Voters to have a choice

Alderman Mike Bub to challenge Mike Wellner for Medford mayor’s job

The Medford mayor’s race is heating up as alderman Michael Bub has announced his candidacy, challenging incumbent mayor Mike Wellner.

Bub announced his candidacy on Monday. He currently serves on the Medford City Council representing the city’s fourth district, a position he has held since 2007.

Bub has been active in the community for many years, both in local politics, as well as in volunteering and coaching high school sports.

In a release announcing his candidacy, Bub said he is interested in running for mayor to continue the growth of Medford. Bub said he would like to see more City Council involvement in developing the future plans for the City of Medford. Some of the issues facing Medford in the future are providing an adequate work force for the companies/businesses in the Medford community.

“We need to find ways to having affordable housing so people can come to Medford to work and live here,” Bub said.

Bub said he would like to see more cooperation with both the county and the school district. “By working together we can accomplish more for the city of Medford while saving taxpayers money,” he said.

As an alderman, Bub currently serves on the public works committee, the finance and personnel committee, the revolving loan committee, the pool committee and the hotel motel commission.

Bub was the chairman and played a key role on the pool committee which was responsible for the planning, design and development of the new City pool.

Bub also serves on the Taylor County Board of Supervisors. He is currently the chairman of the special committee looking to expand broadband service to the city of Medford and all of Taylor County. Bub has also served on the Medford School Board, serving seven years as board president.

Bub was one of the founders and the current president of Medford Area for Tomorrow Inc. (MATI) which is a nonprofi t foundation that was set up to improve the Medford area. Some of the projects MATI has been involved in are the All Inclusive playground, the Frances L. Simek Memorial Library in Medford, the Medford Area Fire Department building, providing funding for a dialysis chair at the Aspirus Dialysis Center, improvements to the Black River, the new high school athletic fields to mention just a few the projects MATI has been involved in over the past two decades.

Bub was also one the founders and past president of the Medford All Sports Booster Club. He is currently a member of the Medford Kiwanis and the Medford Knights of Columbus. Bub recently retired after 32 years as the coach of the Medford High School track team, first serving as an assistant then as the head coach for the boys and girls track teams.

Prior to his retirement, Bub worked as an information systems manager then senior business manager for 29 years at Tombstone Pizza, Kraft Pizza and Nestlé Pizza. Bub currently is employed at Holy Rosary parish in Medford.

Bub said he is looking forward to the election in April and then proudly serving the city of Medford in the future.

In deciding to run, Bub said he believed in term limits. Wellner has served on city council since 1991 and became mayor in April 2004.

In addition to the mayor’s race, the following four alderman are up for reelection: Christine Weix, Peggy Kraschnewski, Dave Brandner and Clem Johnson. Weix has filed her declaration of candidacy.

Candidates may begin circulating nomination papers this coming weekend and must have them turned in by early January. The spring election will be held on April 7.