Election shakes up GB city council

WLUK TV

Updated: Apr 4, 2012 6:27 PM

GREEN BAY — The spring election shook up Green Bay's 12 member city council.

Tuesday’s races wrapped up with one third of the aldermen losing their seats.

Six incumbents faced challengers. Four lost.

After three decades on Green Bay's common council, Guy Zima has been unseated.

James Warner received 54% of the vote - to Zima's 46% - defeating the longtime alderman.

"I feel good about the years of service I gave and I'm grateful to the people who voted for me all these years. I guess they told me I set the record so, I can't cry about losing one," Zima said.

Zima and Green Bay mayor Jim Schmitt were fierce political rivals. In a Skype interview with FOX 11, Schmitt who is visiting his daughter in Africa, said he's pleased with Zima's service.

"At the same time, I think this change is going to be something I'm going to be looking forward to and I think it will be good for his district and really good for the overall community," said Schmitt.

Voters also replaced another incumbent, alderman Chris Wery. He sat on the city council for 10 years and served one term as president.

"You get into a certain rhythm of pretty much every day answering calls and emails and visiting people and trying to help them with the little city things and yeah, that part I'll miss," said Wery.

Two other city council members - Patrick Buckley and Steven Deneys were also defeated.

So what does it mean when voters chose to boot out a third of the city council? Is it just four aldermen who lost their districts? Or is there a bigger picture? One political science expert says it's more so the latter.

"I do think that in general there was a sense of the way they conduct their business and their relationship through their constituents they seem to be that is that there's a sense of dissatisfaction there," said retired UW-Green Bay political science professor David Littig.

Three other incumbents chose not to run. That means seven new people will be on the council. Schmitt says he looks forward to working with the new group.

"There is a real opportunity there for them to come in with their fresh ideas, and get a perspective from, really a majority of the council, is going to have a perspective that's going to be fresh for them.

Those who won city council seats in Tuesday's election will be sworn in on the 17th.

Zima is still on the Brown County Board.

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