This Vote Is for Your Town and Village Leaders

School, town and state questions are also on the ballot

The April 4 election will decide which candidates local residents want to lead their towns and villages.

Eight municipalities have contested races: Baileys Harbor, the Town of Forestville, Gardner, Gibraltar, Liberty Grove, Nasewaupee, Sister Bay and Washington. The final installment in our three-part election coverage follows – for Gardner, Sister Bay and Washington. To see the candidate information published in the previous two issues, visit doorcountypulse.com.

The remaining municipalities – and the five Door County school districts – also have elections, though none of their seats are contested. Those are the City of Sturgeon Bay and Brussels, the Town and Village of Egg Harbor, Ephraim, the Village of Forestville, Jacksonport, Sevastopol, the Town of Sturgeon Bay and Union.

We’ll have all the election results on our website after the polls close at 8 pm on April 4.

Wisconsin voters will also decide a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court between Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz and former state Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly, who was appointed to a spot on the court by then-Gov. Scott Walker in 2016 before losing a 2020 election for a full term. 

The state’s highest court currently has a 4-3 conservative majority. An outcome of the liberal candidate – Protasiewicz – would flip that balance at a time when the court is likely to hear a case challenging Wisconsin’s abortion law. Learn more about these candidates at doorcountypulse.com.

Finally, questions posed on the ballot are for specific communities – the Gibraltar and Washington school districts and the Town of Egg Harbor – and for the entire state, which will decide on two constitutional amendments and one advisory referendum. We unpack the constitutional amendments and the Gibraltar school referendum on the Door County Pulse podcast. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or at doorcountypulse.com/podcasts. 

Go vote. It’s a right and a privilege.

Town of Gardner

Three seats are up for election on the five-member Gardner Town Board, and all three have a race: the chair’s seat and the seats for the Supervisor 1 and 2 seats.

Town Board Chair

Paul DeWitt, 69, is retired and a graduate of Southern Door High School. He’s married to Debby DeWitt, and they have one adult daughter. He previously served as the town board chair for 10 years and also represented the town on the Door County Board of Supervisors for eight years.

Why are you running for the town chair instead of a supervisor seat?

I believe in guiding the town board in a proactive approach and bringing resolve to all major issues. I will welcome constituents’ input, take timely action and plan for the town’s future needs. As former town chair, I have a proven record of making constituents, the town and our future a priority. 

What is your town doing right? What needs improvement?

The two most important services the town offers are fire protection and first responders. I believe both are operating smoothly and serve the people well. The town needs to identify blighted properties to have them remediated.

What do you think should be the top priorities for the town to address during the next five years?

Implementing a five- and 10-year plan to fund road maintenance/repair, and resolving the zoning issue. A yes-or-no referendum is vital in concluding this issue. Years of time and money spent have resulted in no decision. With planning, there should be no surprises, and we should be able to move forward in a positive and progressive way.

Carl R. Waterstreet, 67, is retired from law enforcement, from plumbing/HVAC and as a driver’s education instructor. He’s a graduate of Algoma High School and a law-enforcement academy. He has a trade degree and has taken numerous college courses. He is married to Gail Waterstreet, and they have two adult sons. He is serving his first two-year term as town board chair and previously served as Supervisor 2 for nine years. 

Why are you running for the town chair instead of a supervisor seat?

I am presently the Gardner town chairman. I believe there are many challenges in our town still left to be resolved. I believe that I can continue in a leadership role to resolve those challenges, working with the town’s people and board members to move the town forward. 

What is your town doing right? What needs improvement?

Two items the town is doing right are starting a committee for broadband with other towns for faster internet, and working and compromising on raze orders to clean up unrepairable structures. One thing the town needs to improve is infrastructure. To address these items, I will continue to include the voice of residents. 

What do you think should be the top priorities for the town to address during the next five years?

Faster internet with fiber broadband is the future, and another huge priority is zoning. I believe the residents should decide their future in zoning – whether it’s town zoning or county zoning. We need zoning to keep the town’s integrity and beauty. Also, develop a better plan to maintain our roads and other developments. 

Keitha McDonald, 66, is retired after working for 30 years for Davies Water Equipment/Ferguson Waterworks. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is married to Michael McDonald. Between them, they have three adult children. This is her first run for public office.

Why are you running for office?

I am running for office because I would like to make a difference in my community.

What is your town doing right? What needs improvement?

We currently have a committee looking into bringing broadband internet to the town. With more people working from home, internet service has become a big issue in our area. I would like to see more residents involved in our local government.

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the town to address during the next five years?

I believe we need to continue improving our roads and protecting our shoreline. We also need to attract more small businesses to our area.

