Johnson, Schultz win seats on Fort council; voters approve public safety referendum

By Kim McDarison

City of Fort Atkinson residents on Tuesday elected incumbent Bruce Johnson and challenger Eric Schultz to the Fort Atkinson City Council. 

Voters found the names of three candidates on the ballot, each of whom was vying for one of two open seats 

A third candidate, Ron Martin, did not win a seat on Tuesday. 

Constituents cast their votes as follows: Johnson, 1,668 votes, representing 33.64% of total ballots cast; Schultz, 1,429 votes, representing 28.82% of total ballots cast, and Martin, 877 votes or 17.69% of total ballots cast. There were 5 write-in votes cast. 

Voters also approved a public safety referendum question, allowing the city to tax property owners above state-imposed levy limits beginning in fiscal year 2023. 

Ballots cast for the referendum were as follows: 1,293 “yes” votes or 52.39% of the total ballots cast, and 1,127 “no” votes or 45.66% of the total ballots cast. 

Approval of the public safety referendum will allow the city to increase the levy of the city of Fort Atkinson by 9.774%, for a total levy of $8,640,949 beginning in 2023, and then on an ongoing basis by an additional amount of $769,336 each fiscal year. The increased revenues will be used to hire 12 additional firefighters with emergency medical training and two additional police officers. 

Tuesday’s vote tallies remain unofficial until certified by county clerks. 

Bruce Johnson 

Eric Schultz

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