Town clerk, treasurer seats contested
By Angie Landsverk
The town of Royalton’s clerk and treasurer are both being challenged for their positions in the Tuesday, April 4, election.
Incumbent Debra Buchholz faces Casey Radtke in the race for clerk, and incumbent Patricia Craig faces Marie Zirbel in the race for treasurer.
The clerk and treasurer are positions that do not cast votes during town board meetings.
Clerk race
Buchholz is seeking her third term as Royalton’s clerk.
The lifetime resident of Royalton is a graduate of Weyauwega High School.
Following her graduation from high school, Buchholz worked on the family farm.
She did so until her mother passed away in 1991.
Buchholz then worked at the local co-op, followed by a position in the Waupaca School District.
For the past 15 years, she has been working for ThedaCare Physicians.
She is a coding auditing specialist.
In addition, Buchholz is a firefighter.
She has been a member of the Weyauwega Fire Department since January of 1994.
When asked why she is seeking re-election and what she wants to see accomplished in the town, Buchholz said, “There’s still work to be done.”
She said, “When I started, we were still in the old hall with the pot belly stove for heat and the porta potties for election days.”
Today, the town has a heated and air conditioned hall, which also has restrooms in it, Buchholz said.
Town clerks must follow state and federal laws, as well as county rules, she said.
Buchholz said her experience serving two terms as town clerk and the training she has received during the past years would continue to benefit her in the position.
She said her goal, if re-elected, would be to “keep up with all the updates.”
Radtke is seeking her first term as Royalton’s clerk.
She grew up in the Weyauwega area and has lived in Royalton since 2012.
Her husband, Jason, has lived in Royalton most of his life. They chose to stay in the area to raise their three daughters, she said.
Radtke is a graduate of Weyauwega-Fremont High School.
She has an associate degree in paralegal from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, with an emphasis in business.
Radtke works part time at the Realtors Association of Northeast Wisconsin (RANW) and has been with the association for six years.
She is the Professional Standards administrator and the HR/executive assistant to the executive vice president.
Prior to RANW, she worked at Schneider National for three years and Bergstrom Automotive for six years.
When asked why she is running for town clerk, Radtke said her husband was approached about potentially running and said, “My wife should run. She loves that stuff.”
Radtke said he is right,
“I love knowing the rules and regulations on things. I enjoy researching topics and being educated about things that I am involved with,” she said.
Radtke is confident her legal background and time working with the association would benefit Royalton.
After researching the duties of a town clerk, she attended the town’s meeting in January and decided to run for the position.
“I felt that based on my work experience and education, I could help make the meetings run smoother, and perhaps offer a fresh perspective. I also think it is great to be involved, and this is a way for me to do just that,” she said.
Radtke said that throughout her work history, she has worked within some aspect of the law or in a position that had laws to follow.
“In my current position, I am responsible for administering the Code of Ethics for Realtors. I assist with Due Process, following the Code in regards to making sure the requirements are followed throughout the Professional Standards process,” she said. “I am also responsible for assisting with mediations and ethics and arbitration hearings. The positions that I have held have prepared me for understanding deadlines, following the required statutes/codes, how to take minutes, handle/record money and assist in running a meeting.”
If elected, her goals are simple, she said.
“I want to help our town continue to grow and advance to a place where we have a board that is working together, in the best interest of our town and residents,” Radtke said. “I also believe that we should continue to get people interested in what is happening in our town and keep them informed in a manner that is convenient and easily accessible.”
Treasurer race
Craig has served as Royalton’s treasurer since 1975.
A lifetime resident of Royalton, she is a graduate of Weyauwega Union High School.
She graduated from the Wisconsin State University-Stevens Point with a bachelor’s degree in education and taught ninth-grade English at Washington Junior High, in New London, for five years.
Craig was then a stay-at-home mother.
She has two children and two granddaughters. Her husband, Jock, passed away in 1999.
Craig was at Royalton’s caucus in 1975 to nominate someone for a town position.
“I ended up being nominated for treasurer, because the current treasurer didn’t want to run again,” she said.
Craig has been re-elected treasurer ever since.
“I have worked with four different town chairs and four different town clerks,” she said. “Everyone has been great. Everyone has a different style.”
What Craig likes about being town treasurer is how the duties of the position are concise and spelled out in state statutes.
“I totally enjoy it, as well as meeting the people,” she said.
Through the years, she has received training through the Wisconsin Towns Association.
Craig is also a Waupaca County Board supervisor.
She was first elected to the position in 1996 and has been re-elected since that time.
Craig serves on numerous county committees, as well as on the Outagamie Waupaca Library System Board.
For 30 years, she served as an officer of the Waupaca County unit of the Wisconsin Towns Association.
Craig has also served on a number of committees at St. Paul Lutheran Church, in Manawa, and is also on the board of directors for the Royalton Cemetery Association.
“I enjoy being the treasurer. I think it’s an important job to do accurately,” she said of her Royalton position.
Of the 34 municipalities in the county, Royalton is the eighth largest in equalized value, Craig said.
A total of $1,598,960.45 was collected in property taxes this tax season, she said.
“And every penny must be accounted for,” Craig said. “I’m proud of the fact of knowing where every penny goes.”
Of the position, Craig said, “I have the experience of knowing what it entails. The people have trusted me and re-elected me. I just want to continue to do it accurately and to serve the citizens of Royalton, because I enjoy it.”
Zirbel, the other candidate for treasurer in Royalton, was unavailable for comment.