Arcadia mayor race a repeat and testier

Though the candidates for Arcadia mayor are the same as two years ago – when the race was settled by a mere five votes – this year’s contest is a little edgier.

Next Tuesday city voters will decide between John Kimmel, Arcadia mayor from 2006 to 2015, and incumbent Mayor Kevin Mayzek, who is seeking his second two-year term. There is no declared candidate for the open council position for Ward 3.

The two mayor candidates paint very different pictures of what’s happened in the city over the past two years. Mayzek points to solid city progress during his tenure while his backers remind voters Kimmel owes property taxes. Kimmel characterizes his detractors as “hacks” perpetrating “personal cheap shots against me and anyone who disagrees with the mayor” and says he wants to ignite a “Raider Renaissance.”

Mayzek served on the city council for 10 years before being elected mayor in 2022. He won with 202 votes compared to Kimmel’s 197. Mayzek said his management experience at Ashley Furniture and solid working relationship with the council and city staff are strong qualifications for the post.

“I have a pulse for what’s going on in the city,” Mayzek said. “I have a vision for the city’s future and understand the challenges we have ahead of us. I and the council have worked well together and we as a team are committed to making the city better. I’m passionate about the community and believe in spending money wisely. I believe in being proactive instead of reactive. I’m transparent and always eager to listen. I’m trustworthy and if you have issues I respond.”

Kimmel, who was recalled from office in 2015 due in part to disputes about sand mining, has subsequently earned a college degree and is now a teacher in Arcadia. He views Mayzek’s tenure somewhat differently.

“There is a lack of a coherent message, no list of priorities or policies, and no clear way to bring Arcadia forward,” Kimmel said. “There is no long-term financial plan, and the city is largely destitute in hope, finances, and especially in leadership.

“When the mayor takes funds to pay off debt that is financed at a lower interest rate than the city could earn by investing those dollars,” Kimmel continued, “he just lost the taxpayers real money. When the mayor takes on a $50 million plus flood project that should cost 25 percent of that, he’s throwing our future away for a generation. When the levy balloons by 50 percent, council members shouldn’t be writing letters to the editor bragging about accomplishments.”

Mayzek noted that the initial flood abatement work by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers preceded him. The decision to reduce the city’s debt rather than invest money was made by the city council.

“The flood mitigation project started about 12 years ago and we finally broke ground this year,” Mayzek said. “We are working on getting this totally funded so this is not a burden on the taxpayers of Arcadia and with hopes of bringing Arcadia out of the flood plain.”

The price tag for the project has ballooned in cost over the time the corps has been designing the flood protection works.

“The flood project when I was mayor was a $13 million project with $10 million paid accounted for,” Kimmel said. “Now it’s $50 million and no way to pay for it. That is reckless and scary. We have a councilman write a letter to the editor that admits they are having trouble collecting taxes from a company. This is a lack of ideas, vision, and knowing how to do the job. They admitted this!”

Both candidates support hiring additional police officers. “Safety for the community is top priority and for the officers we have,” Mayzek said. 

Kimmel also noted that the city needs ways to address the underlying problems with crime such as drug use. While police officers can solve and deter crime, Kimmel said, the city must address the bigger question: “More importantly, we have a values problem.” 

Kimmel and Mayzek agree the city needs a professional focus that a city administrator could bring. The city has been without one for two years and the council is considering hiring someone who would enforce building codes and standards.

“We had an administrator when I was at city hall,” Kimmel said. “We need someone back in city hall who knows how to run a city. Then, we can hire an administrator because I know what we should be looking for. The city doesn’t need a minion to the mayor. We need a professional face who can work with the common council to move us forward, to debate ideas, and who lives in Arcadia, who is part of our community.” 

Kimmel said he his “Raider Renaissance” would be driven development zones, infrastructure work and neighborhood initiatives.

Mayzek said the city is focused on attracting needed services.

“Another big challenge is bringing back somethings we have lost in the past,” Mayzek said. “We so much need a pharmacy and senior living. I have meetings this week on the topics of pharmacy, senior living, revitalizing our downtown and a study on affordable housing. I’m told they have had talks with past administrations and things fell through the cracks.”

Mayzek said his experience as a manager and his tenure in city government would serve the city well in a second term.

“I have been in management and supervision for 40 plus years,” Mayzek said. “I have been on the city council for 10 years and mayor for two. I’ve been on the fire board, library board, ambulance board, park and recreation board, housing and building standards, board of review, economic development, and the planning commission. I have genuine care for the city of Arcadia.”

Kimmel said his education and connections mean he could best serve the community.

When he returned to college, he “took many courses that included municipal finances, local government, management and leadership, and added to my skills,” Kimmel said. “This was significant growth for me and our community can benefit from this work. I also have great working relationships at the Trempealeau County level, the legislators at the state of Wisconsin level, and in Washington D.C. When our community needs something, we need a mayor who can pull out his phone and call the right people.”

When asked whether he had comments about his opponent, Mayzek answered “no.”  

Kimmel opponents, however, have raised questions, especially about his unpaid property taxes. As of Monday, Kimmel owed $9,381.08 in property taxes according to online Trempealeau County records. Kimmel has responded that caring for a young woman with cancer left him with troubled finances and that bringing up the issue shows “their idea of a campaign has been to smear, lie, and obfuscate.”

“I have been hit by the mayor and his crew of hacks that like to spread lies about me,” Kimmel said.  “They focus on lies about me because he has no idea how to run a community. He has no idea how to go after grants. Look at the millions of dollars I worked to get Arcadia over my 10 years.

“The sad thing is that people believe his lies about me,” Kimmel continued. “The simple truth can be found in any of the audits that Arcadia gets. I ran a strong budget for 10 years, and I commit to the same financial strength we once had. We had a multi-million-dollar long term growth plan with a great deal of money, millions, tucked away for business development, for community development, and for equipment. The funds that it took years to save was burned through in a few short years by people who just don’t get it.”