Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Another candidate has registered to run for Shawano mayor in the April election, while another possible race is shaping up for the Shawano County Board.
Rich Belongia is the latest to file a campaign registration statement seeking the mayor’s post that will be vacated by Lorna Marquardt in April. Marquardt has said she is not seeking another term.
That brings to eight the number of potential mayoral candidates, with a possible ninth that has taken out papers but not yet registered.
Mayoral candidates need to file nomination papers with 50 to 100 signatures to qualify for the ballot. They have until 5 p.m. Jan. 5 to do that.
Only one of the registered candidates, Jim Oberstein, has so far filed nomination papers.
Other candidates who have registered to run for mayor include Common Council members Sandy Steinke and Bob Kurkiewicz, former council member Brian Retzlaff, Jeanne Cronce, Kasey Hohn and Mart Grams.
Steinke is also one of 27 County Board members whose two-year terms expire in April.
However, the county clerk’s office confirmed on Wednesday that Steinke has filed a declaration of non-candidacy and won’t be seeking to regain her District 5 seat on the County Board.
Former county jail administrator Steve Borroughs has registered to run for that seat and has returned the 20 signatures needed to be on the ballot.
Meanwhile, another possible contested race for the County Board emerged Wednesday with a new challenger.
John Krizan has registered as a candidate for the District 8 seat held by Rosetta Stern. The district includes Wards 3 and 4 of the town of Wescott.
In other potential County Board races, Supervisor Mike McClelland, representing District 4 in Shawano, faces a possible challenge from Aimee Zeinert, of Shawano; District 10 Supervisor Robert Krause, of Krakow, could face a challenge from David Kohn, of Cecil; District 17 Supervisor Bonnie Olson, of Belle Plaine, faces a possible challenge from Allan Kuhn, of Shawano; District 21 Supervisor Bert Huntington, of Gresham, faces a possible challenge from Roger Miller, of Bowler; and District 27 Supervisor Jon Zwirschitz, of Birnamwood, could face a rematch against former county supervisor Marion Wnek, of Almon.
In addition to Borroughs, others who have already filed their nomination papers include McClelland, Wnek and so far unchallenged incumbents Kevin Conradt, John Ainsworth, Jerry Erdmann, Ray Faehling and Marvin Klosterman.