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Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fond du Lac school referendum fails, council incumbents reelected: Tuesday's election results
FOND DU LAC – Fond du Lac has reelected its city council candidates as voters picked their local leaders and school decisions in the spring election Tuesday. The polls closed at 8 p.m. April 1, and county precincts reported in by about 9:15 p.m. after 39,716 voters cast their ballots. The unofficial report is available at Here's who won in each race. Three out of seven Fond du Lac City Council seats were up for reelection, with incumbents Tiffany Brault, Keith Heisler and Patrick Mullen. Challenging their seats were Joseph Biber, Daniel Ireland and Luke Meihack. Brault, Heisler and Mullen were elected to keep their seats. The votes broke down as follow: Tiffany Brault received 6,403 votes Keith Heisler received 5,331 votes Patrick Mullen received 5,094 votes Daniel Ireland received 4,801 votes Luke Meihack received 4,156 votes Joseph Biber received 3,214 votes Related: Fond du Lac council, school board candidates share priorities ahead of April 1 election The Fond du Lac School District Board also had three seats open, with incumbent Antonio Godfrey Sr., as well as Luke Frame, Tom Oliver and Karen Moehn on the ballots. Fond du Lac-area voters picked newcomers Moehn, Frame and Oliver. The votes broke down as follow: Karen Moehn received 9,714 votes Luke Frame received 8,360 votes Tom Oliver received 8,248 votes Antonio Godfrey, Sr. received 7,753 votes Fond du Lac School District had a referendum question on the ballot: "Shall the Fond du Lac School District, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $10,000,000 per year for four years, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and ending with the 2028-2029 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of maintaining operations, maintenance expenses and providing for security upgrades in the District?" The referendum failed with 9,617 votes against it. 8,452 voters chose yes. Read more: Wisconsin Supreme Court election results: Susan Crawford defeats Brad Schimel in most expensive judicial race in US history Campbellsport School District's contested race was for the board member seat representing the town of Ashford. Debby Flasch won with 2,017 total votes. Deborah Senn received 1,675 votes. The Ripon Area School District Board had three seats open, and candidate Chris Gatzke had the most votes with 2,012. The other two winners are Jessica Stollfuss with 1,752 votes and Stefanie Meeker with 1,690 votes. Kelly Nielsen received 1,510 votes. North Fond du Lac School District asked voters, "Shall the School District of North Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $1,900,000 for the 2025-2026 school year, by $2,000,000 for the 2026-2027 school year, by $2,200,000 for the 2027-2028 school year and by $2,500,000 for the 2028-2029 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses, including for continued safety and current programs and services?" The referendum failed with 1,738 votes against it. 1,468 voters chose yes. Oakfield School District asked voters, "Shall the School District of Oakfield be authorized to exceed state revenue limits by $1,100,000 for the 2025-26, 2026-27, 2027-28, and 2028-29 school years all on a non-recurring basis to support School District educational offerings, staff salaries, and daily operating expenses?" The referendum failed with 812 votes against it. 756 voters chose yes. Waupun Area School District asked voters, "Shall the Waupun Area School District, Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, by $900,000 per year for three years beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and ending with the 2027-2028 school year, for non-recurring purposes consisting of operational and maintenance expenses, including to maintain facilities and small class sizes, to sustain and expand educational programming, and to pay salaries and benefits?" The referendum passed with 1,349 votes in favor. 1,061 voters chose no. Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@ This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac County election: Here's who won in area races
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fond du Lac council, school board candidates share priorities ahead of April 1 election
FOND DU LAC – The spring election April 1 is less than a month away. Candidates vying for three open spots on the Fond du Lac City Council are incumbents Tiffany Brault, Keith Heisler and Patrick Mullen, as well as Joseph Biber, Daniel Ireland and Luke Meihack. There are also three open seats on the Fond du Lac School District Board, with incumbent Antonio Godfrey Sr. and fellow candidates Luke Frame, Karen Moehn and Tom Oliver. Fond du Lac City Council and Fond du Lac School District Board candidates were asked for background information and their top three priorities if elected, and their answers for the latter question were limited to 150 words. Responses were lightly edited for grammar and clarity. Here is what they had to say. Related: The primary is over in Fond du Lac. Here's what to expect in the April 1 election. Age: 39 Occupation: Stay-at-home parent Highest level of education: Bachelor's degree in English from Marian University Political or elected office experience: Elected to Fond du Lac City Council in 2021, reelected in 2023, and have served as Council President since 2024. Elected to represent District 20 on the Fond du Lac County Board in 2022, and reelected in 2024. What would be your top three priorities if elected? As a City Council member, my top priority is ensuring we are effectively using our tax dollars to provide residents with the services and infrastructure that we need, while also being able to afford the wants that make our city a great place to live. The 2024 Housing Study found that Fond du Lac faces a shortage of housing at all levels. Since 2021, City Council has worked with city staff to prioritize development that will increase available housing within the city, and this will continue to be a priority. I will also continue to be an advocate when it comes to issues Fond du Lac residents are facing. Access to affordable child care continues to be a top concern for me. We have also seen a noticeable increase in homelessness. These are problems without clear, easy answers, but I am dedicated to finding the solutions our city needs. Age: 40 Occupation: Radio station program and IT director Highest level of education: Technical college and IT certifications Political or elected office experience: Current City Council Vice President, former City Council President, four-year council member What would be your top three priorities if elected? 1. Employee retention: I want to use the data from the wage study recently conducted by the city to ensure that our compensation for our employees is in line with others in the same field. 2. Balancing the budget: I'm proud of the fact during my time on council our budgets have been balanced, city services have continued at a high level, and in the previous year the city hasn't increased property taxes, sewer or water rates. I will always work to ensure you keep more of your money and that the city spends it wisely. 3. Dependability: In the past four years on council, there hasn't been an email, text or phone call I've received that I haven't responded to. That will continue as long as I have the pleasure of serving. We on council have the pleasure of representing YOU, and we are your voice. Ensuring I listen to you and understand your priorities will always be a focus. Age: 67 Occupation: Business owner Highest level of education: Bachelor of science in microbiology, public health Political or elected office experience: Four years on Fond du Lac City Council serving as president and vice president What would be your top three priorities if elected? 