(WAUPUN) Waupun residents will soon decide whether they want to keep the city’s current momentum going. Mayor Rohn Bishop says he’s running for a third term because, in his words, the community has made major strides — and he wants to build on them.
Bishop said the next term would be the first under the city’s new three-year mayoral cycle, a change he pushed for as part of what he calls an effort to “modernize” the office.
In announcing his re-election campaign, Bishop pointed to a long list of projects he says have reshaped daily life in Waupun. The city opened a new community center, upgraded the ice arena’s floor, invested in local daycare, added turf to the baseball fields, and created a grant program to support youth sports. He also highlighted efforts to preserve the Carnegie Library building that houses the Historical Society and noted improvements to several railroad crossings.
City staffing — a concern in many Wisconsin communities — is another area he says has turned a corner. Bishop said morale inside city departments is stronger and that police, fire, and public works positions are fully staffed.
Looking ahead, Bishop said work will continue on Shaler Drive along with additional projects on Waupun’s southeast side.
He also pointed to state-level wins. Bishop said he has spent the past several years acting as “Waupun’s biggest cheerleader,” which he believes helped the city secure two boosts in state shared revenue and may have helped prevent the closure of the Waupun Correctional Institution. His administration also revived the “City of Sculpture” identity while expanding the public art collection tied to sculptor Clarence Shaler.
Bishop’s campaign will hold a kickoff event at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the new Prison City Pub downtown.
