NEW BERLIN – The election for Village of New Berlin mayor came down to just two votes in a closely-contested race in which the incumbent decided against retiring in the wake of a political row and launched a write-in campaign.
In total, 137 votes were cast in the race for mayor, with current Trustee Wade Schrag winning the post with 67 votes over incumbent Mayor Carol Riley’s 65 write-ins, reported the village’s clerk office Wednesday night.
With the election captured by only two votes, clerk Diann Davisson also reported that four write-ins for Riley had been written in the trustee’s slot on the ballot and were disqualified in the mayoral race.
“It’s one of the closest races I think I’ll ever see,” she said.
Davisson said there are 533 registered voters in the village, which equates to a voter turnout rate of 25.52 percent.
“I’m happy with the outcome and I’d like to thank my supporters and I hope the village can come together and make some improvements,” said Schrag after hearing the results.
The mayor-elect commended Riley’s many years of service. “She did a good job and I thank her for her support,” said Schrag.
Riley had initially advocated for her opponent in the race, gathering signatures needed for Schrag’s petition and after she decided to retire. However, Riley withdrew her support and launched a write-in campaign to win back the seat after the two had a political falling out.
The two candidates’ row began with a debate over the village’s decision to sell 10 acres of an athletic park, Fish Field, to Milford Academy for $46,000. Riley strongly advocated for the deal while Schrag took a more cautious position.
Despite their differences, Schrag and Riley, along with the rest of the New Berlin Village Board, voted unanimously Feb. 9 to sell the Fish Field property to the academy.
“I wish Wade the very best. I hope he does a great job. The voters have spoken,” said Riley after last night’s election.
“I just hope he works very closely with Milford to make sure they remain in the village,” said Riley.
Riley, who has served as New Berlin Mayor for the last 14 years and as a trustee the year before that, said she was finished with local politics and intends to retire.
“This is the end. It’s been 15 years. That’s long enough,” she said.
Schrag will assume the two-year, $3,500 mayoral position April 6 and will abandon his trustee position half-way through his term.
Schrag said he would work with the board in selecting a temporary one-year appointment for the position, saying he had “a few qualified candidates in mind.”
Schrag said that among his top priorities is addressing the decaying properties in the village.
“We’ve got to work on taking care of condemned property in the village. There are several that we need to work on,” he said.
He said a burned-out house on Academy Street might be the first targeted because it “would be an easier one to solve,” explaining that the structure was in ruin and only need to be “demolished and removed.”
Running unopposed in Wednesday’s election, Trustee Terry Potter received 103 votes and Michael Conroe received 93. Both will resume their seats for another two years.