1. Maintain the city's financial health through wise use of taxpayer money. Despite COVID-19 and inflation, we have been able to maintain city services without increases in property, sewer or water rates. 2. Successful completion of the North Main Street Plan and Fives redevelopment. We have a unique opportunity to redevelop these two areas to bring in new housing and new businesses to these areas. Increasing market-rate housing stock, both rental and owner occupied throughout the city by implementing the ideas and plans outlined in the recent Housing Study. 3. Continue to maintain and improve infrastructure. The average person doesn't think about infrastructure except when it fails. But infrastructure is key to a successful city and requires long-term planning and smart investment. Age: 62 Occupation: Senior business analyst, database and application software developer Highest level of education: Bachelor of science in computer science Political or elected office experience: Director of coaching for two soccer clubs What would be your top three priorities if elected? Everything is based off of family and faith: Protection: Public safety Provider: Business development Community: Groups of families growing a city together to live in, enjoy and be proud of for generations to come. Age: 73 Occupation: Retired Highest level of education: 12 years of public and faith-based education, and two years at Moraine Park Technical College for an associate degree in mechanics. Since that time, homeschooling myself with books, videos and podcasts. All non-fiction. Political or elected office experience: One year Fond du Lac Morning Optimist Club president, one year Oakfield Optimist Club president and one year Fond du Lac Evening Club president. What would be your top three priorities if elected? 1. Allocate more resources to the Fond du Lac Police Department and fill more of the vacant positions at the police department. 2. Support more economic development and work with Envision in a partnership to spur growth. Develop relationships with business leaders with Envision assistance. 3. Look for developers to build new market-based affordable housing for the single-family market. Age: 26 Occupation: Teacher Highest level of education: Master's degree Political or elected office experience: Chairman of the Fond du Lac County Republican Party What would be your top three priorities if elected? 1. Safer streets: Support our law enforcement in cracking down on crime so families can take walks without fear and neighborhoods feel safe. 2. Reasonably priced housing: Push for more affordable housing options so young families and seniors aren't priced out of our city. 3. Future-ready city: Plan smart with modern infrastructure, secure dependable jobs and boost fun entertainment options so every generation can thrive and enjoy our vibrant city. Age: 52 Occupation: Manager Highest level of education: 11th grade Political or elected office experience: Fond du lac City Council (elected in 2024), Fond du lac School Board (2020-21 and 2022-present). What would be your top three priorities if elected? In 2022, when the board adopted the strategic plan to focus on student achievement, safety, employee engagement and collaborative culture, that was a three-year plan. The district has seen growth in all those areas, with some significant growth in student achievement and behind the hard work and dedication of our teachers, administrators, support staff, counselors and secretaries. So, I would say I would like to see a new strategic plan with our new superintendent. My goals are student achievement, safety, employee engagement and collaborative culture. Age: 36 Occupation: Meat cutter/owner and operator of Flavor Frame BBQ Highest level of education: High school diploma Political or elected office experience: None What would be your top three priorities if elected? 1. Communication with community members: If elected, I would like to bring a high level of communication with me and truly engage with the people of the district and community. I feel like that is how we make a positive impact and grow together. 2. Transparency: I want to show the taxpayers what we spend funds on and how we hope those funds will be effective in supporting our students achieve the goals they set. Also, to work together with board to formulate a plan on how to be most efficient with the budget. 3. Support students and staff that work directly with the students: Find ways to truly support students and help them achieve progress in their education journey. Work together as a team to reach their greatest potential. Also, I feel if we support the teachers, that will directly help the students. Age: 60 Occupation: Retired special education teacher Highest level of education: Master's degree in special education Political or elected office experience: None What would be your top three priorities if elected? 1. Student education: I want to see all students getting the education they deserve. With my background in special education, I would make sure that the students with special needs are getting the services that are laid out in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). I would also push for more specialized classrooms for some of these students and have their services provided outside of the general education classroom. 2. Spending: I want to dive into what our money is being spent on and have more scrutiny over the spending. I feel that some of our spending could be used in a much better way. 3. Communication: I want to make sure that there is better communication between the board, administrators, staff and community. With better communication, there is more transparency, which allows more people to know what is happening within the district. Age: 65 Occupation: Retired county magistrate Highest level of education: Master's of arts in history, Ph.D. in Irish history, JCD (Canon Law) Political or elected office experience: None What would be your top three priorities if elected? My first priority would be to meet with as many teachers and staff in as many, if not all, of the schools as soon as possible. I need to hear from the people on the front line to fully understand and appreciate both their successes and their challenges. My second priority would be to work with the new board to get them to better manage this district. I believe the board has abdicated too much of its responsibility to the day-to-day administrators of the district. My third priority would be to move for a full forensic accounting of district expenses for the past five years. I believe there has been wasteful spending that has contributed to a potential shortfall. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 1 and voters can also register to vote at their polling place April 1. The deadline to register to vote by mail or online for the April 1 election is March 12. In-person absentee voting starts March 18. The deadline to register to vote at your municipal clerk's office is March 28. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is March 27 for regular voters and temporarily overseas voters, and March 28 for indefinitely confined and military voters. They must be received by your municipal clerk by 8 p.m. April 1. For more details, go to Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@ This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac city council and school board candidates voice priorities
