By Gene Kemmeter

Portage County voters elected Chris Holman, a farmer, as its county executive Tuesday, April 3, in the only countywide race.

Holman received 5,973 votes to defeat Jami Gebert, who received 5,270 votes. Gebert had worked in the executive’s office the last eight years for Patty Dreier, who did not seek re-election.

Chris Holman

Voters also had choices for a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, a statewide referendum to eliminate the office of state treasurer and members of the Portage County Board, Stevens Point Common Council, School Boards and some villages and towns.

Portage County voters followed the trend throughout the state, selecting Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet for the position over Sauk County Circuit Judge Michael Screnock Dallet received 7,455 votes in the county, while Screnock got 4,435. Dallet won in most county precincts.

The nonpartisan seat is for 10 years and was previously held by Justice Michael Gableman, a member of the court’s 5-2 conservative majority, who did not seek re-election.

Voters here also agreed with those across the state to keep the state treasurer position, with 7,666 voting No and 3,545 Yes.

Voters in a school referendum for the Almond-Bancroft School District agreed to spend $525,000 in annual reoccurring operational expenses, with 356 voting Yes and 211 No.

Incumbent Joanne Kloppenburg was unopposed for the position for Court of Appeals Judge District 4 and received 8,095 votes.

Two Circuit Court judges in Portage County were unopposed, with Thomas T. Flugaur, Portage County Branch 3, receiving 8,655 votes and Thomas B. Eagon, Portage County Branch 1, received 8,620.

In the town of Eau Pleine, residents voted 159-61 to allow ATV/UTV use on one or more selected roads at the discretion of the Town Board.

County Board

All 25 seats of the Portage County Board of Supervisors were up for election. Seven incumbents filed for noncandidacy: Marion “Bud Flood, District 6; Dan Dobratz, District 7; Larry Sipiorski, District 8; Bo DeDeker, District 9; Don Butkowski, District 12; Phil Idsvoog, District 16; and Jerry Walters, District 17.

Seven seats were contested in the election. Those results included:

District 9 – Ntxhais “Chai” Moua defeated Andrew Boden, 208-106.

District 13 – Incumbent Donald Jankowski defeated challenger James A. Carpenter, 153-118.

District 19 – Incumbent Dale O’Brien defeated challenger Melinda I. Osterberg, 218-210.

District 20 – Incumbent Charles Gussel defeated challenger Becker, 260-233.

District 21 – Incumbent Jeanne Dodge defeated challenger Tim Corcoran, 328-262.

District 22 – Incumbent Matt Jacowski defeated challenger Justin Isherwood, 336-254.

District 25 – Incumbent James Zdroik defeated challenger Anne Abbott, 383-335.

Those running unopposed for the County Board and their vote totals included:

District 1 – Incumbent Vinnie Miresse, 267.

District 2 – Incumbent Chris Doubek, 188.

District 3 – Incumbent Meleesa Johnson, 187.

District 4 – Incumbent David Medin, 327.

District 5 – Incumbent Julie Morrow, 131.

District 6 – Candidate Mildred Neville, 191.

District 7 – Candidate Dave Ladick, 393.

District 8 – Candidate Joan M. Honl, 392.

District 10 – Incumbent Bob Gifford, 439.

District 11 – Incumbent Stan Potocki, 338.

District 12 – Candidate Mike Splinter, 292.

District 14 – Incumbent James Gifford, 360.

District 15 – Incumbent Allen Haga Jr., 240.

District 16 – Daniel Martinson ran as a registered write-in and received six votes.

District 17 – Candidate Dennis Raabe, 341.

District 18 – Incumbent Larry Raikowski, 312.

District 23 –Incumbent Barry Jacowski, 412.

District 24 – Incumbent Gerry Zastrow, 417.

Stevens Point

The even-numbered district seats on the Stevens Point Common Council were up for election, and incumbent Cathy Dugan defeated challenger Lynn Schulist, 300-270, in District 8 in the other race. The other incumbents and their vote totals included:

District 2 –David Shorr, 182.

District 4 –Heidi Oberstadt, 209.

District 6 –Jeremy Slowinski, 344.

District 10 –Mike Phillips, 272.

School Boards

Stevens Point

Voters returned incumbents to the three at-large positions for the Stevens Point Area Public School Board of Education that were contested Tuesday.

Incumbents Meg Erler, Judy Rannow and Mike Wade outpolled candidate Alexander Kochanowski, who received 3,112 votes. Erler had 5,065; Rannow 4,068; and Wade 4,027.

Tomorrow River School District

Two current board members were the only candidates for the two at-large seats: Bob Stuczynski and Kelly Loken.

Almond-Bancroft School District

The town of Almond post and village of Almond seat on the Almond-Bancroft School District Board were up for election. Incumbent Debbie Bradley received 426 votes for the village of Almond seat, and candidate Brad Garner received 398 votes for the town of Almond position to replace Roy Danforth, who did not seek re-election.

Rosholt

Incumbent Shawn Cychosz defeated challenger Gerald Trzebiatowski, 463-351, for the position on the Rosholt Board of Education.

Villages

Park Ridge: Incumbent Randy Busch and write-in candidate Charm Fournier won the two open trustee seats on the Village Board. Busch received 120 votes and Fournier 106 to defeat Steve Menzel 96 and Christin Neidlein 82.

Plover: Incumbent Orville Damrau defeated challenger Steven Ransbottom for the Ward 2 trustee position, 387-264. Incumbent Andrew Timm was unopposed for Ward 1 and received 361 votes; and incumbent Al Tessman was unopposed for Ward 3 and received 226 votes.

Whiting: Three village trustee positions are for two-year terms. Incumbent Andrew Kruit received 225 votes for one of three village trustee position. He was the only person who filed papers to run, as incumbents William “Bill” Horvath and Richard Marquard filed for noncandidacy. Village Clerk Debra Lutz said she is checking with the State Elections Board regarding how to fill the two trustee vacancies. She also said Whiting had 334 voters Tuesday, a 34-percent turnout.

Information for the other village elections were not available at press time.

Towns

Hull: Incumbent Dave Wilz and candidate John Koshnick won the two positions on the town of Hull Board. Wilz received 531 votes, while Koshnick received 338 and candidate Matt Johnson received 329. Town Clerk Janet Fritsch said voter turnout was 29 percent despite the snowstorm.

Plover: Incumbent Joe Firkus received 179 votes, and candidate Dennis O’Brien received 143 to win the two town of Plover trustee positions.

Information on the elections for the other towns was not available at press time.