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Recount likely in close Edgerton election

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Mark Wellnitz

EDGERTON — Incumbent Ken Westby probably will ask for a recount after losing his third-district aldermanic seat by one vote, he said.

Newcomer Mark Wellnitz defeated Westby 79-78 Tuesday.

Wellnitz said his victory, though close, was a sign people are not happy with the direction of the city. He ran on a platform of reigning in city spending.

He opposes building a new City Hall, something that could come to referendum in June.

“I think the (City Hall) they’re in right now is perfectly adequate,” he said.

An ad-hoc committee has recommended the city hold a referendum to spend $1.2 million for a new City Hall in the municipal parking lot next to the existing building.

Wellnitz doesn’t think the city should hold a referendum, but if it does, he’s confident voters will reject the project, he said.

He also believes the city should not have spent tax incremental financing money on the downtown Fulton Square project, he said. Instead, it should focus on existing businesses and retail space.

“The way things are, we just need to kind of regroup and rethink the way we’re doing stuff,” he said.

Wellnitz will join another new council member, Andrea Egerstaffer, who ran unopposed in the first district. Incumbent Casey Burns did not seek re-election.

Surprisingly, the Westby-Wellnitz race wasn’t the only close race in the city. Carrie Strahota won a one-year seat in the third district by four votes over Mark Wellnitz’s brother, Andrew Wellnitz, despite the fact that Andrew Wellnitz pulled out of the race.

Matt McIntyre retained his seat in the second district after challenger Mike Hardy withdrew his candidacy.