De Pere Council incumbent Dean Raasch faces challenger Mike Eserkaln in quest to represent west side's District 3
DE PERE - De Pere City Council member Dean Raasch will face a challenge this year from Mike Eserkaln, a former City Council member who owns the Comedy City.
The race is one of four for the De Pere City Council; District 3 includes wards 10-16.
The election is April 4. You can find resources for voters at myvote.wi.gov. You can also:
Check to see if you're registered to vote. You can still register today at your polling place.
The Press-Gazette asked each candidate three questions and asked that the answers highlight their strengths and their ideas. Their answers are below.
Mike Eserkaln
Address: De Pere
Age: 51
Occupation: Owner and operator, Comedy City, 365 Main Ave., De Pere
Education: Bachelor's degree in English from St. Norbert College
Experience: Eserkaln was a De Pere City Council member from 2020-2022. As owner of a small local business, I'm well-aware of the need for a vibrant downtown area.
Dean Raasch (i)
Address: De Pere
Age: 55
Occupation: Regional manager for an agricultural dealership
Education: Bachelor of science in business, with a minor in international politics; masters-level studies from the University of Aalborg in Aalborg, Denmark.
Experience: De Pere City Council member since 2014. Business professional with experience in growing businesses, managing budgets and developing successful teams. Former small business owner. Past City Council president. Committees: Board of Public Works, Planning Commission, Board of Park Commissioners.
Biography: I'm a District 3 alderman, serving De Pere since 2014. Wife Carrie and I have three children, Derek, Kaeli and Kort. I have been a De Pere resident for 24 years. I am employed by Service Motor Co. as a regional manager.
Why are you running for City Council?
Eserkaln: I'm running because I love this city and want to see it thrive. Downtown areas are vital to a vibrant community. The past couple of years have been difficult for everyone, and small local businesses are just now recovering. I want to ensure that our downtown continues to be a safe, friendly and prosperous destination.
Raasch: De Pere is a great place to raise a family. I am running to make sure the next generation experiences the same family-friendly city that my family grew to love. Over the past nine years as alderman, we have experienced many great accomplishments. I am committed to the success of our city. I will continue to work hard for the people of De Pere. With my experience and leadership, De Pere will continue to be the jewel of the Midwest.
The three biggest issues facing the city:
Eserkaln: Southern Bridge: This project has been in the works for many years, and every year we steadily make progress on it. Main Avenue repairs: The Wisconsin DOT is finally moving forward with repairs and rethinking of Main Avenue, though the project isn’t expected to be complete until 2028. As a business owner on that street, I believe I have valuable insight that will be useful in the planning stages of the project. The Shopko site: There’s a giant empty former business on the east side of downtown. We need to address what to do with it. The unused parking lot and giant building are an incredible waste of valuable space.
Raasch: First, we need to keep growing our tax base through continued economic development and new housing starts. Growth in this area will help improve tax revenue without having to raise taxes on current residents. We have many new developments happening, including the Humana property redevelopment, which I helped move forward. Our downtown has a ton of potential. I believe we haven’t scratched the surface with development downtown. Continuing to find projects that bring more people downtown and business downtown is also a priority.
Second, our budgets are under attack because of inflation and labor shortages. We must find creative ways to stretch the dollars the city receives to continue to provide a high level of services. Economic growth will increase our tax base to help with budget shortfalls.
Finally, in a recent conversation with our police chief, I learned the city has seen an influx of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl. Unfortunately, our community has experienced overdose deaths because of this. We need to continue to fund our police and emergency services to fight back at this epidemic.
Why people should vote for you?
Eserkaln: I'm here to represent the average De Pere resident. I want my future constituents to share their views and ideas for how to improve our community. I am a collaborative person by nature and career. I look forward to collaborating with the rest of the City Council as well as the people who live and work in De Pere. I patronize many of our local businesses regularly, so I want to see them continue to thrive.
Raasch: I have served De Pere as a City Council member since 2014. During that time, I have helped lead numerous projects for our city. My efforts helped build the Art Alley and The Mulva Center. I helped bring in new businesses like Bosses, Green Bay Packaging, The Cobblestone Hotel, and Aldi. We added a Farmers Market, new Aquatic Center, improved miles of roads, added miles of new sidewalks, installed new playground equipment, and created family-friendly community events. I am running for reelection to ensure De Pere is a place that people choose to live, work and explore.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: De Pere Council member Dean Raasch faces challenger Mike Eserkaln
