Steve Zimmer (Wisconsin)
Steve Zimmer was an at-large member of the Oconomowoc Area School Board in Wisconsin. Zimmer advanced from the primary election on February 16, 2016. He won re-election in the general election on April 5, 2016. He announced his resignation from the board effective February 28, 2018.[1]
Biography
Zimmer earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He works as a regional sales manager for Landmann USA. Zimmer and his wife have two children.[2]
Governing majority
2017
| Oconomowoc Area School Board, 2017 |
|---|
| Donald Wiemer |
| Sandy Schick |
| Kim Verhein Herro |
| Dan Raasch |
| John Suttner |
| Steve Zimmer |
| Jessica Karnowski |
From May 2017 to January 2018, the Oconomowoc school board voted unanimously to approve 92.06 percent of the 63 motions brought forward by board members. The board approved all of the 86 motions brought forward during this time, excluding procedural, roll call, and adjournment votes. There was no discernible governing majority in 2017 due to the absence of a voting pattern for specific members.
Dissenting votes
Five of the board's 63 votes were not unanimous. Three of those votes related to a motion to approve a schematic design and development work for the Meadow View Elementary School, Oconomowoc High School East Campus, and Oconomowoc High School Main Campus. Herro voted "no" on all three votes and Raasch voted "no" on one.
One non-unanimous vote was about base wage negotiations with the Oconomowoc Education Association. Another vote dealt with a bid for interior demolition and asbestos abatement at the Oconomowoc High School East Campus. Raasch voted "no" on both votes.
Absences
John Suttner was absent from six of the board's 11 meetings in 2017. Dan Raasch was absent from two meetings, and Jessica Karnowski and Steve Zimmer missed one meeting.
Issues
Votes on board procedures accounted for 20 motions or 31.75 percent of all motions brought before the board in 2017. District procedures accounted for 17 or 26.98 percent of votes, fiscal matters accounted for 14 or 22.22 percent of all motions in 2017. The board voted on 7 motions related to personnel matters in 2017. The remaining 5 motions dealt with curriculum matters and teacher salary decisions.
2016
| Oconomowoc Area School Board, 2016 |
|---|
| Donald Wiemer |
| Sandy Schick |
| Mike Bickler |
| Kim Verhein Herro |
| John Suttner |
| Steve Zimmer |
| Jessica Karnowski |
From January 2016 to December 2016, the Oconomowoc school board voted unanimously to approve 100 percent of the 93 motions brought forward by board members. These totals exclude motions to approve board minutes or procedural votes. There was no discernible governing majority in 2016 due to the absence of a voting pattern for specific members.
Board changes
Kim Verhein Herro defeated Dave Guckenberger in the board's election on April 5, 2016.
Dissenting votes
There were no dissenting votes by board members in 2016.
Absences
John Suttner was absent from six of the board's 13 meetings in 2016. Steve Zimmer was absent from four meetings, Sandy Schick missed two meetings, and Mike Bickler was absent from one meeting.
Issues
Votes on district procedures accounted for 37 motions or 39.8 percent of all motions brought before the board in 2016. These votes included approval of new or revised policies and vendor agreements. Twenty-three votes on fiscal matters accounted for 24.7 percent of all motions in 2016. The board voted on 17 motions related to personnel matters in 2016. The remaining 16 motions dealt with board procedures, curriculum matters, and teacher salary decisions.
2015
| Oconomowoc Area School Board, 2015 |
|---|
| Donald Wiemer |
| Sandy Schick |
| Mike Bickler |
| Dave Guckenberger |
| John Suttner |
| Steve Zimmer |
| Jessica Karnowski |
From January 2015 to December 2015, the Oconomowoc school board voted unanimously on 93.5 percent of the 77 motions brought forward by board members. The board approved 100 percent of the motions recorded during regular meetings in 2015. These totals exclude motions to approve board minutes or procedural votes. Because of the high rate of unanimous votes, a governing majority could not be determined.
Dissenting votes
Dave Guckenberger opposed all five measures that were not unanimously approved in 2015. His opposing votes came on measures dealing with a keyless entry system for the high school stadium, participation in a regional school alliance, and a mobile technology plan for district schools. Sandy Schick and Jessica Karnowski voted with Guckenberger to oppose a measure approving changes to the 2016-2017 school calendar in November 2015. These were the only dissenting votes from board members other than Guckenberger in 2015.
Absences
Steve Zimmer was absent from four of the 12 regular meetings held in 2015. John Suttner and Jessica Karnowski each missed one meeting during the year.
