By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
There is an issue for everyone in the spring election for seats on the City of Whitewater Common Council.
Candidates are concerned with parking, housing, wastewater and relations between the university and citizens as the April 7 day of reckoning approaches.
Seats are open in Aldermanic Districts 1, 3 and 5, along with one at-large seat. According to the city web site, council members are elected in April to two-year terms. There are a total of five aldermanic district council positions and two Councilmember at Large positions.
Odd-numbered districts are up for election in odd-numbered years. Seats for even-numbered districts are up for election in even-numbered years. One Councilmember-at-Large seat is open each calendar year.
Tuesday’s election will be held at the Downtown Armory, 146 W. North St. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. More information about the election is available at www.whitewater-wi.gov/elections-voting.
A preview of the races in this spring’s election among candidates for the Whitewater Common Council follows below.
District 1
Incumbent Phillip Frawley did not seek re-election.
Craig Stauffer is on the ballot, and Patrick Wellnitz is a write-in candidate.
Stauffer, 1270 Jakes Way, Unit 1, works as a corrections officer for Walworth County, and previously served on the Common Council in the mid to late 2000s.
In the community, he’s been part of the Whitewater Fire Department and Whitewater Youth Football.
Stauffer previously left office because of his work schedule. He recently switched from second shift to third shift, which allows him to return to the council. Stauffer said he enjoys working with the people in his district.
“I like representing the people, listening to them and being able to bring their views to the Council,” Stauffer said. “I think some people don’t listen to their constituencies and don’t do what they want. I really tried to listen to the people in the district and do what they want to do.”
Managing the budget, maintaining infrastructure and attracting families to Whitewater are key issues for Stauffer. Stauffer said the demand for off-campus student housing is driving families from Whitewater.
“The university is a big economic generator for the city, but when you don’t have families, you lose what makes Whitewater – its character,” Stauffer said.
Wellnitz, 629 E. Cravath St., is new to elected public office. He’s served on the Whitewater Fire Department for several years, and decided to run for office after not being elected Assistant Chief in January. Wellnitz said performing both jobs would be implausible.
“There (were) a lot of things going on at the volunteer fire department that would have taken a lot of time,” Wellnitz said. “If I got in as assistant chief, that would have taken up a lot of time. That’s why I’m registered as a write-in candidate on the ballot.”
Wellnitz is a Certified Public Accountant, and owner of Wellnitz Tax & Accounting at 138 Center St. in Whitewater. His wife, Diane, owns Whitewater Travel Service, also at 138 Center St. The couple owns Station 1, a bar at 140 Center St.
Taxes and fees and parking are the issues Wellnitz holds dear.
“You only have a finite number of resources to work with,” Wellnitz said. “You can’t do everything you’d love to do. You have to prioritize the needs and wants versus what we have to spend.
“There’s a lot of tough choice, and that sometimes is not so popular.”
District 1 is located in the city’s southeast corner.
District 3
Incumbent Jim Winship is not seeking re-election.
Christopher Grady and Kenneth Kienbaum are squaring-off for the seat.
Grady, 318 W. North St. said he is running at Winship’s urging.
Grady’s previous experience with city government is through work re-writing zoning codes. He is also vice president of the Starin Park Neighborhood Association.
He is involved with Bethel House, which works to combat homelessness in Whitewater. He works in Racine as a Regional Inventory Analyst for Case New Holland, and said his experience working for a large organization will be an asset as a Council Member.
As for issues, Grady said he looks represent the views of traditional, single-family homeowners while ensuring a university dependent on rental properties for housing continues to thrive.
Grady said the future of wastewater treatment in Whitewater is a significant issue.
“It’s going to be a big expenditure,” Grady said. “My engineering background will be a good help in looking at what they’re doing, and whether it is truly needed.”
Kienbaum, 155 Hyer Lane, Unit 205, is running at the urging of his late mother, Marilyn.
Kienbaum is a retired farmer, and is on the city’s Landmarks Commission and on the Board of Zoning Appeals.
It is his first time running for elected office, and he is doing so in honor of his later mother, Marilyn, who passed away in 2012 and worked as a community activist and elected official. Kienbaum also helps out at the Whitewater Food Pantry, which is named for his mother.
The future of the wastewater treatment plant, and elderly issues, interest Kienbaum.
“I think the older people need to have a representative where they can let their wishes be known and have someone to represent them,” Kienbaum said.
Kienbaum’s issues with the wastewater treatment plant center on using existing equipment, processing the sewage and working with farmers to use the byproduct. Kienbaum said he believes doing so might qualify the city for money in the 2015 Farm Bill.
District 3 is in the center of Whitewater. It is bordered to the North by Jefferson County and to the east by North Fremont Street. It is bordered to the south by West Main Street and West North Street, and to the west by North Prairie Street. Along with Districts 2 and 5, it encompasses part of the university.
District 5
Stephanie Abbott previously represented District 2, and won re-election in 2014. District 5 incumbent Sarah Bregant is not seeking re-election, and Abbott decided to move and seek the seat in District 5.
Abbott is running unopposed, and someone will be appointed to serve the remainder of her term in District 2.
Abbott started representing District 2 in 2011. She works in management for a student rental company, and is likely returning to school in the fall to pursue a MBA. Abbott deals with issues in her legs, and relies on a mobility device to get around.
“Relocating to District 5 gives me a little more permanence in my housing situation,” Abbott said. “It is better suited to where I am in my life.”
Abbott said if someone else sought the District 5 seat, she would not have run.
“Being that there was an open seat, and I absolutely love serving the city, it worked out well for me to be able to do this right now,” Abbott said.
The future of wastewater, parking and capital improvements are Abbott’s key issues.
“The city has done a much better job in the last four or five years in looking at long-term capital improvements,” Abbott said, adding that city staff do an excellent job when given the right direction.
District 5 is located in the southwest quadrant of the city. In rough terms, it is bordered to the north by West Main Street and to the south by West South Street. South Janesville Street and South Prairie Street comprise District 5’s eastern border, and South Prince Street is its western border.
Council Member at large
Common Council President Patrick Singer is running unopposed for the Council Member at large seat. Singer and the staff of the Whitewater Register exchanged numerous phone and e-mail messages in an attempt to make contact but were unable to do so prior to press deadline.
