Who are Whitewater’s city council vacancy applicants?

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Who are Whitewater’s city council vacancy applicants?

Who are Whitewater’s city council vacancy applicants?

Compiled by Kim McDarison

Two vacant seats will be filled by members of the Whitewater City Council through appointment during the body’s upcoming meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 6.

A process for appointment outlined by the council members begins with an application. The deadline for submitting an application was Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

Responding to a request made by WhitewaterWise, city officials have provided applications as supplied by seven residents seeking appointment to one of two vacant seats. They include an at-large seat vacated in December by the late Jim Allen, and an Aldermanic District 1 seat, vacated through resignation in December by former councilman David Stone.

Information from each of the applicants, as supplied on their submitted application forms, follows.

Seeking appointment to the at-large seat, in alphabetical order, are:

Joseph Kromholz

Joseph Kromholz, within his application, wrote that he has worked as an attorney in Wisconsin, and at his law firm, Ryan Kromholz and Manion, SC, and its predecessors, since 1989.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Carroll College, known today as Carroll University, where he majored in chemistry and history, and earned his law degree from Marquette University Law School in 1989.

Additionally, he noted that he served through appointment during the 2021-22 school year as a member of the Whitewater Unified School District Board of Education, and serves today on the city’s Community Development Authority (CDA) and the Whitewater University Technology Park Board. He also is a past president of the Wisconsin Intellectual Property Law Association and a past chairperson of the Wisconsin State Bar Section on Intellectual Property.

Greg Majkrzak

Greg Majkrzak, on his application, under a heading of “Employment History,” listed: Emmi Roth USA, Generac, ABITEC, and DuPont.

Offering his educational background, he stated that he holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and a masters degree in business administration. He also holds a certification as a project management professional.

Majkrzak is a former council member, representing Aldermanic District 5, and has served as the vice chairperson of the Alcohol Licensing Committee, chairperson of the Finance Committee, and as a member of the Zoning Appeals Committee, according to his application.

Carol McCormick

Carol McCormick notes on her application that she is a retired educator, holding a bachelor’s and master’s degree, both earned at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

She is a former council member, serving for three terms as the representative of Aldermanic District 1, during which time she served on several committees, including those of public works, parks and recreation, urban forestry and alcohol licensing review.

She continues to serve as a member of the Plan Commission and the recently formed Lakes Advisory Committee, her application states.

Michael Smith

Michael Smith, according to his application, is an employee at GE Healthcare where he works as a senior mechanical engineer and project manager. He has been with the company for 16 years.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and writes that he is in pursuit of his master’s degree in theology from Covenant Theological Seminary.

His serves as a citizen, alternate member on the city’s Plan Commission.

Keith Staebler

Keith Staebler, according to his application, holds a master’s of business administration degree. The handwritten application was, for this reporter, difficult to read. A copy of the document is provided below.

Seeking appointment to the Aldermanic District 1 seat, in alphabetical order, are:

Curtis Knull

Curtis Knull, under the “employment history” portion of his application, stated that he served for seven years in the United States Air Force and is a disabled veteran.

His educational history includes “some college” and “tech school.”

He is a member of the Moose Lodge in Elkhorn.

He noted that he has been involved with “countless benefit rides and charity work,” further noting his involvement with the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.

Also handwritten, a copy of the document is provided below.

Patrick Singer

Patrick Singer noted within his application that he holds a bachelor’s degree in information science and technology. He is employed by Rock County as an information technology data services manager, assuming that role in 2020. Prior to that, he wrote, he was a human services data systems management and support manager, a position which he held between 2010 and 2019.

Singer noted within his application that he served as a Whitewater Common Council member between April 2007 and April 2021, serving as council president between 2008 and 2020, and serves on the city’s CDA as a citizen member and its chairperson. He has maintained both roles on the CDA since 2021.

Over the course of his time as a council member, Singer noted that he served on various boards, including those of alcohol licensing review, the Board of Review, the CDA, the Community Involvement and Cable TV Commission, and other committees, such as finance, landmarks, parks and recreation, the Library Board, and the Whitewater Technology Park Board.

Additionally, Singer wrote, he is a recipient of the Whitewater Area League of Women Voters 2022 “Make Democracy Work Award,” and a graduate of the Whitewater Citizen Police Academy, as well as a graduate of the Rock County Leadership Development Academy.