Menasha Mayor.
Other mayoral races saw Steve Jungwirth keep his seat as Omro Mayor with 68 percent of the vote.
Several school referenda in the area were approved during the April 2nd election. However, voters denied the Shawano School District a 54.5 million dollar referendum for facility improvements, renovations, and additions to schools across the district. The referendum failed by a margin of only 75 votes.
The 15 million dollar referendum for the Seymour School District passed by an even more narrow margin. There were 32 more yes votes than nos for the operational referendum to cover operational and maintenance expenses for the district.
Freedom School District referendum to for 62.5 million dollars for building and facility improvement projects at the Middle High school passes with 60.9 percent of the voters saying yes.
The De Pere School District referendum to exceed the revenue limit by 4.75 million dollars passes with 57% of the vote.
Luxemburg Casco School district requested to exceed the revenue limit by 1.8 million dollars for three years for operational expenses. That referendum passed with 51 percent of the vote.
The winners of their respective races are listed below:
STATE OF WISCONSIN
State of Wisconsin Use of Private Funds in Election Administration: Question 1
“Use of private funds in election administration. Shall section 7 (1) of Article III of the constitution be created to provide that private donations and grants may not be applied for, accepted, expended, or used in connection with the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum?
- APPROVED
State of Wisconsin Election Officials Referendum: Question 2
Election officials. Shall section 7 (2) of Article III of the constitution be created to provide that only election officials designated by law may perform tasks in the conduct of primaries, elections, and referendums?
- APPROVED
BROWN COUNTY
Allouez Village Board
3 seats, 3-year terms
- Rob Atwood (i)
- Charlie Leiterman
- Jean Marsch
Ashwaubenon Village Board
3-year term; Wards 7 & 8
- Chris Atkinson (i)
Brown County Board
District 5
- Dan Theno (i)
District 6
- Kathy LeFebvre (i)
District 14
- Nick Dagneau (i)
District 18
- Katie McDonald
District 23
- Dixon Wolfe
District 24
- Ross Toellner
Green Bay City Council
2-year term
District 1
- Jennifer Grant (i)
District 2
- Jim Hutchison (i)
District 4
- William Galvin (i)
District 5
- Craig Stevens (i)
District 6
- Joey Prestley
District 7
- Alyssa Proffitt
District 8
- Chris Wery (i)
District 9
- Brian Johnson (i)
District 10
- Ben Delie
District 11
- Melinda Eck (i)
District 12
- Kathy Hinkfuss
Hobart-Lawrence judge
4-year term
- Gregg Schreiber (i)
Wrightstown Village Board
3 seats
- Terry Schaeuble (i)
- Julie Sigmund (i)
- Ryan Roebke
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY
City of Appleton
Common Council District 4
- Martyn Smith
Common Council District 14
- Christopher Croatt (I)
Town of Grand Chute
Town Supervisor #2
- Tim Bantes
Town Supervisor #4
- Brad Gehring (I)
Outagamie County Board (two-year terms)
District 10:
- Incumbent Christine Lamers
District 14:
- Incumbent Timothy Hermes
District 18:
- Incumbent Cathy Spears
District 19:
- Jayme Heiser
District 20:
- Mark Mitchell
District 26:
- Incumbent Sarah Weinberg
WINNEBAGO COUNTY
Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge Branch 1
- Michael Rust
Winnebago County Supervisor
Winnebago County Supervisor District 2
- Kristl Laux
Winnebago County Supervisor District 4
- Jeff Lutz
Winnebago County Supervisor District 5
- Stefanie Holt
Winnebago County Supervisor District 6
- Lucas Reinke
Winnebago County Supervisor District 7
- Kate Hancock-Cooke
Winnebago County Supervisor District 10
- Bryan Stafford
Winnebago County Supervisor District 11
- Tim Paterson
Winnebago County Supervisor District 15
- Amber Lyn Gilbertson
Winnebago County Supervisor District 16
- Christian Mueller
Winnebago County Supervisor District 19
- Joshua Belville
Winnebago County Supervisor District 20
- Tim Macho
Winnebago County Supervisor District 21
- John Hinz
Winnebago County Supervisor District 24
- Andy Buck
Winnebago County Supervisor District 25
- Karen D. Powers
Winnebago County Supervisor District 29
- George E. Bureau
Winnebago County Supervisor District 32
- Frank Frassetto
Winnebago County Supervisor District 34
- Tim O’Brien
CITY OF MENASHA
Mayor
- Austin R. Hammond (youngest mayor at 26)
Alderperson, District 2
- Rosita Eisenach (I)
Alderperson, District 8
- Randy Ropella (i)
CITY OF NEENAH
Alderperson, District 1
- Mark A. Ellis
Alderperson, District 3
- William Pollnow Jr.
