There will be at least four new faces on the Vilas County board of supervisors when they meet at their organizational meeting next April.
Four present board members have filed non-candidacy notices including present board chairman Ron DeBruyne.
DeBruyne has been involved this past year in alleged misogynistic language directed toward seven female department heads. We have no indication these allegations impacted his decision not to seek reelection.
DeBruyne will have served for nearly 30 years by the end of his term in 2022. He represents Supervisory District 7 that includes Wards 5 and 6 in Arbor Vitae.
A second Arbor Vitae supervisor representing Supervisory District 5 that includes Wards 2 and 7 in
Arbor Vitae, Jay Verhulst, has also filed non-candidacy papers. He served two terms from 2002-2006 and 2015-2022.
Two other supervisors, Charles Hayes and Mary Rasmussen, have filed non-candidacy papers.
Hayes served for 10 years representing Supervisory District 2 that included Ward 1 of Presque Isle and Ward 2 of Winchester. Rasmussen served two years and represented Supervisory District 15 that included Ward 1 of Phelps and Ward 2 of Conover.
Vilas County is not alone in seeing several current board members, including many longtime supervisors, choose not to run again.
In Oneida County, five supervisors have filed non-candidacy paperwork. They are Greg Pence, District 6; Bob Mott, District 7; Jack Sorenson, District 8; Dave Hintz, District 13; and Lance Krolczyk, District 18.
In Langlade County, eight of the 21 incumbents have chosen not to run again, according to WAOW.
If you wish to run for local government, there is still time. The deadline to file paperwork is end of day January 4th. Contact your local county clerk for information.
