By Annette Newcomb/Editor
January’s arctic weather did nothing to cool the political aspirations of area residents who have declared their candidacy for various school and government boards. Several elections have challengers for the first time in many years, including Twin Lakes, who has its first challenged race since the 2007 election.
The Village of Silver Lake also has five candidates for three positions.
Deadline for candidates to file their nomination papers for the April 1, spring election was close of business on Jan. 7. Incumbents not seeking reelection were to have filed a non-candidacy statement by Dec. 27.
The spring election will be held on Tuesday, April 1. If needed a primary election would be held on Tuesday, Feb. 18:
• Village of Twin Lakes: incumbents Mike Moran, Tom Connelly and Jeremy Knoll are seeking re-election and are being challenged by Barb Andres and Pat Kail. The top three candidates will be seated;
• Town of Randall incumbents Supervisor No. 2 Bob Gehring is seeking reelection; Supervisor No. 4 Mike Halvorson is not running for reelection; Mike Halvey, a former town supervisor is running for the supervisor No. 4 position.
• the Town of Wheatland will not have a spring election because the three-man board is holds elections on even years;
• Village of Paddock Lake incumbents Barbara Brenner, Gloria Walter and Kathlyn Barry are seeking reelection and Anthony Hansen is challenging;
• the Town of Salem has two incumbents seeking reelection, board supervisors Dennis Faber and Mike Culat; challenging is Amee Janus;
• for the Village of Silver Lake, incumbent Cyndy Schwebke has chosen not to run. She is a current trustee and her term expires in April.
Incumbents Paul Snellen and Sotiria Wilber are seeking reelection. Also running is former village president Roger Johnson; former trustee Chris Willkomm; Janet Barger and Carolyn Dodge.
School races
• Lakewood School has four seats open and four candidates running. Kurt Anderson opted not to seek re-election. Running for election is incumbent Jennifer Matlock; Rhett Suhre, Norman Bashirian and Barb Andres.
• Wilmot Union High School has three seats open and three incumbents seeking re-election: Barbara Tietz, Sam Barranco and Barbara Wetherbee;
• Westosha Central High School: The only position with opposition is Paris. Village of Bristol (2 year term to complete the current term), incumbent Steve Richter.
Township of Paris (3 year term) incumbent John Holloway and Dustin Beth;
For Town of Salem (3 year term), incumbent Mary Anderson.
• Wheatland Center School has two terms expiring and two incumbents seeking re-election: Timothy Driscoll and Merril Kerkman;
• Randall School: Four candidates seeking two, three year terms. Incumbents seeking re-election are Val Lass and Jan Brockway. They are being challenged by Jim O’Connell and Tracy Strother.
• Trevor-Wilmot Grade School has three candidates seeking two seats: Incumbents Tom Steiner and Bill Barhyte are seeking reelection and are being challenged by Eric Themanson.