Kuehl, Wetzel win aldermanic contests

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 12:41 PM CDT

The make-up of the Watertown Common Council will remain the same over the next two years, as both incumbents in contested races walked away with victories following Tuesday's general election.

4th District Alderman Mark D. Kuehl beat out challenger James Braughler by a vote of 213-52 and 8th District Alderman Bob Wetzel won his re-election bid against former city council member Norman Bartel by a vote of 272-149.

Incumbent aldermen Fred Smith, 2nd District, and John Meyers, 6th District, won their uncontested races. Smith received 208 votes and Meyers took in 265 votes.

Kuehl, 50, was appointed by the council in May 2007 to fill the 4th District unexpired term after Ron Krueger was elected mayor. He also served as 4th District alderman from 1984 to 1992 and 1998 to 2000. He is the circulation manager for the Watertown Daily Times.

Wetzel, 50, is finishing up his first two-year term on the Watertown Common Council. He has served as the director of guest relations at Maranatha Baptist Bible College since his family moved to Watertown in 2001.

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Smith, 57, served as the 2nd District alderman from 1990 to 1992 and from 2004 to the present. He was also the mayor of Watertown from 1992 to 2001. Smith is the pastor at Watertown Community Church.

Meyers, 63, is finishing up his first term as alderman of the 6th District. He is a member of the Marine Corps League and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7852.

Other members of the Watertown Common Council are Diana Johnson, 1st District; Ken Berg, 3rd District; Steve Zgonc, 5th District; Tony Arnett; 7th District; and Brad Blanke; 9th District.