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No council candidate files in District 4

This April, there will not be any names on the ballot for Aldermanic District 4 in the city of Waupaca.

The deadline for the filing of nomination papers for the spring election was 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5.

Deputy City Clerk Sandy Stiebs said in that district, incumbent John Lockwood did not file nomination papers by the deadline, nor did anyone else.

Lockwood was appointed to fill a vacant seat in that district in the fall of 2008 and was elected to his first, two-year term in April 2009.

Because no one filed papers by last week’s deadline, there will not be a name on the ballot for that district. Voters in the district will thus have to write in the name of who they want to represent them.

In the city’s other four aldermanic districts, the incumbents all filed nomination papers and will be unopposed.

Paul Lehman is seeking re-election in the 1st District. He was first elected to the council in 2005.

A city resident for 18 years, Lehman attended school in Waupaca for several years and spent most summers here.

He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he double majored in English and German. Lehman is a commercial relationship manager at Hometown Bank in Wautoma, and he and his wife, Anita, have four children.

He said he is seeking re-election, because “I’m concerned about the city taking care of some of the problems by issuing debt. I think we’re still in the middle of an economic crisis.”

The biggest challenge he sees the city facing this year is continuing to deal with the amount of debt payments that the city has in its Tax Incremental Financing districts and other debt in an environment where the city is not able to raise taxes and property values are declining.

Paul Hagen is seeking another two-year term in the 2nd District.

The Menominee, Mich., native received a bachelor’s degree in finance from Northern Michigan University and has lived in Waupaca since 1991.

He is self-employed and is also serving his second term on the Waupaca County Board. He and his wife, Linda, have two children.

When asked why he is running for another term, Hagen said, “I am seeking re-election to continue serving the residents of the 2nd District. I believe that people have every right to expect their representatives to listen to and respond to their ideas and concerns. Whenever I am contacted for city business, this is what is first in my mind.”

He believes the biggest challenge facing Waupaca in 2011 is capital.

“We have been trimming our budget to almost maintenance only,” Hagen said. “Eventually, we will need to look at some infrastructure projects to ensure the long-term health of our city. How we fund these projects and when we do them will be the critical question.”

In the 3rd District, Scott Purchatzke is seeking his third term on the council.

He grew up in Weyauwega and graduated from high school there. Purchatzke is a graduate of UW-Oshkosh, where he received a degree in business.

A Third Ward resident for 38 years, he works in the service department at Neuville Motors. He and his wife, Becky, have two grown sons.

Purchatzke said he is seeking re-election, because “I’m still concerned about the welfare of our taxpayers. I feel it’s a responsibility of mine.”

He wants to continue to oversee how the city spends its money, especially during these present economic conditions.

“I enjoy serving on it,” Purchatzke said.

He believes the biggest challenge for the city this year will be its budget; how the city will find funds for dollars it is obligated to pay.

In the 5th District, Steve Hackett is seeking re-election.

He was first elected to the council in 2003.

Born in Chicago, he moved with his family throughout the country during his growing up years. Hackett is a graduate of Iola-Scandinavia High School, and he served three years in the U.S. Army, most of it in Germany.

He and his wife, Judy, moved to Waupaca in 1978 and had five children.

Hackett is retired from the U.S. Postal Service and has worked in the Waupaca School District for 13 years as educational support staff.

He finds the work they do on the council to be important and said he arrives at the meetings prepared; doing his homework ahead of time and getting answers to his questions.

Hackett said the biggest challenge facing the city in 2011 is tax dollars.

“We don’t have money to do things,” he said. “For roads, we don’t have money. (Director of Public Works) John (Edlebeck) has really worked hard to get money from outside sources.”

Hackett said he enjoys being on the council.

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