Green Bay City Council District 11 primary election Michael Poradek, Melinda Eck, Christina Thor on ballot
GREEN BAY - The Green Bay District 11 primary election will eliminate one of the three candidates vying for a two-year term on the City Council.
City Council member Melinda Eck is seeking a second term representing Green Bay's west side and will face challengers Michael Poradek and Christina Thor in the Feb. 20 primary election. The top two vote-getters will move on to the April 2 general election.
Green Bay District 11 covers parts of the city's west side and is roughly bounded by Shawano Avenue to the north, Packerland Drive to the west, Lombardi Avenue to the south and Fisk Street to the east.
For information about registering to vote and polling locations, visit the MyVote Wisconsin website at myvote.wi.gov/en-us.
Ahead of the primary, the Press-Gazette requested each candidate provide basic biographical information and answer three questions. Candidates were asked to limit each response to 100 words. The candidates, and their responses, have been listed in the order they will appear on the ballot.
Michael Poradek
Address: 1744 Beaver Dam Drive
Age: 33
Occupation: Nonprofit administration
Highest education level attained: Graduate studies in leadership
Relevant experience: Commissioner, Green Bay Planning Commission (2022-present); Green Bay Neighborhoods, chair (2021-present); Fireman’s Park Neighborhood Association, president (2018-present); election inspector/poll worker (2020-present)
Melinda Eck
Address: 1634 Birchwood Drive
Age: 56
Occupation: Activities director, assisted living center
Highest education level attained: associates degrees in early childhood education and accounting from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Relevant experience: I am the president of the John Muir Park Neighborhood Association and a member of the Green Bay Neighborhoods. I have also had training through NeighborWorks America. I have been the executive director of a local nonprofit, which includes overseeing all operations, marketing, fundraising, accounting, and teaching classes that teach conflict resolution and effective communication skills.
Christina Thor
Address: 2474 Hazelwood Lane
Age: 31
Occupation: Executive state director, 9to5-National Association of Working Women, Wisconsin Chapter
Highest education level attained: Bachelors of Art
Relevant experience: I am the co-founder and chair of the Wisconsin Care Coalition; member of the AAPI Coalition of Wisconsin, Dignity at Work Coalition, Raising Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed; appointed member of the city of Green Bay’s Hmong Advisory Council; former board member of the Hmong American Partnership and ColorBold Business Association; former task force member of ESTHER Immigration Taskforce and former member of the National Association of Social Workers-Wisconsin Legislative and Social Policy Committee.
What motivated you to run for City Council in 2024?
Poradek: I am proud to call Green Bay home and want to serve this community that I know and love. As a homeowner in our district for over 10 years serving our neighborhoods, I am humbled to have the support of neighbors here in District 11 who have encouraged me to run for alder. I am committed to serving as a nonpartisan official in this nonpartisan office, focused on the local issues that impact us every day. I hope to bring new ideas, authentic leadership, and community-focused solutions to make Green Bay an even better place to live, work and call home.
Eck: I have enjoyed serving my district for the past two years and would be proud to continue to represent them at City Hall. I have been meeting with residents in the district face to face at their doors and at listening sessions asking about their concerns because I truly care. I will continue to fight for their needs.
Thor: As a daughter of refugees, I grew up in poverty and understood economic challenges at a young age. I was born here, and now a first-generation homeowner and mother in a community that has given us so much. District 11 is where I learned the values of hard work and caring for my neighborhood. I am running because I believe that those most affected by issues should be involved in finding solutions, and I am committed to representing all voices in my district. I hope to co-create an inclusive Green Bay with healthy homes, neighborhood jobs, and community safety with my neighbors.
What three issues do you want to prioritize if elected to the City Council?
Poradek: As your alder I will promote:
Road repair: Every election year roads are discussed. It’s finally time we allocate enough resources for a long-term plan, not short-term fixes, to repair our over 500 miles of roadways in an ongoing cycle.
Public safety: In order to address current and future issues impacting our community, public safety officials need the support, training, and additional personnel necessary to continue to be proactive.
Economic growth: Especially on our city’s west side, we need to invest in common sense economic development that benefits both residents and visitors while strengthening the tax base.
Eck: My constituents have told me they are very concerned about crime, roads, and homelessness in our city. I have worked directly with the Green Bay Police Department and co-authored an ordinance, which was passed, to address sex trafficking in our city. Being on the Improvement and Services Committee, I’ve worked with the Department of Public Works to re-prioritize our city streets to address the need for repairs and reconstruction. I have voted to add positions that will be dedicated to helping to address homelessness in our community.
Thor: As alderperson, I will prioritize community-first public safety that prioritizes prevention and community engagement over traditional policing tactics, and involves investing in social services, education, and programs that help address the root causes of crime; fair, affordable housing and homeownership, because without access to affordable homes, people struggle to find stability in their lives, which becomes a barrier to education, employment, and well-being; and economic development that includes small business and clean energy investments to create quality jobs, protect workers rights, increase tax revenue that stays in our city, and ensure that everyone shares in the city’s growth.
What community service or work on public committees do you do?
Poradek: I currently serve on the city’s Planning Commission which focuses especially on economic development and housing. For the past seven years I have served in neighborhood leadership, first for Fireman’s Park Neighborhood here in District 11 and currently as chair of the city-wide Green Bay Neighborhoods for all recognized neighborhoods. I am also privileged to serve as a board member for St. Vincent de Paul Green Bay, vice president/president-elect and a Brown County trustee for the Nicolet Federated Library System Board, and last year was accepted as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Eck: I have been on the board for the John Muir Park Neighborhood Association for a decade and the president since 2018. I served on the Green Bay Community Leadership Institute committee through NeighborWorks and the Green Bay Neighborhoods for two years. Since being on the city council I have served on the Parks Committee and the Improvement and Services Committee. In addition, I am particularly proud to have worked with Alder Jennifer Grant and (Fire) Chief Knott to start the Green Bay Metro Fire Foundation which allows community members to donate to a great cause. I have also volunteered at local homeless shelters.
Thor: I'm really proud of the different ways I've worked with the broader community both here in Green Bay and the rest of the state. As a member of the City of Green Bay’s Hmong Advisory Council, I serve as a bridge from the Hmong community to identify and address cultural awareness and sensitivity, language barriers, and access to city services. As chair of the Wisconsin care coalition, I help to advance racial and gender equity, paid leave and affordable childcare. I also work with community stakeholders to provide civic engagement and voter education for marginalized communities across Wisconsin.
Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay City Council District 11 primary election candidate Q&As