KAUKAUNA
City Attorney
- Kevin Davidson
Common Council
District 1
- Jennie Eggleston (I)
CITY OF OMRO
Mayor
- Steve Jungwirth (I)
CITY OF OSHKOSH
Oshkosh Council Member (Vote for three)
- Kris Larson
- Jacob Floam
- DJ Nichols
Oshkosh Area School District Board member (Vote for three)
- Timothy Hess
- Bethy Wyman
- Chris Wright
TOWN OF NEPEUSKUN
Referendum Question
Question 1: “Shall the person holding the office of Treasurer in the Town of Nepeuskun be appointed by the Town Board?”
- APPROVED
TOWN OF UTICA
Referendum Questions
Question 1: “Shall the person holding the office of Town Clerk in the Town of Utica be appointed by the Town Board?”
- FAILED
Question 2: “Shall the person holding the office of Town Treasurer in the Town of Utica be appointed by the Town Board?”
- FAILED
SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUMS
DE PERE SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM
Shall the Unified School District of De Pere, Brown County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $4,750,000 per year for five years, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year and ending with the 2028-2029 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses?”
APPROVED
FREEDOM SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM
Shall the Freedom Area School District, Outagamie County, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $62,500,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project consisting of: construction of additions and/or renovations at the Middle-High School, including for technical education, music education, classrooms/labs, safety improvements, a cafeteria/kitchen and a fitness center; construction of a greenhouse for agriculture education; district-wide capital maintenance and site improvements; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?
APPROVED
LUXEMBURG-CASCO SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM
Shall the Luxemburg-Casco School District, Kewaunee and Brown Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $1,800,000 per year for three years, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year and ending with the 2026-2027 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational expenses including staff wages and benefits and maintaining literacy, reading, and college and technical career programming?”
APPROVED
SEYMOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM
Shall the Seymour Community School District, Outagamie and Shawano Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $3,800,000 for the 2024-2025 school year, by $5,200,000 for the 2025-2026 school year, and by $6,000,000 for the 2026-2027 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses, including expenses related to staffing and to maintain programs and services?
APPROVED
SHAWANO SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM
Shall the Shawano School District, Shawano County, Wisconsin be authorized tissue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $54,500,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project consisting of: renovations, additions, building infrastructure and systems improvements at Shawano Community High School, including for classrooms, technical education, fitness, performing arts, the outdoor athletic facility, and swimming pool; building infrastructure, systems, and ADA accessibility improvements at Olga Brener Intermediate School; renovations and building infrastructure improvements at the Hillcrest Primary School Building, including for classrooms and early childhood education space, capital maintenance improvements at Shawano Community Middles Chool; districtwide site improvements; and districtwide acquisition of furnishings, fixtures, and equipment.
FAILED
Pike Lake Annual Fun Day
9/6/2024 | Austin Brumet
The Pike Lake Volunteer Fire Department hosted their annual Fun Day, bringing in crowds of attendees in support of the department.
Lugerville Church Set to Close
9/6/2024 | Austin Brumet
Park Falls, Wis. (WCQM/WPFP) – Our Savior’s Episcopal Church in Lugerville, will be closing. They were the first established church in Lugerville when they were first founded in 1938 and moved locations several times until 1949 when the church acquired the former South Fork School. The building was then moved ten miles to Lugerville, where […]
Governor Tim Walz Discusses Rural America and the 2024 Election on The Chad Holmes Show
9/6/2024 | Teri Barr
The Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee talks about his rural roots, bipartisanship, and what he orders at Culver’s on WXCO Radio.
Wisconsin’s long-term care crisis: Staffing troubles, low Medicaid rates prompt closures
9/6/2024 | Addie Costello / Wisconsin Watch and WPR
Low state reimbursement rates through Medicaid have depressed provider revenue and worker pay at assisted living facilities.
Madison Police Chief Calls for Police Officers to Return to MMSD Schools
9/6/2024 | Savanna Tomei-Olson
MADISON, Wis. – Madison’s police chief has called for resource officers to return to the city’s schools. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy shot and killed four people at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Nine more were hurt. School resource officers were able to find the shooter within minutes, and he surrendered. Madison Police Chief […]