By Bob Peryea
CORRESPONDENT
Hoss Rehberg, a local business owner, is seeking election to be the Alderman for District 1. Rehberg is a write-in candidate.
Rehberg, who has lived in Elkhorn for 10 years, is the owner of Hoss Rehberg Farmers’ Insurance located at N5876 Hwy 12.
“I want to help the community,” Rehberg said, during a recent interview with the Independent. “I’ve been a business owner for over 10 years, so I think I can bring that experience to the Council.”
Rehberg comes for a long line of elected and non-elected public servants. His grandfather, Richard Rehberg, was in politics in Racine County for more than 50 years.
“I not only live in Elkhorn, but I am in business here,” Rehberg said. “Because of the nature of my business, I am out in the community each and every day. I think that being accessible is an important part being on the Council.
“I think that our local government being transparent is extremely important. I want to keep people informed and involved.”
Rehberg said that he didn’t feel that there was anything extremely urgent in Elkhorn, but that the city should be a “proactive community, pursuing good growth.
“The main issue I see facing the city is the budget enactment of Act 10,” he said.
“I feel it is very important that we follow the vision of the City of Elkhorn 2030 plan. I think that we need to be more flexible with our zoning,” he continued. “And go from the traditional type to more of a job district zoning plan.”
When asked about his campaign, Rehberg said that he has been primarily going door to door, shaking hands and placing lawn signs. “I just want to get out into the community and meet everyone.”
Rehberg recently sold his first business in Elkhorn, Hoss’s Hometown Fudge, located at Highways 12 & 67.
As the business owner of Hoss’s, he said he assisted many of Elkhorn’s charitable organizations, including West Side Elementary, Rotary, Kiwanis and Elkhorn Extreme Baseball.
Rehberg’s wife, Cindy, has been a teacher at West Side Elementary for more than 13 years. They have two boys, Lofton and Landon.
“I agree with Mr. Anderson (Rehberg’s District 1 opponent, Jerry Anderson), we need to keep Elkhorn having that ‘hometown’ feel,” Rehberg concluded. “I want to be part of helping to maintain that feeling.”
Editor’s note: To clarify a statement about the write-in aldermanic election that appeared in last week’s Independent, according to Elkhorn City Clerk Darlene Igl, “Write-in candidates are not required to file (and) the write-in candidate that receives the most votes wins the election regardless of whether the candidate was registered or not. Jerry Anderson filed a notification of non-candidacy on Dec. 7. This form states that the office holder does not intend to run for office. Hoss Rehberg filed as a write-in candidate for Aldermanic District 1 on February 1. Jerry Anderson then filed as a write-in candidate on Feb. 4.”
