GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Green Bay City Council president Alyssa Proffitt has joined former mayor Jim Schmitt in the race to take Mayor Genrich’s place.
- Schmitt announced his campaign in August.
- Proffitt announced her campaign on Friday.
- Mayor Genrich announced he would not seek reelection at the beginning of this month.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Proffitt spoke to supporters during a campaign announcement event at Joannes Park Friday.
She says her time on City Council, working with neighborhood associations and working as an enterprise manager at a nonprofit healthcare organization has given her the experience she needs to lead the city.
“I am ready to pick up the torch, and I am ready to carry it forward so that we can continue to make sure every neighbor has a seat at the table," she said.
She says her priorities include affordable housing, fixing aging infrastructure, and expanding government transparency.
“I want to peel back those layers and make sure every person feels comfortable coming into city hall to meet their elected officials and express their concerns to us," Proffitt said.
Her opponent, Jim Schmitt, announced his campaign in August. His priorities include city growth, housing stability and homelessness and workforce development.
Schmitt was previously the longest running mayor in Green Bay, holding the seat from 2003 to 2018.
In response to Proffitt’s campaign announcement, Schmitt said in a statement:
“I wish Alyssa Proffitt well and appreciate her service on the City Council. I know firsthand how demanding the mayor’s job is, and I respect anyone willing to take it on. I’ve been talking with residents and putting together real proposals for housing, homelessness, and making City Hall work the way it should. Between now and April 6, I’ll make the case that I have the experience and plans to lead this city from day one.”
Proffitt says she’s not worried about going up against Schmitt’s experience.
“I appreciate the time that he has served, and I think we'll let the voters decide if they want to go backwards or move forward with me," she said.
Mayor Genrich announced he would not seek reelection at the beginning of this month.
Potential candidates have until Jan. 5 to enter the race. So far Proffitt and Schmitt are the only two candidates in the race. If another candidate enters, there will be a primary election in February.