Glen Merkle, 68, is retired. He is a graduate of Southern Door High School and is married to Tracy Merkle. He is the incumbent Supervisor 1 candidate, a position he has held since 2015. 

Why are you running for office?

I have lived in the Town of Gardner since the late ’70s. I would like to continue serving the residents of our town and assist the members of the board in current and future projects to keep our community strong.

What is your town doing right? What needs improvement?

We are currently working on two separate projects for the growth of our town: potential broadband, and town or county zoning. Further information will be provided at future town board meetings. What needs improvement is that the entire town board needs to work together to enforce our ordinances that have been implemented.

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the town to address during the next five years?

Funding for town roads. As a member of the Fire Board and retired fireman, I feel we need to recruit younger fire personnel. With the residents’ input, we need to discuss the possibility of a new town hall to better serve our community.

Mark Lentz, 67, is a retired municipal public-works director. He has a B.S. in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University and is married to Connie Lentz. He is the incumbent Supervisor 2. He had not held any elected positions until his first run for office in 2021, when voters elected him to his current seat.

Why are you running for office?

I am running for a second term as town Supervisor 2. Additionally, I have chaired the Town Plan Commission for six years. I enjoy using my professional local-government experience to help guide the town and assist its residents. During my time serving the town, I have administered contract bids and specifications, helped write ordinances, and coordinated the update to the 20-year Comprehensive Plan.

What is your town doing right? What needs improvement?

Gardner is a quiet, rural and recreational town bordering the bays of Green Bay and Little Sturgeon. As a board, we strive to ensure and maintain good services, quality of life and enjoyable recreational opportunities. We work hard on communicating with residents and keeping them informed about town’s activities and issues.

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the town to address during the next five years?

Our priorities will continue to be administering a responsible budget and maintaining services and infrastructure. Of those, road maintenance is our most challenging expense due to rapidly increasing construction and material costs. Communicating and sharing information with our residents is extremely important, and we will continue to improve on those efforts.

Mike Marchant, 59, has been working for Marchant’s Foods since graduating from Southern Door High School. He owned and operated the Quietwoods South Campground for 30 years and was a member of the Brussels/Union/Gardner Fire Department for 22 years. He’s married to Chris Marchant, and they have two children. This is his first run for public office.

Why are you running for office?

I would be glad to serve the people of Gardner and keep moving forward with addressing the needs and concerns of the community and town.

What is your town doing right? What needs improvement?

Working on keeping roads up and finding ways to bring more visitors to share what Gardner has to offer.

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the town to address during the next five years?

Working on a plan – and/or place – for all community members to enjoy and use, and watch how funds are used.

Village of Sister Bay

Incumbent village president Rob Zoschke is being challenged for his seat by incumbent trustee Nate Bell.

In addition, six candidates are vying for three open seats on the Sister Bay Village Board. The top-three vote-getters will be seated.

None of the six candidates are incumbent trustees. However, Sarah White, who is one of the six candidates on the April 4 ballot, was appointed to fill a board-seat vacancy created by the departure of Mary Lyons. White was sworn in Feb. 21 – after she had filed her candidacy papers. She was also among the top vote-getters in the primary election.

Village Board President

Nate Bell, 42, is a network engineer for Bertram Communications, formerly known as Door County Broadband. He is a Gibraltar High School graduate with various professional certifications and is divorced. He is an incumbent village board trustee serving his fourth term. He was appointed to the board in December 2015, then elected for three consecutive two-year terms. 

Why are you running for the village chair instead of a supervisor seat?

Because I love the community of Sister Bay (and Door County). I believe the village needs new leadership for a better Sister Bay. 

What is your town doing right? What needs improvement?

I look at Pebble Beach as the best thing the village has done since I’ve been a trustee. The village could do a better job of bringing stakeholders together and building consensus.

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the town to address during the next five years?

Attainable housing, broadband and parking/transportation. Although the village cannot solve these issues, the village can help facilitate the solutions. 

Rob Zoschke, 57, is the manager of the Sister Bay Inn. He has a B.A. in English from Lake Forest College and is a single dad with twin seventh-grade daughters. He served one prior term as a village board trustee before being elected to his current term and position as village president. 

Why are you running for the village chair instead of a supervisor seat?

I seek reelection as president to continue emphasizing commonsense oversight of the village, which includes every member of our community having a voice that is heard and considered.

What is your village doing right? What needs improvement?

“We Welcome All” stickers in windows – it’s not a marketing slogan; it’s part of the fabric of our community, and that is not only right, it is beautiful. To improve acknowledging the pandemic is over, I have commenced a return to board meetings in public instead of by computer.

