Government Affairs Election News

District 1 Alderperson

Incumbent Hariah Hutkowski will face challenger Terry McIlroy in the April election.

District 2 Alderperson

Incumbent Jon Freund will not face a challenger in April.

District 3 Alderperson

Incumbent Rod Weber will face challenger Allen Hoffmann in the April election.

District 4 Alderperson

Mary Polenske and Mike Kostelnik are running for this position.

April election is April 6th.

Candidate Profiles:

 All candidates were asked to respond to the following.   

1) Number of years in council/other city government service
2) Where employed/job
3) How long a resident
4) Vision for Sun Prairie
5) Unique skills bring to city council

Terry McIlroy, District One
City of Sun Prairie Comprehensive Plan Adhoc Committee - May 2007 to October 2009
Employment: Business Owner—ProAdSpec
Residency: 38 years
Vision: I‘d like to see Sun Prairie remain a safe, family friendly city and be able to provide affordable housing for people interested in settling here.  We need to actively pursue businesses to settle in Sun Prairie to support the tax base, and provide residents with options for buying local. One way to continue with the beautification of Main Street is to attract the type of businesses that can utilize some of the commercial properties that are currently vacant.
Skills: As a longtime resident of Sun Prairie I have volunteered in the community in a variety of ways.  I put my leadership skills to work by sitting on the Sun Prairie Public Library Board, serving as President for 2 years and most recently serving on the SPPL Foundation.   I currently serve on the South Central Library System Board, the SCLS Foundation and serve as the SCLS Budget Committee chair.  Serving on the City of Sun Prairie Comprehensive Plan Committee and attending city meetings for the past year has given me the foundation for running for city government. 

Hariah Hutkowski, District One
Four years as an Alderman in District 1;Chaired Personnel and Transit Commissions; Nearly 5 years as a Legislative Aide at the State Capitol
Employment: Substitute teacher, Sun Prairie school district.
Residency:  8 years
Vision:  Public safety and spending less will continue to be my top two priorities.  I‘ll continue to support our officers, such as when I passed ordinances that restricted strip clubs, supported strict zoning for registered sex offenders, supported a police task force creation, and added to that task force by authoring a budget amendment to include a K-9 dog.  I’ll propose another detective for our task force during the next budget.   Spending less will continue to be at the forefront of my thoughts in every decisions, down to where to buy our office supplies, so we can save every penny of every taxpayer. 
Skills:  Through my leadership, we have enjoyed 4 consecutive years of decreasing"effective mill rates" while preserving sound financial management through building our rainy day fund and extending state aid payments.  I’ve  been a member of the Finance Committee every year while serving on  city council.  This committee approves bids for purchases and watches over where the money is going and coming.  Secondly, I bring an understanding of how state and local governments interact. 

Rod Weber, District Three
Three years on city council, Five years on Plan Commission
Employment:  Manager, SugarIsland Play Systems
Residency:  59 years
Vision:  In these trying times it is hard to have a long-term vision for the city of Sun Prairie, but I would hope that we can hold the property taxes down and still maintain a good level of services that our citizens expect and deserve.
Skills:  Having owned or managed three companies in Sun Prairie and being a life-long resident of Sun Prairie, I have seen where the city was, where it is now, and with my knowledge of Sun Prairie, I think that I will be able to help shape where the city will go in the future.

Allen Hoffmann, District Three
First time running for any city council or city government position-has worked with municipalities through previous employer.
Employment:  Unemployed
Residency:  15 years
Vision:  I will support any programs/initiatives that: a) enhance public safety, with an emphasis on crime reduction/prevention programs and emergency services  b) promote efficiency in all city operations & services to make the best use of tax dollars  c)  promote smart growth and attract new businesses like Copps, Target and Marcus Theatres  d) help control taxes
Skills:  If elected, I pledge to use my organization and commucation skills to serve as a responsive liaison between by constituents, city staff and city council to represent by constituents on all issues that concern them.

Mike Kostelnik, District Four
City of Sun Prairie Comprehensive Plan Adhoc Committee; Board of Review Committee
Employment:  Business Owner: Value Added Distributors, Transmotion, Bent Tubes
Residency: 15 years
Vision:  Sun Prairie is a dynamic city caught in the midst of a large growth cycle.  It is up to the council to control costs as the city develops, particularly on the west side.  I believe Sun Prairie has all the attributes to attract the right kind of development leading to a proper balance of residential housing and a safe environment for our families.
Skills:  I’ll bring a business owner’s perspective to City Council.

Mary Polenske, District Four
City of Sun Prairie EMS Director for 15 years.
Employment: Retired.
Residency:  42 years
Vision:  Economic development and responsible growth is extremely important for Sun Prairie.  We must continue to attract new retail, commercial and light industrial growth.  The infrastructure is already in place to support this growth and will positively impact our tax base.  We now have a “new” Main Street, but many large, empty businesses.  As an alder, I will support our Economic Coordinator as he works to bring more business into this area.  Public Safety is a top priority.  I have worked diligently to assure Sun Prairie has the highest level of pre-hospital care available.  During my 15 years as EMS Director, I worked very closely with the Police and Volunteer Fire Department.  I will continue to support all three services to assure the best possible for the citizens of Sun Prairie.
Skills:  I have vast experience in working with city, county and state government to achieve my goals as EMS Director.  I have not only produced a departmental budget for the city of Sun Prairie, I understand the needs of the community and how to prioritize important budget decisions to meet the needs of the residents of Sun Prairie.  I pledge to conduct city business in a professional manner, keeping District 4 residents well informed.

For information on voting in Sun Prairie, click here.