Longtime president, challenger square off

In 18 years as Saukville village president, Barb Dickmann hasn’t often faced election opposition, but she will on Tuesday, April 6.

The challenge comes from  Trustee Trevor Seitz, who said he wants to see improvements in the city’s taxing and spending.

“What’s important is that we try to live within our means. Part of what is wrong is that mentality of keeping up with the Joneses. We’re not Grafton; we’re not Port,” Seitz said.

Seitz, who was elected to the board in 2018, said he believes he can find savings without cutting services.

One change Seitz proposes is in how the budget is put together. He said unspent money  should be put back into the general fund rather than rolled over into the same department and spent for other uses.

Dickmann disagreed with Seitz’s characterization.

“I am very concerned with keeping a strong conservative budget. We are very careful how we tax the people,” she said, noting that the village has a high credit rating.

Dickmann and Seitz agreed the village needs more development to pay its bills. They said opportunities are limited, with all the parcels sold in the business park and no certainty as to when the Ansay development north of Piggly Wiggly — which will require creation of a tax incremental finance (TIF) district — will come online.

TIF districts redirect property tax revenue from a development to pay for infrastructure improvements. When the district is retired, the tax revenue reverts to the general fund, presumably at a higher increment than before.

Dickmann said she’s the best qualified candidate to help move that project forward.

“I’d like to be involved with the TIF district with the Ansay group,” she said. “I have 18 years of education in working with TIF districts, I have the background to be able to represent the village effectively in that area.”

Dickmann said she also recognizes the need for more business development apart from the Ansay project.

“Our business park is pretty much full,” she said. “We need to put our heads together. We would have to acquire more land and develop accordingly.”

Dickmann said she also has hopes that there will be more residential development on the village’s west side.

“We have some opportunities there,” she  said.

Another looming issue in the village is meeting the staffing and budgeting issues of the Saukville Fire Department.

Last year, Grafton Fire Chief Bill Rice took over as the Saukville chief, and a recent study of Ozaukee County’s fire and emergency services cited that arrangement as an example of what could happen in the rest of the county.

The study suggested six potential options, each of which would increase costs.

Seitz noted that some of that cost could be offset by reducing the need for some equipment.

“One thing the study said is we have way too much fire equipment. We basically have just been buying without looking at trying to figure out how to reduce costs,” he said.

Dickmann said the fire department situation will continue to change.

“This will continue to evolve. Our board has expressed an interest in continuing to let it evolve. We encourage shared interests (between fire departments), even if it’s just between Grafton and Saukville,” she said.

“We have to study the data and figure out the best, most cost effective way to move forward within the levy limits. It’s a challenge I look forward to.”

Seitz retired from the U.S. Army after 30 years and has lived in the village since 2002.

Also on the village ballot on Tuesday will be incumbent trustees Richard Belling, Andy Hebein and Dave Maglio, all of whom are unopposed.

In the Town of Saukville, Plan Commission member Kevin Kimmes is running unopposed to be town chairman. Supervisors Curt Rutkowski and Michael Denzien are also unopposed.

In the Village of Newburg, incumbent Village President David DeLuka and incumbent trustees Bill Sackett and Sandra Stockhausen are unopposed. In addition, the village has one registered write-in candidate for a third open trustee seat, Kevin Kohn.