School vote up for grabs with no candidates

There are no contested races in the Fredonia area for next week’s election, except in the Northern Ozaukee School District, where who gets the most write-in votes may determine who fills two seats on the School Board.

In the Northern Ozaukee School Board election, Village of Fredonia representative Steve Burmesch is unopposed, but there are no candidates for the Town of Belgium and at-large seats.

Tim Burmesch, who had represented the Town of Belgium since 2009, opted not to seek re-election.

The top write-in candidates for the two seats will be offered the positions by the board. If the offers are refused, the board can appoint someone to fill the seats.

There were no registered write-in candidates for the seats as of Wednesday, March 31, but candidates have until end of the day Friday to register.

A repeated lack of School Board candidates in recent years has prompted officials to discuss revising the makeup of the board, perhaps by reducing its size and making all seats at-large. Any such changes would require a referendum, perhaps in April 2022 at the earliest.

For the Fredonia Town Board, resident Matt Miller and incumbent Chris Janik are running for two seats, one of which is held by Supr. Mark Schubert. However, Schubert opted to seek re-election.

Janik has been a long-time town supervisor. This is Miller’s first foray into government.

Miller is retired from a 28-year career in the U.S. Army, which included deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Macedonia, attaining the rank of first sergeant.

Miller said he would like to see greater cooperation between the town and the Village of Fredonia, improve internet access in the town and help bring more development along Highway 57. He is a 1989 graduate of Port Washington High School, has lived in the town for 20 years and works for the Milwaukee County Transit System as a repairman.

Town Chairman Lance Leider is unopposed.

In the Fredonia Village Board election, Village President Don Dohrwardt and trustees John Long, Bill McLarty and Dan Gehrke are unopposed.