New London’s contested city race

By Robert Cloud

Only one seat on the New London Common Council is contested this year.

Two incumbents, Fred Zaug and John Hass, are running against each other in District 2.

Normally, each aldermanic district in New London has two representatives, who are elected in rotating years.

Zaug was last elected in 2020 and his current term will expire in 2022.

Billie Olson was elected in April 2021 and her term was set to expire in 2023.

However, Olson vacated her seat in October 2021 after she moved out of the city.

Council members appointed Hass on Nov. 9, 2021, to fill Olson’s seat.

In addition to running for the remaining year of Olson’s unfinished term in office, Hass has also filed to have his name on the ballot for the full two-year term that Zaug is seeking.

Hass’s name will appear on the city ballot twice.

Zaug

Fred Zaug has served on the city council since 2018.

He has also served on the Waupaca County Board since 2012 and is up for re-election this year.

Zaug’s name will appear as a county District 24 candidate on ballots in New London wards 7, 8 and 9, as well as one ward in Mukwa.

After 39 years as an insurance professional with Cigna, Zaug retired in January 2011.

He said one of the biggest problems he hears from constituents is the condition of the roads.

“People are always complaining about the streets,” Zaug said.

Zaug pointed to the work on Werner Allen Boulevard, which included new curb and gutter and resurfacing.

Zaug also questions New London’s wheel tax, which he said he would vote to eliminate if re-elected.

“It hasn’t generated as much money as the state said it would,” Zag said, noting that most voters he speaks with are opposed to the wheel tax.

Zaug was born and raised in New London.

After he graduated from New London High School, Zaug earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1971.

After living much of his adult life in Milwaukee, Zaug returned to New London in 2009 and has been active in the Waupaca County Republican Party.

Haas

John Haas has lived in New London for nearly 30 years.

For the past 28 years, Hass has worked as an equipment operator for Appleton’s Department of Public Works.

“I hope my knowledge will help in coming up with more efficient ways to do thins,” Haas said.

Hass served as a board member and coach for Youth Softball, Youth Baseball and Youth Basketball in New London.

When he was appointed to the council last year, Haas said as a coach he he heard numerous compliments about New London’s parks.

While noting that the city did a great job on its services, he sees snowplowing as one area that needs improvement.

“There’s more efficient ways to do things,” Hass said about snowplowing. “That is the one thing you hear people complain about is the streets in the winter.”

Hass said he has been a union steward in Appleton, which gives him insight on municipal workers.

When asked about why he decided to run for both the one-year term and the two-year term, Haas said, “I kind of wanted to go through the voting process so that I get my name out there and people get to know me.”

Haas added, “When I first applied, I didn’t know how many people would go for it, so that was how I was advised to approach the elction.”