Issues
Votes on curriculum issues accounted for 23 motions or 29.8 percent of all motions brought to the board in 2015. District procedures accounted for 20 motions or 25.9 percent of total motions, while personnel decisions represented 20.7 percent with 16 motions. The remaining motions included 13 fiscal issues, three board procedural votes and a scattering of discplinary and teacher contract questions.
Elections
2016
Two of the seven at-large seats on the Oconomowoc Area School District school board were up for general election on April 5, 2016. Incumbents Dave Guckenberger and Steve Zimmer faced challengers Kim Verhein Herro, Jason Kelly and James Wood in a primary election on February 16, 2016. Guckenberger, Zimmer, Herro and Wood faced off in the general election. Herro and Zimmer defeated Guckenberger and Wood for the two available seats.[1]
Results reported by Fox 6 on the night of the February 16 primary indicated that Kelly beat Wood for the final spot in the general election. The figures reported by Fox 6 were inaccurate, with Waukesha County Clerk Kathleen Novack providing correct results showing Wood's victory over Kelly by February 18, 2016.[3]
Results
| Oconomowoc Area School District, At-Large General Election, 3-year terms, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Kim Verhein Herro |
34.73% | 5,400 |
| Steve Zimmer Incumbent |
25.71% | 3,998 |
| Dave Guckenberger Incumbent | 19.91% | 3,096 |
| James Wood | 18.97% | 2,950 |
| Write-in votes | 0.68% | 105 |
| Total Votes (100) | 15,549 | |
| Source: Waukesha County Clerk, "2016 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Primary," accessed April 5, 2016 | ||
| Oconomowoc Area School District, At-Large Primary Election, 3-year terms, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Kim Verhein Herro |
32.10% | 1,837 |
| Dave Guckenberger Incumbent |
21.00% | 1,202 |
| Steve Zimmer Incumbent |
17.72% | 1,014 |
| James Wood |
14.75% | 844 |
| Jason Kelly | 14.43% | 826 |
| Total Votes (100) | 5,723 | |
| Source: Fox 6, "Election Results," accessed February 16, 2016 | ||
Funding
Zimmer reported no contributions or expenditures to the Oconomowoc Superintendent's Assistant and Deputy Board Clerk as of February 15, 2016.[4] He filed as exempt from filing campaign finance reports when he filed for his candidacy.
2013
Dave Guckenberger and Steve Zimmer won election without opposition on April 2, 2013.[5]
Campaign themes
2016
Zimmer provided the following responses to questions about the 2016 election to Lake Country Now:
| “ |
What do you think is the most important issue currently facing the school district? What do you foresee as the biggest future challenge for the school district? What differentiates you from your opponents? |
” |
| —Steve Zimmer (2016), [7] | ||
Noteworthy events
Resignation (2018)
At a school board meeting on February 27, 2018, Steve Zimmer announced his resignation from the board, effective immediately. He said, "After years of serving the community, I am announcing my resignation as a school board member from the Oconomowoc Area School District, effective immediately, due to philosophical differences and the direction of the board's decisions." In a telephone interview with Lake County Now, Zimmer said, "I can't really comment specifically, but there's more to it than just the [Dr. Joseph] Moylan situation." Zimmer was referring to the resignation of Oconomowoc High School principal Joseph Moylan, which became effective the same day as Zimmer's resignation.[8]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Steve Zimmer Oconomowoc School District Wisconsin. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Oconomowoc Area School District, Wisconsin
- Hot tub Gatorade, turnout in Peoria and the Wisconsin state...
- Wisconsin school districts 2014 review
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lake Country Now, "The spring election will host some challenges," January 7, 2016
- ↑ Lake Country Now, "Steve Zimmer ready to serve on School Board," April 10, 2013
- ↑ Lake Country Now, "Discrepancy in vote totals causes error in Oconomowoc Area School District race," February 19, 2016
- ↑ Nick Katers, "Email exchange with Sue Snyder," February 15, 2016]
- ↑ Dodge County, Wisconsin, "Spring Election: April 2, 2013," accessed November 16, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Lake Country Now, "Two OASD board members face three challenges in primary election," February 5, 2016
- ↑ Journal Sentinel, "Oconomowoc High School Principal Joseph Moylan abruptly quits, midyear," February 28, 2018
| 2016 Oconomowoc Area School District Elections | |
| Waukesha County, Wisconsin | |
| Election date: | April 5, 2016 |
| Candidates: | At-large: Incumbent, Dave Guckenberger • Incumbent, Steve Zimmer • Kim Verhein Herro • Jason Kelly • James Wood |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
