It's time for a real race in Neenah! The 2010 Neenah Mayoral contest has suddenly become far more interesting. From today's Appleton Post-Crescent:
College student Scott Rosenow files candidacy papers for Neenah mayor
By Duke Behnke
Post-Crescent staff writer
NEENAH — Scott Rosenow has a year left of college, but he already has his sights set on a prominent job upon graduation.
He wants to be the mayor of Neenah.
The 21-year-old Rosenow last week filed his declaration of candidacy for the 2010 mayoral election. He is the first person to do so, but he is not the only one interested in the position.
Mayor George Scherck, 65, said Monday that he plans to run for a third consecutive term. Common Council President Todd Stevenson, 51, also is considering a run for mayor, and State Rep. Dean Kaufert, 52, hasn't ruled it out.
The job has an annual salary of $79,250.
Rosenow, 1318 Cherry Lane, is a 2006 graduate of Neenah High School. He plans to earn a political science degree in May from the University of Wisconsin.
Rosenow said he was encouraged by the election of 22-year-old Justin Nickels as the mayor of Manitowoc earlier this year. He said the response to a Facebook group on his candidacy has been positive.
"Even some people I didn't know joined it," he said. "There haven't been any naysayers yet."
Rosenow said he hopes his candidacy energizes young people to become involved in the political process.
As mayor, he said he would work to extend the hours that Neenah stores could sell carryouts of beer. A city ordinance prohibits carryout sales after 9 p.m., which he says "drives potential business away."
Rosenow said he also would strive to lessen or eliminate the penalties for recreational marijuana use, underage drinking and the failure to wear a seatbelt.
"If I have the authority, I would order police not to pull people over for that," he said.
Scherck has been mayor since 2002. He has been slowed the past two years by an inner ear problem that recently required surgery.
"I should see some progress in a couple of weeks and make a complete recovery," Scherck said.
I have several reactions to this story. The first is geographical. All four of these possible mayoral candidates are in the 3rd Aldermanic district of Neenah -- my neighborhood!Mayor Scherck lives four doors down from me around the corner. Rosenow lives at 1318 Cherry Lane, which is about a mile-and-a-quarter from where I live.
But what's even more interesting is that State Assemblyman, Dean Kaufert, lives at 1360 Alpine Lane, one block south and one block east of where Rosenow lives...and Todd Stevenson lives at 1341 Blueberry Lane, one block south and one block west of where Rosenow lives! They're practically within spittin' distance of each other!
(By the way, the reporter for this story, Duke Behnke, lives 4 blocks east of where Rosenow lives!)
Second, I'm sure that I placed a campaign sign in his parents' yard back in '07 during my first ill-fated run for alderman...and I'm positive that I talked with Scott at that time. He assured me that his parents would approve of me placing a campaign sign in their yard. When I came to place it, one of his parents was there and verified what he said. Scott was very well-spoken and interested in city politics. I had a very nice chat with him.
Third, I must say that the kid's platform is kinda small potatoes...maybe even a bit self-serving since he's counting on the youth vote to turn out for him. But I have to agree with one of the commenters to the news story:
And why not? Graduating with a political science degree this spring? Get your feet wet by throwing your hat in a local ring! There is no teacher like experience. Will he learn what it really takes to run for office? Yes. Will he get local youth interested in gov't and in the voting booth? Yes. What is the most proven way to get noticed? Take a controversial stand and stir people up. Will he get elected?...
Congratulations, young man! For jumping in with both feet. For springing past the whiners to become a doer. For taking part in life. Learn much and shape your future.
Fourth, I checked out the kid's Facebook page. His views, contrary to what some of the news story commenters said, are libertarian, not liberal. Yeah, he could use some review of the pertinent state statutes regarding seat belts and the hours for sale of alcohol...but he's a poli-sci major and willing to go out there and hit the bricks.
Yes, his likely opponents are all vastly more experienced in government. I believe that the three other guys have close to 60, maybe even 70 years combined experience in city and state government between them. But that's the classic setup for the young buck to have a big impact because the old pols underestimate his youthful energy.
The fact that he's thrown his hat in the ring so far in advance shows his seriousness and his awareness that he has a difficult sales job ahead of him...he's got to work harder to persuade people that he's up to the task. But he has an opportunity to get other young people involved as volunteers to do literature drops, man booths at public functions, and get out the vote of their young peers.
I think that this will be a fascinating race to watch.