SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - Only one of Sheboygan's six alderpersons vying for another term on the Common Council is facing an opponent Tuesday.
Bill Thiel, who represents the city's fifth district, has served two years on the Common Council.
WHBL News had a chance to interview Thiel while he was out of the area for work training. Below is a transcript of his answers. You an listen to the interview above. Be advised, the audio quality is not the best.
Why run for the council in 2013?
Thiel: Just local politics in general. I wanted to learn more about it, so I just started attending meetings and then I got more and more interested in them and decided to run.
Why do you want to run for re-election?
Thiel: I figure there’s a lot of things that still could need some attention and I like to definitely be a part of that and see if I can help make a difference.
If you are re-elected, what would like to see the city address?
Thiel: Well I think we definitely need to look at the infrastructure as far as roads, those types of things. A lot of them are getting really, really old, and we definitely need to find a way in which we can get these repaired in a timely manner and, obviously cost effective, but there’s a lot of stuff that needs to be addressed as far as the roads. (There has been talks) about City Hall and stuff. That’s getting old and we need to do something with that and I’d like to be around to see what kind of plans we can come up to replace that also, or continue to use it, whatever it is.
Have you thought of any ideas that may be used to help achieving these goals?
Thiel: Not yet. I’ve just been kind of doing some, you know, initial investigating on what ways we could do some of those things. Haven’t come up with anything in particular yet.
What are your thoughts on facing former alderman Scott Lewandoske in this election?
Thiel: Well I’m just excited to see that somebody is, you know, willing to run in general. With my seat being the only one that has anybody running against them, I really wish we could get more people involved in local politics to try to make a difference. And I wish everybody has somebody that they were running against. I’m just happy to have somebody to run against.
What have you been telling potential voters that would make you the better candidate to elect?
Thiel: Well in my area there’s been the big fuss about the whole Aurora plan to build over the Field of Dreams and that’s my area. I have chosen to abstain from that vote just because of my connections with Sheboygan Youth Football. I hope that proves to them that, you know, I do have integrity and I have the best interest of the city. It’s just that in that certain circumstance I have other interests, so that’s way I decided to abstain and instill the integrity part I do bring to the council.