What do you believe should be top priorities for the village to address during the next five years?

This question hinges on the state’s definition of a village president, who is equal to village trustees, without certain decision powers like a town or city leader. I relish the opportunity to welcome our new trustees and their dynamic and meaningful priorities.

Village Board Trustees

Patrice Champeau, 61, works at the front desk of the White Gull Inn and is an artist. She has a B.S. in education and an A.D. in paralegal studies from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Her partner is Eric Smith, and she has one daughter. This is her first time running for public office.

Why are you running for office?

I am running for the village board to serve the community that I am passionate about. My roots go deep here. My family settled here in the 1870s. I have served on several boards here in Door County. I currently serve on the Sister Bay Planning Commission. In recent years, new developments have changed the face of our village. Going forward, I would work hard to return the charm of our waterfront community.

What is the village doing right? What needs to be improved?

Doing right: strong village president in Rob Zoschke, smart growth planning, fire department, EMT staff, sewer and water services, beaches and marina. Needs improvement: preserving green space, protecting the bluff, restoring Village Hall, providing a park uptown, resolving traffic and parking needs, establishing a Historic District and preserving our image as a charming waterfront community.

What do you believe should be top priorities for the village to address during the next five years?

We need to work on traffic and parking, preservation of green space and strict smart growth. We need to protect and support our nursing home and restore Village Hall. We need to limit the number of short-term-rental units and promote affordable housing for year-round residents.

Vivian Nienow, 67, is retired from a varied career with lots of child care toward the end. She has a B.A. in education from Cardinal Stritch College. She and husband Keith Nienow have two adult sons. She ran for Sister Bay trustee in 2020 and served one two-year term. 

Why are you running for office?

I started attending village meetings when a development was proposed that abuts my home. Friends encouraged me to run for office, which I did, and I was a trustee for two years. I feel I bring a different perspective to the board. I believe I represent the people who live here but don’t depend on tourism. I realize many of my friends and neighbors do, and I definitely benefit from tourism, but my focus is different.

What is the village doing right? What needs to be improved?

We are very good at taking care of tourists. To attract workers, we need housing. Apartments have been built, affordable units completed. Modest homes will be built on lots the village sold to DC Housing Partnership. We are not good at respecting opinions that are different from those of the people in power.

What do you believe should be top priorities for the village to address during the next five years?

The Wiltse property presents a great opportunity. Safe paths for bikes and pedestrians are needed throughout the village. We should also address parking and the internet. We always need to balance the needs of residents with those of tourists. It seems we often ask, “Can we?” when the better question is, “Should we?”

Lilly Orozco, 32, is the partner/general manager at Skip Stone Coffee in Sister Bay. She has a B.A. in tourism from the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico. She is married to Juan Ornelas, and they have an 8-year-old daughter. This is her first time running for public office.

Why are you running for office?

My family and I moved to Door County seven years ago and reside here year-round. I decided to run for office because I believe that a person like me – a young professional, woman, wife, mother and Latina – should be more involved in our community’s matters. I want the best for Sister Bay and its lovely people and would love the opportunity to represent them and work for a better future. 

What is your village doing right? What needs improvement?

The village has done, and continues to do, great things for the community. There is of course always room for improvement. We have a beautiful downtown that has helped bring tourism into our businesses, but it would be great to replicate this for the benefit of our year-round local community. 

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the village to address during the next five years?

To focus on creating a development plan that is sustainable. By that I mean that the growth we see is beneficial for the three main parts that conform to a community like ours: tourism, local residents and the environment. It’s all about balance. 

Andrew Torcivia, 45, is the owner of Lundquist Realty and Vacation Rentals of Door County. He graduated from high school and has his real estate broker license. He is married to Tina Torcivia, and they have two children. This is his first run for public office.

Why are you running for office?

Being both a resident and a business owner of Sister Bay, I am very committed to the future of the village and our community. My background consists of construction, project management, property management and real estate. I want to use these leadership skills and knowledge to support our community and provide a well-balanced viewpoint.

What is your village doing right? What needs improvement?

In the complex world that we live in, the board is doing its best to do the right thing for the residents of Sister Bay. However, I wish to see more transparency with how the board makes its decisions and what its plans are when it comes to its decisions on policy. 

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the village to address during the next five years?

I think Sister Bay has seen a lot of growth over the past few years. One top priority is managing that growth. In the end, we all want to have an amazing place to live, prosperous businesses that provide sustaining jobs, and a strong community. 

Alison Werner, 47, is an acupuncturist who owns Wood Rabbit Acupuncture in Ephraim. She has a B.A. in art history from Pomona College in Claremont, California, and an M.S. in traditional Chinese medicine from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco. She is married to Simon Werner, and they have a 7-year-old son. This is her first run for public office.

