The speculation this fall that Oconto County Board supervisors would lose their seats for supporting a $25 million law enforcement center was largely unfounded.
Incumbents will face challenges in three of the 31 districts, including two in which the supervisors—Vernon Zoeller and Terry Brazeau—voted against the law enforcement center project.
The County Board’s decision was controversial because supervisors abruptly selected a residential site near the courthouse, abandoning a plan to build in the town of Little River. Supervisors also sidestepped a long-promised voter referendum, which many predicted would fail.
District 2
Thomas Kussow is a candidate for District 2, which covers part of Little Suamico. He said he considered running for the past four years, and now the timing is right. If he’s elected, it will be his second time as supervisor. He served from June 1999 to April 2000 to fill the term held by his wife, Bev, after she passed away. Kussow said he only attended a few meetings back then, but the subject of a new jail was discussed.
“I was in favor of building the jail at that time. … It only took 13 years,” he said.
The District 2 incumbent, Darrel Pagel, has served since September 2009.
District 8
Joyce Stoegbauer, a candidate for District 8, said she has always had an interest in Oconto County. She was a county employee for more than 20 years, with most of her tenure in the Health and Human Services Department. In 2012, she retired from her role as Pensaukee town clerk after 40 years. One of her ancestors, Charles Norton, was county clerk in 1891 when the courthouse was built, and a plaque at the courthouse bears his name. Stoegbauer said this family connection to Oconto County is important to her and is a reason for her candidacy.
Zoeller, of Little Suamico, has served for 14 of the last 16 years.
District 8 covers parts of Abrams and Pensaukee.
District 27
David Rakowski will run against Brazeau in District 27 in a rematch of 2012 when Brazeau won 182-143 to return for a third two-year term.
Rakowski previously served two years as Brazeau town chairman and 25 years on the Coleman School Board, mostly as board chairman. He said he was prompted to run for office when populations shifts of the 2010 Census led to a change in district boundaries, and the town of Brazeau no longer had a resident on the board. The district covers Brazeau and part of Spruce.
“With all the important decision making in dealing with the jail, the town of Brazeau has no voice in that, and I’m concerned about that,” he said.
Brazeau lives in Spruce.
Three to leave office
Three supervisors have decided not to return: Don Buhrandt, of Mountain, District 29; Louis Winkler, of Gillett, District 25; and Wayne Leiterman, Sobieski, District 4.
Candidates for these positions are Judith Buhrandt, District 29; Gary Frank, District 25; and Chris Augustine, District 4.
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