District 5, 9 reps will not seek another term on Stevens Point City Council

By Brandi Makuski

Two members of the Stevens Point City Council have filed non-candidacy paperwork for the April election, meaning they will not appear on the spring ballot for those positions.

Meleesa Johnson was first elected to represent District 5 on the city council in 2016, serving as council president for the past four years. Simultaneously, she also served three terms on the Portage Co. Board of Supervisors while working full-time as the solid waste director for Marathon Co.

Johnson has filed paperwork to run for mayor of Stevens Point, challenging Mayor Mike Wiza’s campaign. Wiza is vying for his third term in leading the city. Johnson announced her campaign on Nov. 11 during an invite-only, no-press-allow event at Iverson Park.

Dalton, an Appleton native who has lived in Stevens Point since 2015, has been the District 9 representative since 2019. She is a member-owner of Rising Sand Organics Cooperative Farm, Upstream Cider, and Community Builders Cooperative, and has worked as a substitute teacher for the Stevens Point Area Public School District.

Both seats are up for election on April 4. If either race has three or more candidates, it will appear on the Feb. 21 primary.

Anyone wishing to run for either seat must live in the district they intend to represent and return nomination paperwork to the city clerk’s office by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Candidates can obtain paperwork from their municipal clerk or by visiting the Wisconsin Elections Commission website at https://elections.wi.gov/candidates.