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Incumbent out in Lake Geneva race

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Barbara Hartke

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Alan Kupsik

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Penny Roehrer

LAKE GENEVA — Barbara Hartke wants the city to get its financial house in order and stop frivolously spending money.

Thomas Hartz thinks the city and its staff are doing a good job of watching over taxpayer money.

Voters on Tuesday ousted incumbent Alderwoman Penny Roehrer and picked Hartke, a former alderwoman, and Hartz, a current plan commission member, to vie for a seat on the Lake Geneva City Council.

Challenger Alan Kupsik also was eliminated from the race.

Hartke said she plans to campaign for a freeze on spending, salaries and taxes for next year.

“Taxes are going through the roof,” she said. “Everybody is struggling with this, and they know something isn’t right. … The money is there, but it’s not being spent properly. We have to get the treasury in order.”

Hartke said the city also needs to be creative in the way it addresses the millions of dollars in lawsuits it faces from developers. She said the city could go into bankruptcy if it cannot work out a resolution to the cases.

Hartz said he believes city staff are working hard, not playing “card tricks” with city finances.

“The systems are in place to catch any sort of issues like that,” he said. “I’m not a micromanager. We have a good staff, and we need to allow them to do their jobs.”

Hartz said the city instead should focus on efforts to help the community thrive through redevelopment efforts in its commercial districts.