TERMS EXPIRING IN TRI-CITY AREA 

JEREMY WALTNER – PUBLISHER

Those seeking election or re-election to a local governing body may take out a nominating petition beginning Friday, Jan. 27. The deadline to collect signatures and file those petitions is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24.

The 2023 city/school election is Tuesday, April 11. The following vacancies in the tri-city area are as follows:

Freeman

Four terms will expire on the six-member Freeman City Council this coming year. Those include seats held by Lonnie Tjaden (Ward 1), Blaine Saarie (Ward 2) and Tabitha Schoenwald and Elizabeth Waltner (Ward 3). All are two-year terms with the exception of Waltner, who last year was appointed to a one-year term by Mayor Michael Walter. The two city councilors whose terms do not expire are Charly Waltner and Charles Gering.

The only upcoming vacancy on the Freeman School Board is the seat held by vice president Cody Fransen; that is a three-year term. The rest of the school board includes Emily Andersen (president), Doug McCune, Karissa Podzimek and Cody Spangler.

Menno

Four council seats will also be up for grabs in Menno. Those with terms expiring this year are Scott Simonsen and Jacob Mettler (Ward I), Ronald Diede (Ward 2) and John Huber (Ward 3). The seats held by Diede and Mettler are two-year terms while those held by Simonsen and Huber are 1-year terms. Other council members in Menno are George Cokens and Jerry Fischer.

There are two upcoming vacancies on the five-member Menno School Board — seats held by Jon Schempp and Barry Schmidt. Both are three-year terms. The Menno School Board also includes Justin Plooster, Brent Rames and Tim Freier.

NOTE: Based on information provided by the Menno school, the print edition incorrectly states that Brent Rames — not Jon Schempp — is up for re-election.

Marion

In Marion, the mayor and five of the six city council seats will become vacant in 2023. Those terms are currently being filled by Mayor Jeff Jeno, a two-year term; Bryan Luke (Ward 1), Dick Luke and Josh Picek (Ward 2), and Rhonda Smith and Rick Nelson (Ward 3). All are two-year terms with the exception of the seats held by Bryan Luke and Picek. The Marion City Council also includes John Ptak.

There are two upcoming vacancies on the Marion School Board — a three-year term held by Matt Donlan and a one-year term held by Amalia Zick. Other school board members are Scott Tieszen, Jen McConniel and Jared Schmidt.