Fond du Lac elects newcomer to council

Fond du Lac voters elected one new member to the City Council Tuesday.

Newcomer Brian Kolstad was elected earning 23.27 percent of the vote and 2,469 votes, according to unofficial election results. Kolstad is a senior application programmer at wisnet.com.

According to unofficial results incumbents Greg Giles, CEO of the Fond du Lac YMCA, and Catherine Block, an attorney, will serve second terms. Giles earned 23.98 percent with 2,544 votes and Block 18.52 percent with 1,965 votes. This will be Giles' first full term since filling in as a replacement for former council member Dan Manning.

Challengers Kay Miller and Mick Burroughs earned 17.56 percent and 16.66 percent, respectively, according to unofficial election results. Burroughs had previous Council experience.

More than 10,600 votes were cast for the candidates, according to the results.

Block said the close call made her nervous.

"Thank God! I'm pleased. I was a little nervous for awhile but I'm glad by the final numbers," Block said. "I think it's the nature of the beast. Nobody likes to lose."

The Council seats of Block, Giles and Council President Sam Meyer were open. Meyer decided not to seek re-election.

"(It feels) good. I've said it many times. I'm very honored and blessed to live in this community. ... Now it's time to do some work," Giles said.

Giles said the relationships he's built in the community helped him win a second term.

"For me it was just having a lot of conversations with a lot of people. For the last 12 years living in the community serving in the YMCA I've got to know a lot of people who live in the community. I've got to know a lot of the business leaders. They have a general idea of my leadership style."

Giles said there's still work to be done.

"I look forward to us having progressive conversations to move Fond du Lac forward. ... things like Lakeside Park, some difficult conversations about budgets, (and) some things to continue to move forward and be a safe and attractive place where people want to live and raise a family."

Block said she's looking forward to the next term.

"I'm excited to see what the Lakeside Park Committee has come up with for recommendations and what our process will be on that," Block said. "I'm looking forward to working with Brian Kolstad and Greg Giles. I think it gives voters more confidence knowing there's no appointments and everyone's been elected."

Block said the turnout was so small it's hard to tell what put her over the top.

"I think that people who know me voted for me and that I've done a good job and will continue to do a good job," Block said. "With such a small turnout it's hard to know what made the difference."

Kolstad said his face time with the community helped him win election.

"I spent the last few months talking to people, going door to door," Kolstad said. "Talking to community leaders on topics that are of concern to the city. ... It's listening more than anything else."

Kolstad watched the election results come in with Block at the Green Dragon on Western Avenue. ​

"We were watching the numbers all night and were very happy to hear the results."

Terms of office are two years. Council members are paid a salary of $5,000 annually.

The next council meeting is April 8.