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Incumbents untouched by controversial issues

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Photo by Dan Lassiter

Current Janesville City Council member Kathy Voskuil and council candidate William Truman react to the results at the Rock County COurthouse on Tuesday.. Truman won a seat on the council.

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Photo by Dan Lassiter

The results projected on a screen reflect in City Council candidate Russ Steeber's glasses as he watches the returns at the Rock County Courthouse on Tuesday.

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Photo by Dan Lassiter

Frank Perrotto talks to his daughter Alexandra Perrotto of Pennsylvania while watching the results come in at the Rock County Courthouse on Tuesday. He won a seat on the Janesville City Council.

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George Brunner

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Bill Truman

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Frank Perrotto

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Russ Steeber

JANESVILLE — Recent, controversial issues in Janesville might be causing a hue and cry among residents but did not cause an upheaval on the council.

Voters apparently are happy with the way the council is running things in Janesville as they returned three incumbents to office. Challenger Frank Perrotto also was elected to fill the fourth open seat.

Incumbent Amy Loasching did not seek re-election.

Incumbents George Brunner, Bill Truman and Russ Steeber cast differing votes on such issues as the Milwaukee Street bike tunnel, the children’s museum and spending $200,000 to bring a hockey team here. That makes it difficult to say if voters looked at the issues or were mostly happy with the status quo.

Incumbent George Brunner received the most votes with 4,024.

“I would just hope that the voters … looked at my record and the fact that I do listen to the voters,” Brunner said. “I seek citizen input, and any vote that I make I try to make in the best interest of the community.”

Brunner didn’t think any specific issues made a difference in the outcome.

Voters possibly appreciated that he was flexible and took second looks at issues, changing his mind on a couple in light of the economy.

“Things changed dramatically over the last 12 to 18 months in Janesville, and I think the council had to be flexible and willing to adjust their thinking based upon the current economic conditions.”

Economic development will be the council’s biggest challenge, he said.

Brunner, who recently was hospitalized, plans to be at Monday’s council meeting.

Incumbent Bill Truman received the next highest number of votes at 3,817.

“I know how to say, ‘No,’” he said, referring to his votes against the tunnel and spending the $200,000 for the ice arena. Truman said he believes people appreciate that he asks questions and researches each issue to prepare for meetings. The experience he gained from his first term will help him in his second, Truman said.

Truman said he listens to residents and that he returns all e-mails and phone calls.

Tuesday’s vote gives him confidence that he is doing his job and representing all residents, he said.

Challenger Frank Perrotto received 3,026 votes. He credited his win to the hard work he and his wife did getting his name out, including sending 1,300 postcards to registered voters.

And he thinks people appreciated his platform, one that stressed needs versus wants and investments in relation to expectations of return.

Perrotto said he is excited to now fulfill the reason that he ran: to help Janesville.

Incumbent Russ Steeber, who received 2,893 votes, said the results are a vote of confidence for the incumbents. It means people approve the direction the council is going and trust the incumbents and the work they’ve done and are “entrusting us with the next couple of years to move the city forward.”

Steeber believes he was re-elected because he gets input from residents and then makes the best decision for the city as a whole, not for specific groups.

Julie Backenkeller, who registered as a write-in candidate several weeks ago, likely captured the large number of write-in votes.