Burlington

Time is now to consider serving

Seats on local councils, boards are on April ballot

By Jason Arndt

Editor

Area residents seeking seats on local government bodies at different levels can launch their candidacies this week.

As of Dec. 1, prospective candidates looking to serve on the Burlington Town Board, Burlington Common Council and Burlington Area School District could start circulating nomination paperwork for the April 2 Spring Election.

If more than two candidates file to seek any single seat – or more than double the available seats – a primary election will be held Feb. 19 to narrow the field.

Locally, there are four aldermanic seats in the City of Burlington, two seats on the Burlington Area School District Board of Education along with two supervisory posts and chairperson position on the Town of Burlington Board up for re-election.

On the county level, the seats held by Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave and Circuit Court Judge Jon Fredrickson are up for election. The multi-jurisdictional municipal judge seat for Dover and Yorkville will also be on the ballot. That seat is currently held by Christina Bass.

There will also be a statewide race for Wisconsin Supreme Court justice.

Candidates in each race have until 5 p.m. Jan. 2 to file declarations of candidacy and nomination papers with their respective boards and municipalities.

Those who plan to seek office must live in the district or municipality they wish to represent and must be at least 18 years old.

Prospective candidates should contact the clerk in the municipality or district they desire to serve for the needed materials to declare candidacy. Additional information for candidates is also available on line from the Wisconsin Election Commission at elections.wi.gov.

Here is a closer look at local contests:

City of Burlington

Aldermen: Four seats – incumbents Susan Kott (1st District), Bob Grandi (2nd District), Jon E. Schultz II (3rd District) and Todd Bauman (4th District)

Annual compensation for the two-year term is $3,600, according to City Clerk Diahnn Halbach.

Town of Burlington

Chairperson: incumbent Ralph Rice

Supervisors: incumbents Tyson Fettes (No. 1) and Richard Isaacson (No. 2)

Annual compensation for the chairperson is $7,500 and supervisors receive $5,000, Clerk Heidi Streif said.

Both offices have two-year terms.

Burlington Area School District

School Board: incumbents Kevin Bird and Barry Schmaling.

Each seat carries a three-year term.

Bird, previously a board member, returned as an appointee to fill a spot vacated by Jim Bousman, who resigned last March.

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