Marathon County Board election preview: Rural edition
Featuring districts Nos. 13 and 25
Marathon County didn’t get nearly as many contested races as the last election cycle - which saw more than half of the 38 board seats contested.
But seven, plus one with a challenger and a write-in, is still a lot.
We emailed every candidate twice with our short questionnaire, and called the ones who still didn’t respond to remind them of the questionnaire and so they would know to look for it.
On Monday we published the metro area races. Today we’re publishing the rural area races.
There were only two compared to the number of metro area contested races. There didn’t seem to be a way to cleave them into two more equal groupings that I could see. These two races feature two incumbents who didn’t respond to our questionnaire (and didn’t respond to other publication’s questionnaire’s either).
(If you’re a candidate and haven’t responded, answer the questions and send them in to brian@thewausonian.com and we will add them post-publication as soon as we’re able.)
You can use this website to see what district you’re in. (Scroll down for separate metro and rural district maps.)
District 13
Mike Ritter (I)
Ritter did not respond to The Wausonian’s questionnaire.
Beverly Krejci
What is your occupation or prior career if retired? (Please include any government experience or other relevant experience):
∙Beef/dairy/crop farm and retail store management.
∙Town of Harrison Supervisor – 16 years.
∙Town of Harrison Disaster Preparation Committee Volunteer
∙District 13 Supervisor, Marathon County 2012 – 2014
∙Past interim member of the Wisconsin Grassfed Beef Cooperative Board of Directors
Why did you choose to run for office, or seek re-election?
My rural community will benefit by having a strong voice on the County Board who will efficiently work with Supervisors of various backgrounds managing urban/rural issues for Marathon County’s best economic outcome.
If elected, what would be your top three priorities? What is the most important issue facing the county?
The most important issue is the increasing property tax burden.
The County’s portion of the total property tax must be controlled. The County is receiving a recently created State “Supplemental Shared Revenue” which will increase based on a percentage of the State’s growing sales tax revenue. However, the County Board must be aware of the effects of our School Districts’ budget shortfalls continuing to be shifted onto local property taxes. Over taxation must be avoided as it will curtail local economic activity.
The County can foster local economic growth by partnering with the private sector assuring the availability of reasonably priced child care as recommended in the 2023 Life Report. This will be important in reversing the trend of young adults leaving the area. The Agricultural business sector contributes 11,745 local jobs/$2.7 billion to the County’s economy. The local economy will benefit by encouraging MCDEVCO’s and UW Extension’s role in developing entrepreneurship in value added agricultural/forestry products and small business startups.
Currently the County and Towns receive inadequate State Road funding. A County Board resolution forwarded to the State seeking adequate road funding in a Segregated General Transportation Aid budget will be important as it will lessen the road maintenance burden on the County’s budget.
Why should voters choose you this spring?
I have had the privilege and advantage of working for Town government. The Wisconsin Towns Association and UW Extension provide town officials with outstanding educational opportunities of all aspects of governance including road maintenance, providing services, budgeting and solar/wind projects. My goal will be to improve the lack of communication and transparency between County government and the local rural communities. Most importantly the County Supervisor’s job is about producing results that will benefit the broader County community.
District 25
Tim Sondelski (I)
Sondelski did not respond to The Wausonian’s questionnaire
Susan Stankowski
What is your occupation or prior career if retired? (Please include any government experience or other relevant experience):
I am recently retired. I am the current Town of Bergen Treasurer, I have 23+ years experience in tax reporting and information confidentiality, serving major clients such as Capital One, Lincoln Financial, Empower, and Travelers Insurance.
Why did you choose to run for office, or seek re-election?
I’m running for County Board to serve my community and promote positive actions that benefit the area where we live. As Town Treasurer, I’ve gained valuable experience working on local issues and understanding the needs of our residents. I stay connected with people in the district and regularly meet with other local officials to stay informed about regional concerns. I will bring that strong local perspective to the County Board. My priority is simple: to represent the people of this district and ensure their voices are heard.
My faith in God provides me with a moral compass that will serve as my guide while I serve my community. I will listen to all sides of an issue before making the decision I believe best serves District 25. I value hard work, fiscal responsibility, and the rural values that make our community strong.
If elected, what would be your top three priorities? What is the most important issue facing the county?
Large wind and solar projects raise significant land-use and regulatory questions, and the County’s role in addressing these projects continues to evolve.
I strongly support protecting farmland through responsible local governance. I grew up on a Christmas tree farm, and my dad is retired from the USDA Soil Conservation Service. Agriculture has always been an important part of my life. My dad once told me to marry a farmer because they understand the meaning of hard work—so I did. My in-laws have deep roots in farming, and I have great respect for farmers and the work they do every day. They deserve our support. My husband and I currently operate a small Christmas tree farm, keep honey bees and I preserve hundreds of pounds of produce annually from our home garden. We are good stewards of our land.
The County should work with the Wisconsin Counties Association to pursue changes in the State Legislature regarding the full authority currently held by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. In the meantime, any proposed projects should be carefully reviewed, public input should be meaningfully considered, and the County must ensure it uses every legal tool available to protect local interests and preserve our agricultural land.
Workforce shortages are a key issue, and we need to encourage our younger generation to stay in the community. Promoting and maintaining the county’s parks and recreational opportunities is one way to make the area more attractive. The County Board should also support responsible development of new businesses that bring jobs and amenities to the area. Keeping taxes reasonable is important, and creating jobs that attract workers will help achieve that goal. My focus is on fostering opportunities that strengthen our community and benefit all residents.
I believe the County Board’s most important responsibility is safeguarding the taxpayers’ dollars and ensuring they are spent responsibly and effectively. At the same time, the Board must make certain that the needs of residents in rural areas are supported just as strongly as those in our cities, ensuring fair representation and services for all constituents across the county.
Why should voters choose you this spring?
My vision is to make better use of the District 25 vote on the County Board. The incumbent has voted against accepting several grants, against moving forward with earlier-than-planned courthouse infrastructure upgrades that would save approximately $100,000, against accepting environmental impact funding for water protection, and against the sale of county property to recover delinquent taxes, interest, and penalties, to name a few. I believe our district’s vote should be used to support responsible financial decisions and opportunities that benefit our residents and protect our resources.
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