Barkow named council president for 2nd year

Alderman Kevin Barkow will serve a second year as president of the Shawano Common Council during the council’s April 15 reorganizational meeting. No one else was nominated, so Barkow received unanimous approval. The council president serves as the chair for council meetings when the mayor is absent and is responsible for appointing council members to the various committees. Brad Keuschel, in the 1st Aldermanic District, will serve on the business improvement district board, plan commission and utilities board. Jim Hauer, in the 2nd Aldermanic District, will serve on the field committee, as well as the airport commission and plan commission. Barkow, in the 3rd Aldermanic District, will serve on the finance and personnel committees, as well as the park and recreation commission and the Shawano County Arts Council board. Jack Young, in the 4th Aldermanic District, will serve on the finance and personnel committees, as well as the industrial and commercial development committee, senior citizens commission, housing authority and Wolf River Treatment Plant commission. Linda Meyer, in the 5th Aldermanic District, will serve on the airport commission, joint city-county transportation committee, park and recreation commission and Shawano County Chamber of Commerce board. John Hoeffs, in the 6th Aldermanic District, will serve on the finance, field and personnel committees, as well as the Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. board and the utilities board Barkow’s appointments were approved unanimously. The council also approved Mayor Bruce Milavitz’s appointments to committees, including the following: • Field committee: Mark Braun. • Board of appeals: Andy Schneider. • Board of review: Roger Bohm, Rachel Bleser, Lisa Hoffman. • Business improvement district board: Abbi Lonick, Karen Preston, Chloe Genske. • Industrial and commercial development committee: David Kerber, Jim Meyer, Rhonda Strebel. • Park and recreation commission: William Krenger, John Stang. • Plan commission: Randall Bohm, Rachel Bleser. • Police and fire commission: Stacey Cicero. • Redevelopment authority: Amanda Sheppard, Tim Mead. • Senior citizens commission: Bonnie Wolf, Joan Porter-Priem, Roger Olson. • Sexual offenders appeals board: Marsha Hoeffs, Larry Roth, Arland Dillenburg, Heidi Cartwright. • Housing authority: Sharon Anderson. • Tree advisory committee: Ross Langhurst. • Shawano County Solid Waste Management Board: Milavitz. Also at the meeting, Barkow, Keuschel and Meyer took their oaths of office for a two-year term. Meyer is in her first term after running unopposed for the 5th Aldermanic District after Sandy Steinke decided to step down after more than two decades.