Compiled by Kim McDarison
A spring general election will be held April 2.
In Fort Atkinson, all of the city’s wards, 1-13, are included in Jefferson County.
A story about districts, wards and the names of those candidates running for seats, is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/jefferson-county-board-whos-running-to-represent-fort-whitewater-koshkonong/.
Among districts including wards in Fort Atkinson there is a race in District 29 between incumbent Mary Roberts and challenger Wyatt Cooper. The two candidates faced one another in 2022, with Roberts emerging that year as the top vote-getter.
The two candidates were recently asked to update their responses to our candidates questionnaire.
Their responses follow:
Name: Wyatt Cooper
Age: 28
Address: 1111 Grove St, Fort Atkinson
Occupation: Sales Associate/Realtor, Fort Real Estate Company; Research Assistant, Wisconsin State Assembly; Co-owner, MW Designs, LLC
Number of years resided in district: 4 years
Education: B.A. – Carthage College ’17 – Majors: Political Science and Criminal Justice; MBA – Grand Canyon University ‘20
Civic and other organizational memberships: Freemasons – Jefferson County Lodge #9; Friends of the Dwight Foster Public Library; Fort Atkinson Wisconservation Club; Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce
Political experience: None
What are your reasons for seeking this position?
I ask for your vote on April 2 because as my wife, Megan, and I start our own family here in Fort Atkinson, I want to ensure Jefferson County is the best place to live, work, and raise a family. That starts with transparency and open communication from our local government, something severely lacking at this time. When I’m out knocking doors, people tell me they have no idea who their current County Board Supervisor is or what is going on at the county level of government. If that is you too, consider voting for me, Wyatt Cooper. You will not have this issue with me as your County Board Supervisor. I will serve my constituents effectively and help make Jefferson County a better place for all of us.
What are the most pressing issues facing the position you seek?
County residents want safe communities, drivable roads, and a strong economy. That is why I’m already having conversations with our sheriff, our county highway commissioner, and our economic development director. Because of our location between Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago, we get the issues coming from the big cities. Our law enforcement does a great job taking care of our community, but the crime is here. I will work with our local law enforcement to keep your family and community safe. I will help to ensure your safety on our roads year-round. Lastly, I believe in the importance of intentional economic growth. We are a rural county, full of small-town communities, and we can’t lose our small-town charm.
If elected, what unique perspective and experience do you bring to the board?
I grew up on a farm in a rural community that had values and opportunities very similar to Fort Atkinson. Growing up, I always felt a strong sense of family and community. With that support, I achieved my Eagle Scout rank, which taught me how important it is to give back to your community. Now, while I cannot claim to be a lifelong resident, Megan and I loved this community so much that we decided to move here and plan to raise our future family here. Megan is a former Spanish teacher at Fort Middle School, and is now the Executive Director of the Jefferson Chamber and President of the Jefferson County Area Tourism Council. She’s also a part of Fort Atkinson Kiwanis. We both enjoy what we do here because we see how we are able to help our community and those who live here. I sincerely appreciate my opponent’s service to our community, but now is the time for new leadership. I want to serve all my neighbors and make Jefferson County the best it can be.
Any additional comments?
I strongly believe elected officials should be as accessible and responsive as possible for constituents. That is why I’ve been knocking doors for the last two months and talking with voters about what they think are issues in the county. I encourage folks to reach out to me and have a conversation. Maybe we won’t always agree, but I’ll always get back to you with an answer, explain my position, and hear you out. This position is about helping and representing my neighbors, and you can’t be effective when you’re attending county board meetings via Zoom or absent altogether. Our elected officials should be actively participating, both in meetings and around the area they represent. You will definitely have active participation from me. Please visit CooperforCountyBoard.com or follow my Facebook page @CooperforCountyBoard.
Name: Mary Roberts
Age: 74
Address: 1513 Stacy Lane, Fort Atkinson
Occupation: Teacher, retired
Number of years resided in district: 55-plus
Education: Bachelors degree in marketing, distributive education, earned in 1984; Masters of Science degree, earned in 1994.
Civic and other organizational memberships: Member of St. Joseph’s Church, a volunteer at Fort HealthCare and Catholic Charities, Second Harvest Mobile Food Pantry.
Political experience: I have served for seven years on the Jefferson County Board as the Supervisor for District 29.
What are your reasons for seeking this position?
During the seven years I have been on the Jefferson County Board, the County has accomplished a lot, but there is more work to do: expanding Broadband internet access to all residents, increase mental health programs, and continue to provide high quality county services that use taxpayers dollars wisely. I will also continue to support programs that maintain our safe communities, beautiful parks and vital resources for our children, families, senior citizens, and the disabled. As a Jefferson County Board Supervisor I will continue to represent your best interests and vote for issues that enhances our communities.
What are the most pressing issues facing the position you seek?
The most pressing issues are the continuing renovations of the Jefferson County Court Courthouse and other county buildings. To maintain the drug court and therapy services to deal with addictions and the youth crisis stabilization facility for immediate and preventative mental health care. To continue to establish broadband internet access for our schools and businesses and the 2,559 residential locations in underserved areas.
If elected, what unique perspective and experience do you bring to the board?
Serving 7 years as a Jefferson County Supervisor has broadened my understanding of county government and how it works. This knowledge motivates me to continue the work needed to improve the lives of our communities. This is our town. We have lived and worked in Jefferson County for over 55 years. We built our home here and raised our children here. We are proud to call Jefferson County our home because it’s a great place to live. As a supervisor of Jefferson County we have worked to attract new businesses with good jobs, to attract new residents, to provide a safe and healthy place to live with parks and libraries, and many more services. It is an honor to represent District 29 and I would like to continue this work for the good of all the residents and my family.
Any additional comments?
No answer given.
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