A small water district in Onalaska that is indebted to Lewis County has narrowed down one race for a commissioner seat to two candidates.
The race for commissioner position 1 for Water-Sewer District 2 drew three candidates: incumbent Tim Timmreck and citizens Kevin Emerson and Sharla Wherry-Allebaugh.
Preliminary results show Emerson and Wherry Allebaugh will both appear on the November ballot. Emerson received the overwhelming majority of the votes at 78 out of 120 for 65 percent. Wherry-Allebaugh captured 23 percent, while Timmreck took 12 percent.
Timmreck and Wherry-Allebaugh both ran because they think the water district is on track to fix its financially troubled past and want to continue it in that direction.
Emerson ran because he doesn’t think the district is in very good shape and doesn’t agree with the way the commissioners run the district.
Timmreck was appointed to the commission seat two years ago. He told the Chronicle in July that when he began as commissioner, he didn’t realize the district wasn’t collecting enough money to pay its bills. The county had been paying the bills and agreed to treat that money as a loan the district is now paying off.
According to Timmreck, the debt had been paid down to $237,704 by mid-July.
Also on the Nov. 3 ballot Carrie Colson will face incumbent Robert Masciola for commissioner position 3 for the district.
Primary election results will be certified Aug. 18.