Why are you running for office?

My ancestors arrived in Ephraim in the 1850s, and I have always had a deep respect and love for the region. I see a lot of change happening, and I would like to help shape that change so that old and new can come together in a harmonious way. I would like to bring the voices of the villagers to the board so that all ideas can be heard, discussed and respected.

What is your village doing right? What needs improvement?

I believe that Sister Bay has done a fantastic job of beautifying the waterfront and maintaining public green space. I think the village needs to curtail some of the development and make sure we have enough resources to serve the residents and current visitors before allowing further expansion.

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the village to address during the next five years?

The village should address truly affordable housing for our workforce, families and seniors; encourage walking into downtown from parking areas farther from the center; develop an economically sound method for preserving the Village Hall; ensure access to high-speed internet; and make residents more aware of village happenings.

Sarah White, 36, works remotely as the head of strategy, growth and innovation at Children’s Minnesota; and as co-owner of Peach Barn Farmhouse and Brewery in Sister Bay. She has a B.S. in biomedical engineering from the University of Iowa and a master’s of health care administration from the University of Minnesota. She is married to Jason White, and they have three daughters between the ages of 3 and 7. This is her first run for public office.

Why did you run for office?

I ran for the village board because Door County has been my happy place my entire life. As a Sister Bay business owner, homeowner and parent, I want to keep our village a great place to raise a family. I have the business, health care and community-service experience necessary to be an effective contributor. I care deeply about people and understanding various perspectives, and I will work hard to ensure our community continues to thrive.

What is your town doing right? What needs improvement?

Sister Bay has a beautiful public beach and marina, a charming downtown and a welcoming community, among many other things. Our village will need to ensure that we are investing in the adequate infrastructure to support healthy growth while maintaining the Door County we all love. 

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the town to address during the next five years?

As the world continues to evolve and become more connected, and more people have the capability to work remotely, Door County will continue to be discovered. Protecting and preserving the magic of our community, while also proactively balancing this reality, requires careful planning. 

Town of Washington

Four candidates are on the ballot for two supervisor seats. 

The incumbent in that race, Martin Andrson, did not respond to the Peninsula Pulse’s request for information. 

Another candidate, John Jesson, will be on the ballot – the only thing that stops that is if a candidate files a Notification of Noncandidacy by the January deadline – but he said his circumstances have changed since he first filed for candidacy in January. Due to the press of work that will keep him off the island more often and for longer than planned, he’s no longer actively seeking the position. 

The final two candidates are making their first runs for public office.

Valerie Carpenter, 63, is retired. She has a B.S. from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. She is a Wisconsin certified municipal clerk from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She is widowed. 

Why are you running for office?

I believe I have a lot to offer the community, stemming from my 18 years serving the Town of Washington community as the clerk/treasurer. During my years as clerk/treasurer, I have learned much about what is needed for the town to succeed.

What is the Town of Washington doing right? What needs improvement?

The Town of Washington has a wonderful group of volunteers who serve on various town-sponsored committees to provide needed services to the public. These are dedicated individuals who donate many hours of their time. Their ideas promote open communication between the board and the public.

What do you believe should be top priorities for the village to address during the next five years?

Looking at ideas for sustainable and affordable housing for all ages is a top priority. Issues regarding the airport need to be resolved, including listening to what the voters want. Perhaps more frequent and shorter board meetings focused on specific topics would encourage more participation from the community. 

Margaret Foss, 64, is a retired educator who spent 38 years at Washington Island School. She has a B.S. in special education and a master’s degree as a reading specialist. She is married to Kirby Foss, and they have one adult daughter. 

Why are you running for office?

I have lived permanently on the island for 41 years, working as a teacher and volunteering for many school and community organizations. Now that I am retired, I want to serve the community that has given me so much. I have the time, energy and work ethic necessary.

What is the Town of Washington doing right? What needs improvement?

Volunteerism is integral to life on the Island. We do this well! Departments, local boards and committees all work very hard to keep the community vibrant and secure. Like every community, we experience a broad diversity of opinion on many local matters. I commit to being an advocate for respectful, civil dialogue.

What do you believe should be the top priorities for the town to address during the next five years?

Housing for everyone, within reach for long-term occupancy. Preservation of resources: natural, environmental and human. Continued growth and exploration of elder-care options. Community-center stewardship for the benefit of all. Reasonable, fair and affordable airport maintenance – no paving! Responsible garbage/trash management, appropriate recycling requirements. Environmentally responsible wastewater management. Strong partnerships among governmental and civic agencies.