Four running for three seats in Marathon
By Kevin O’Brien
Marathon City residents will have four candidates to choose from on April 1 as they look to fill three seats on the village board.
With longtime village trustee Connie Ruplinger deciding not to run for another term, at least one new face will join the board after next month’s election. Candidates include incumbents Kevin Sorenson and Mark Ahrens and challengers Andrew Goergen and Alex Cabrera.
Sorenson is a retired police officer who worked for the Portage County Sheriff’s Department for 30 years. He and his wife now coown Marathon Flooring, The Copper Mug boutique gift shop and event center. Sorenson was first appointed to the board in 2019 and was elected to continue serving in 2021 and 2023.
Ahrens has served on the village board for 17 years, having first been elected in 2007. He is also chair of the St. Matthew’s cemetery board and of the village’s licensing committee. Ahrens is the maintenance manager at Marathon Cheese and has worked for the company for 47 years.
Goergen is currently majoring in history education at UW-Stevens Point. He served on the student council at Marathon High School and was student body president at the Wausau campus of UW-SP before transferring to the main campus. He’s also on the village’s board of appeals.
Cabrera owns and operates 3 Amigos Mexican restaurant in the village and has lived in Marathon City since 2012.
The candidates were each asked the same four questions. Their answers are below:
Why are you running for a seat on the Marathon City Village Board?
Sorenson: “I enjoy being part of Marathon City and part of the community. The village is very much like a business, where we need to be responsible for taxpayer money and spending. We also need to do what we can to see that the village grows so Marathon City is viable into the future. I just want to be part of that decision-making process.”
Ahrens: “Just to continue Marathon on a path of smart growth, and to work with the school district and water utility to have us grow and not cause financial issues. We’ve met with the school board to discuss possible apartments and more people to make sure the school can grow the same way we can.”
“My other focus is to make sure that we come up with something for Veterans Park so that it remains a park and is not developed into apartments. That’s a hot topic in town here. But we also want to help get the new park up and going as well.”
“The only other thing is that I would like to work with Steve (Cherek, village administrator) and our representatives to try to get the shared revenue straightened out. We’re borrowing to fix streets. Somehow it got messed up. It got straightened out a little with COVID funds, but it’s not in our favor. It costs everybody extra taxes.”
Goergen: “When I was knocking on doors last year, I had a few people tell me that if I did lose the last election I should run again because they said I have some pretty good ideas. So, they’re honestly the main reason I’m running. They liked me enough that they wanted me on the board, so I figured I should give it a go again. Otherwise, everything I said last time is true: I do have an interest in government. I’ve been going to village board meetings for eight years and I enjoy it, so I might as well try my hand at it.”
Cabrera: “I was asked, I thought about it, and I said ‘Sure, why not?’ It’s time for some change.”
What would you say makes you one of the better candidates? Why should voters choose you?
Sorenson: “Overall, just experience. I have a lot of life experience when it comes to 30 years as a law enforcement officer with various positions, responsibilities and management that I had during that 30 years. As a business owner and a taxpayer, I have the responsibility with budgets and spending and revenues. I think I have the life experience of making those big decisions and looking at the big picture of where the village of Marathon is and where we should be.”
Ahrens: “I’ve been doing it for 17 years. I grew up in the community, my kids are in the community and all my grandchildren go to school here. I’m pretty proud of the area. I have family members who are out in the townships, and we try to work with the townships on fire contracts. If we can do things financially correct, it also helps them. We just settled the fire contracts. We’ve been working on that for 20 years, and I think we have some trust with them, with the help of Steve. So, that was a big thing for the village to keep that trust between the townships and the village.”
Goergen: “I’m clearly the youngest. It has its upsides and downsides of course, but I think, if elected, I would bring a fresh perspective to the board. Incumbency is definitely important, but I’m not an incumbent and I can see things from a different perspective.”
“Also, I have a passion for serving. I would enjoy listening to my constituents if I were to serve. If anyone with an interest in Marathon City has a problem, I would be more than happy to meet with that person, listen to their concerns and try to figure out a solution.”
Cabrera: “A lot of it has to do with the fact that we have a lot of Hispanics in the area. I feel that they should have a voice, and me being bilingual, I can assist with things like that. Because of the language barrier, hardworking people in the area who pay taxes, I think they should have a say also, but they don’t. Communication is the number one thing.”
What do you think should be done with Veterans Park and with the 400 block?
Sorenson: “With the 400 block, we’ve been working on that diligently for as long as I have been on the board. We’ve had seven or eight different grocery stores look at that property. They’ve done their demographic research. We were really close to getting a grocery store and a hardware store during COVID, but then the price of steel skyrocketed. There’s such a small profit margin with grocery stores, and everybody who has looked at that has backed out. We would certainly liked to see that developed. Being right in the middle of the village, it should be something that looks nice and something we should be proud of, and from a developer that brings in revenue to the village.”
“As far as Veterans Park, at this time there are no plans to get rid of that. If the right opportunity came along, once the new park is up and running and we transition to that, if that covers Fun Days and if those events can be held out there, that will have to evaluated. If we stay stagnant and we don’t have businesses come to town, the revenue generated just from the residential homes eventually is not enough to sustain Marathon when it comes to water and sewer, streets, and police and fire department and our village employees. That gets more expensive every year when we try to fix our streets. At some point, Veterans Park may be developed or it may not. At this point, it’s not something that’s in the works. But, if Veterans Park stays the way it is, it certainly needs some remodeling and rehabbing. The bleachers are unsafe, they’re rusting and breaking. That all takes money to get fixed.”
