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Schanen was elected to council in 2023.

“I have focused on economic development of all types including progress in the industrial park, including identifying challenges to industrial development, creation of the house rehabilitation program, and supporting owner occupied housing. I also support recent, budget-aware initiatives from the Parks and Recreation Department that have expanded programming for residents of all ages,” the release continued.

“As a council, we have prioritized ensuring that our city’s emergency and safety services have the resources they need, while being fiscally responsible,” the release continued, including restructuring budgets to allow for the hiring of an additional police detective and an additional firefighter, and not including those positions in a city referendum earlier this year.

Schanen said he worked for improved transparency in city government, specifically “reducing the use of closed sessions and presenting a new template for improving how the city communicates the financial details and reasoning behind Tax Increment conversations. This effort ensures that both the council and residents have clear, complete information when making critical decisions.”

Strong partnerships between the city, school district and university “are vital to Whitewater’s success,” Schanen continued, noting that “this past summer, I worked with fellow council members, the school board, the Whitewater Police Department, and the superintendent on the School Resource Officer Program. Since implementing the agreement in late July, communication between the district and city government has improved significantly, leading to greater transparency, better feedback, and stronger collaboration.”

If re-elected, Schanen said he will “continue listening, learning, and reviewing topics from all angles. I will continue to work to build strong partnerships, and enforce ethical, transparent governance. I will be working to find ways to balance budgets without putting additional strain on our residents.”

Schanen and his wife Heather live on the west side of Whitewater. They are involved in community organizations including the Whitewater Breakfast Kiwanis and the Whitewater GroCo.