Thanks to local candidates

The filing period for local offices concluded last week, and with a flurry of last-minute filings, nearly every local office on the November ballot will have at least one candidate. The lone exception is the township clerk position in Lanesburgh Township, a position that is currenlty held by an appointed person after the previous clerk resigned.

There will be no contested races in the City of New Prague… Mayor Chuck Nickolay filed for reelection and will be unopposed, while Maggie Bass and Rik Seiler filed for the two four-year city council terms and Bruce Wolf applied for a two-year term.

The New Prague Area School Board will have three new members come January. Three long-time incumbents - Jerry Walerius, Don Dvorak and Sherry Brooks, did not file for reelection. Six candidates have filed to replace them. They are Mark Bartusek, Leo Giesen, Matthew Goldade, Sandy McMillan, Tammy Pexa and Miranda Vertnik.

Several area cities and towns will also have contested elections, including Elko New Market Mayor and a two-year city council term; and there are also contested races for Belle Plaine and Lanesburgh Township supervisors.

We salute those candidates who have filed for their willingness to serve. Over the next two months, The Times will work to introduce these candidates and those for county or legislative offices to the community in an effort to help voters decide who they want to represent them.