In surprise announcement, Friske says he will leave Blue Mounds Village Board

Just weeks after winning yet another term on the Blue Mounds Village Board, Gary Friske came home from a meeting at the newly-constructed village hall, and thought to himself: “I’ve made a huge mistake.” 

“I wasn’t going to run again [in the Spring 2021 election],” he recalled. “But a couple people asked me to. My original plan was to serve on the board until the new village hall was done, and it’s done.”

Friske said the village is in good shape, and his desire to continue spending his evenings hashing out municipal issues has waned significantly. 

“I shouldn’t have run to begin with,” he admitted. “My wife is retiring soon, and I’m spending more and more time working with the VFW. It was a mistake to run again.”

So, at last week’s meeting of the Blue Mounds Village Board to which he was re-elected this April, Friske informed his colleagues that he is stepping down. 

In a four-way race for two seats on the Blue Mounds Village Board this spring, incumbents Friske (103 votes) and Phillip Solchenberger (116 votes) defeated challengers Blake Baxter (84 votes) and Gary Tree (57 votes). 

“I didn’t hardly campaign at all,” said Friske. 

Now, someone else - someone appointed by village leaders - will take his seat. 

“Losing him is a real detriment,” said village clerk Mary Jo Michek. “We’re losing a lot of expertise.”

Friske, a Mount Horeb High School graduate, is 72 years old and has lived in Blue Mounds for 15 years. He is a Vietnam veteran and is retired after a career with the Dane County Highway Department. 

He said he leaves the village on solid financial footing, having the new village hall built, having purchased new Public Works equipment and completed important updates to local parks, streets and utilities.  

“And taxes went down again this year, so we must be doing something right,” he stated. 

Friske said he wants to thank the citizens of Blue Mounds. He also said he has no regrets about walking away now, particularly due to the level of discord and divisiveness in American politics. 

“The way politics has gotten these days, you are almost embarrassed to say you are an elected official,” he lamented. 

The public is invited to indicate interest in being appointed to this position by filling out an application/interest form with the village. Applicants must be of legal voting age (18), live within the Village of Blue Mounds and be able to attend regular board meetings held the second Wednesday of every month and attend various committee meetings through the year.

The term ends on April 17, 2023. 

All interested and qualified residents are invited to fill out an application/interest form, which can be found at the village office (11011 Brigham Street) or online at www.bluemoundsvillage.com.

All interested residents should plan on attending the June 9, 2021 Regular Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.  Each candidate will introduce themselves to the board and answer any questions village leaders might have.  The board will then vote on who to appoint.  An Oath of Office and appointment will take place immediately following the board’s decision.  

Submissions of interest are due in the Village Office by June 2, 2021.  Submissions can be emailed to mmichek@bluemoundsvillage.com, dropped off in person or placed in the drop box outside the Village Hall.  

Questions about the process can be directed to Mary Jo Michek, Clerk-Treasurer at 608-437-5197 ext. 1 or at mmichek@bluemoundsvilllag.com.