STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAU) -- Stevens Point has selected an interim mayor. He’s the man who once served as the city’s mayor longer than anyone else... Gary Wescott. Wescott was mayor from 1995 until 2007, leading the administrative branch for 12 years.
Outgoing mayor Andrew Halverson believes the city is in excellent hands with Wescott. “Mayor Wescott is a very, very good man, and has led this community for twelve years. Really, from an interim point of view, you couldn’t ask for someone better that has the qualifications to step in and be able to continue to lead this great organization for the next, roughly, four to four-and-a-half months.”
Wescott addressed the special meeting of the City Council before he was elected by unanimous ballot. “We will continue to do great things working together. As we continue to work, communication, collaboration, and creativity will see us through our challenges.”
Wescott will be spending the next couple of weeks with Halverson working on the transition. He is sure the transition won’t be difficult due to his familiarity with the city, the staff, and the issues. “Some things have changed, but an awful lot of things have stayed the same. Most of the department heads, the directors, the city staff worked with me when I was here seven years ago, and the issues always remain fundamentally the same...finances, public protection, quality of life, taking care of the communities, so I’ve always said, the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
At the end of November, Halverson will leave the city to work in the private sector. Wescott will have to resign his seat on the Police and Fire Commission to serve as mayor.
It is unclear if the 64-year-old Wescott will put his name on the ballot for the spring election. So far, only businesswoman Barb Jacobs has taken out papers to declare her candidacy.