By Press Times Staff
DE PERE – With current District 1 alder James Boyd running unopposed for mayor, two candidates are running for his District 1 seat this April.
Shana Defnet Ledvina will face Randy Soquet after both advanced from the February primary, besting Joshua Errer and Ted Keneklis.
Defnet Ledvina received 569 votes to Soquet’s 238.
Soquet also ran for District 1 in 2019, losing to Amy Chandik Kundinger, 887 to 585.
District 1 in De Pere covers the majority of the downtown Broadway area.
The Press Times emailed each candidate the same three questions and gave them 100 words to respond to each.
Shana Defnet Ledvina
Why should people vote for you?
Communication.
As De Pere clerk-treasurer for seven years, I am knowledgeable in all aspects of city government.
As a resident, I am passionate about De Pere for the same reasons you are: historic downtown, great restaurants and shops, beautiful neighborhoods and parks and excellent schools.
I think it’s important to always look for ways to improve our overall quality of life to make De Pere an even more desirable community to live in.
I am committed to communication, community engagement and being a voice for District 1 residents.
Contact me at: shanafordepere.com, [email protected] or 920-333-1663.
What’s the biggest issue in District 1?
Growth is critical for De Pere to continue to be a quality-of-life leader.
But growth also comes with a nervousness that our community may lose the small-town feel that is authentically De Pere.
The Cultural District master plan sets a vision that promotes growth while maintaining the city’s historic character.
City leaders must implement the plan and proactively prepare for the increase in visitors to the Mulva Cultural Center.
Additionally, we must work collectively to address traffic on Broadway and Main and further the Southern Bridge
Project in order to improve traffic congestion, pedestrian safety and connectivity.
How would you maximize the economic potential for your district?
• Encourage opportunity to find a tenant or developer for the Shopko building.
• Implement the Cultural District master plan to encourage Mulva Cultural Center visitors to explore downtown De Pere when they visit.
• Support Definitely De Pere, the De Pere Chamber and other community groups that hold public events and programming in downtown De Pere.
• Create a public gathering space on the Fox River to draw visitors and special events to downtown De Pere.
• Continue support of incentive programs like TIF and facade grants to increase the tax base and commercial property values, keeping De Pere competitive with other communities.
Randy Soquet
Why should people vote for you?
My longevity and commitment to De Pere and District 1 is what sets me apart, making me the better candidate in this race.
I’ve lived in De Pere for more than 20 years, serving the community since 1995 as an educator at De Pere High School.
I’ve seen this community evolve.
I’ve served on the Board of Park Commissioners since 2015.
I’ve worked with residents to ensure the new aquatic centers are a great fit for our community.
I’ll be a fiscally responsible steward of taxpayer’s dollars.
I’m accessible to residents via email, [email protected], and facebook.com/soquet4depere.
What’s the biggest issue in District 1?
The biggest issue facing District 1 is the redevelopment of the downtown on the east side.
Smart development will provide opportunities for our residents and visitors to spend time and money in our city.
For example, the vacant Shopko and empty parking lot are a huge hole our city government needs to make a priority.
Two concerns I have heard from citizens that tie into this issue are a lack of a grocery store on the east side in the downtown area and the need for a general merchandise store to fill the void left by the closing of Shopko.
How would you maximize the economic potential for your district?
I will work with the mayor and the economic development coordinator as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Definitely De Pere to plan and implement sustainable economic opportunities for our city.