Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.

Dear editor,

Next Tuesday, voters of Wausau will have an opportunity to choose a leader for the City for the next four years. As a former mayor, I wanted to weigh in and share my perspective. Over the last four years, the city has faced several issues including addressing the problems presented with PFAS in our water supply, the historic problem of lead service lines serving older homes, an understaffed Fire Department and inadequate levels of funding from the state of Wisconsin through the shared revenue program. 

In all those cases, Mayor Rosenberg took a leadership role in addressing those problems.  That leadership included advocating for the interest of the city and convincing the governor legislative and congressional leaders and federal administration to partner with the City in solutions. It has resulted in the city receiving federal earmarks for the water plant upgrades to address contamination in the city’s water supply that will not for PFAS but other contaminants in the future, funding to accelerate the replacement of lead service lines, a change in state’s shared revenue funding that will help the city now and into the future which allowed the expansion of the fire department to provide necessary public safety services in this community. 

Those efforts were dependent on a leader who understands how the various levels of government can work together and a leader who is not afraid to approach others to develop solutions that benefit this community.  Mayor Rosenberg has been that leader. 

Next Tuesday please consider the record versus the promises of the candidates. Katie Rosenberg has advocated for the best interest of the city and has demonstrated her understanding of issues.  She has worked tirelessly with other elected officials and policy makers to come up with long term solutions. Those efforts have resulted in actions that have benefited this community.  Based on her accomplishments over the last four years I support Mayor Rosenberg for reelection.

John Robinson, former mayor of Wausau