“I think the new park has certainly been a great opportunity in the big picture of our village. If we want people to move here and bring their families and grow their families, we need to have some of those amenities – good schools, a good library, fire department, the sports complex where kids can play ball and families can go in a safe space.”
“If you’ve driven down Fourth Street during a youth sports event, the streets are lined with cars, and there’s kids on the sidewalks. I’ve been a victim of that, where a ball comes flying out into the street and here comes a child running out behind it. I know it’s been there a long time, but the environment just isn’t as safe there as it will be at the new sports complex.”
Ahrens: “With the 400 block, we need to continue to work with developers. I think we’re getting close with some developers right now to get a development that fits with the downtown. That is one of our goals for the village board.”
“I think a lot of people have worked to make Veterans Park what it is. I think the new baseball diamonds will be nice, but I think Veterans Parks can still be something in the center of the community. I don’t think it needs to be full of apartments.”
Goergen: “In the past, I did not think Veterans Park should be sold. I think it’s a really nice park, and I thought the new one shouldn’t be built. I have changed my views since then because it’s pretty much done. It would be unwise to stop it right now. I think we should continue building the new one. I know when the village started building the new one, the village’s plan was to get rid of the old one (Veterans Park). I realize that’s a monetary problem. I still don’t like the idea of getting rid of the old one. Technically, the new one is in the village, but it’s not really ‘in town.’
“So, I’d like to see if there is a way we would keep it because I think it’s a great spot for Fun Days and for kids just to go play. If there’s a way we can keep it, for me that would be preferable. I’d have to look at it first. I don’t know if there even is a way to keep it. If there isn’t, if it’s impossible to keep it, I guess we sell it. We have another park, that’s good, but preferably, we should keep it.”
“In regards to the 400 block, I don’t think the village should make decisions based on looks, but it is sitting there right in the middle of town. It’s just there. They’re not doing anything with it. I know the village had tried to get a grocery store in here, and I still think that’s a good idea. It would be nice to have a grocery store, especially for our older population. I understand that’s difficult because we’re in a 1,600-person community. But we’re really not doing anything with it. It’s not even really a parking lot. Something should be done with it, preferably a business or maybe even a park. Even a parking lot, it’s lower on my list, but it’s something.”
Cabrera: “Well, the grocery store was out of the question. Maybe we could bring in something that would bring people into town instead of driving them away. Something that will benefit everybody. How about a miniature golf course or something like that? Maybe another small business.”
“I haven’t been here forever, but I understand that Veterans Park is a big deal in Marathon City, especially for the people who have lived here for many, many years. I agree that we need more housing, it would be nice to have more housing, but why not redevelop? There’s a couple of buildings in town that are just empty or they need an uplift. I don’t have a strong opinion. In the long run, it’s going to affect everyone, regardless.”
See CANDIDATES/ page 15
Kevin Sorenson
Mark Ahrens
Andrew Goergen
Alex Cabrera
Continued from page 14
What do you think about the village’s recent expansion to the north? What is your vision for that area?
Sorenson: “Our current business park is filling up and a few years ago, we had the opportunity to buy land north of 29 to expand the business park. The idea at the time is that we could fit maybe six of seven different industries until Menzer’s approached us and wanted to expand their business. I think the village of Marathon has to have some loyalty to Menzner’s. They’ve been here for 135 years. Certainly, the addition of Kwik Trip answers some of the needs that residents want when it comes to groceries. It’s not a grocery store, but it certainly has some of the staples of life there.”
“The idea would be to try to expand north there, maybe with some residential housing and neighborhoods if that opportunity opens up. Obviously, the landowners have to be willing to assist with that. Having the population that comes to Marathon because of Marathon Cheese, County Materials and Menzner’s, we’d certainly like to make housing available for people to live here and raise their families here. People are wanting to move here because the school system is so great. It would be nice if they had housing and they could live here.”
Ahrens: “Kwik Trip has helped kind of speed that along. The vision of that area starts with Menzner Lumber building a really nice facility there. After that, there is some interest from other companies, but it would be really nice to add some residential to that area.”
Goergen: “So, I’m not too informed on the expansion north of 29. I know Menzner’s is going in there. I’m happy that we’re expanding. I know that expansion is good for a village. If we’re not expanding, we’re shrinking almost, and I don’t want that for Marathon City. So, I’m glad it’s happening.”
“I’m not glad on how the village is going about it. I understand that the land was sold to Menzner’s for $1 (per acre). I think that’s unfair to the people who bought their houses on the fair market. It’s unfair. Overall, I’m happy that the village is expanding, especially in the industrial park, because business is certainly something I want the village to have.”
“I think the village should play a role if business wants to come in. I certainly want them to expand, that’s nice, but I know there are other ways.”
Goergen points out that Rib Falls Repair bought land in the village for a fair market price even though he heard a village member say the village would have sold the land for $1 per acre.
“I understand why villages sell the land for $1, because we want the business, but can it be more than that? Can it be half-price at least or closer to fair market value so we’re at least retaining some of the costs? Personally, I would like to see the village more out of business. We still need to be connected with them. We still want the village to expand, we want businesses to come here, but we could do less and the village could still expand with the village taking more a backseat approach.”
Cabrera: “I’m kind of undecided on that. It’s touchy subject for a lot of people.”
