Wausau Pilot & Review
Terry Kilian, whose son has represented Dist. 3 for the past two terms on the Wausau City Council, announced on Thursday she will seek the seat in the spring 2024 election.
A longtime resident of Wausau who lives on Thomas Street on the southwest side, Terry Kilian has been heavily active in community issues for over 15 years. Her son, Tom Kilian, known for his policy reform efforts, recently announced that he will not be seeking a third term as the District 3 alder.
Ms. Kilian said that she will continue with and defend the citizen-driven reforms and progress that have been made in the district over the last several years, stating:
“Our residents and our neighborhoods are my top priority and I will stand up to make sure that their voices and interests matter, not just those of a select few. I will be a responsive, committed advocate for my constituents at all times.”
Terry, a local small business owner for years, has a background in nursing and real estate. She believes in the importance of local small businesses, while vocally criticizing Wausau’s “Good Ol’ Boys” culture in the past, and the millions in taxpayer subsidies to high-end private development. She was one of the three women to initially found and start Realty Executives in town, and went on to run her own small business. She had been in nursing earlier in life.
Terry said that she will oppose the City’s spending of scarce public money on private high-end development, and one of her highest priorities is to bring down surging water rates.
“Many people in town can barely afford to live here or use water, while the City throws public money at private luxury developments,” she said, in a news release. “The current District 3 alder has not tolerated this and neither will I, if successful. I will fight hard to bring down water rates and other rising costs while preserving public funds for legitimate public good.”
Along with Randy Radtke, she has been a co-spokesperson for Citizens for a Clean Wausau since 2021 and has been heavily involved on the civic front to clean up contamination in Riverside Park, and on Thomas Street and Cleveland Avenue.
In terms of general policy approaches, Terry says that, in recent years, District 3 has stood out as one of the council districts that has become an emblem of citizen-driven policy and placing the interests of regular residents over those of the local power establishment.
“If the residents in District 3 choose me as their next alder, none of that will change,” Terry said.
Her paperwork will be filed soon.
