Incumbent Randy Hollenbeck faces newcomer Rob Haines for Cudahy District 3 seat
Cudahy’s District 3 aldermanic seat is up for grabs and incumbent Randy Hollenbeck is facing a newcomer to politics but someone who has been involved in local elections.
Rob Haines has been an election worker/chief inspector for District 3 since 2014.
Hollenbeck has served Cudahy as alderman for nine years, from 2013 until 2021 and from 2023 to present.
Voters living in District 3 will vote at the Cudahy Family Library, 3500 Library Drive, on April 2.
Here’s more about each candidate, what they stand for, who supports them and why they think they’re the right choice to make a difference in Cudahy’s Third District.
Both candidates were asked about the same topics and given the same opportunity to respond.
Rob Haines
“The reason I'm running for the Third Aldermanic District is I care about Cudahy and every citizen,” Haines said. “I feel that it’s the right time to put my name in the hat to take the next step to serve the citizens in the Third District and City of Cudahy.”
Haines has lived in Cudahy since 2009 and all three of his children graduated from Cudahy High School.
What is Haines' background and experience?
A Navy veteran, Haines has been a truck driver/trainer for over 30 years.
In addition to his work with elections, Haines has served on Cudahy’s Rules, Laws and Licensing Committee since 2016.
“Since moving to Cudahy, I felt the city has so much to offer being next to the airport, Lake Michigan, and close to downtown and there is so much opportunity with development and redevelopment even in a down economy,” Haines said.
Haines says local government needs to listen more closely to citizens
While acknowledging there has been progress in recent years to develop Cudahy, Haines said it needs to continue and he thinks the local government needs to be more receptive to citizens.
Some of the biggest issues residents have in Cudahy, according to Haines, are the roads and alleyways, trash removal service and government transparency.
“The city does have issues and the answer can't always be the status quo or kick the can down the road,” he said. “City government can be better.”
The best way to contact Haines, per the election page on the Cudahy website, is [email protected].
Haines did not provide a headshot.
Randy Hollenbeck (inc.)
Hollenbeck said he originally decided to run in 2013 “when my alderman for over six months just stopped showing up for meetings and we had no voice (or) representative.”
When District 3 Ald. Paul Marifke moved out of Cudahy in 2022 he was no longer allowed to sit on the council. Hollenbeck said he was asked to run again for the shortened one-year term. He claimed, “no one stepped up to run and my current opponent thought one year was not enough time to do anything and not worth his time.”
Hollenbeck has a long history of service in Cudahy. In addition to his aldermanic duties, he has served as the chair of numerous committees including the Finance Committee, Personnel Committee, Rules, Laws and Licensing Committee, Contract Negotiating Committee, Traffic and Safety Committee, Community Development Authority and as vice chair of the Board of Public Works.
As alderman, Hollenbeck is especially proud of his efforts to stagger the elections for Cudahy’s aldermanic districts. In 2018 when he was proposing this move, Hollenbeck said it brought the aldermanic districts into line with Cudahy school board elections and committees.
Now he wants to continue this work and add term limits to alderpersons.
Other issues in Cudahy that Hollenbeck is passionate about
Hollenbeck said he has “tough stances on vacant properties, crime and lower taxes (and) fees.” He wants to add a vacant property inspection and fee amnesty ordinance to Cudahy’s books.
Additionally, Hollenbeck said he is pushing for LED street lighting, a public market with green space, repairing roads and attracting new development.
“I want to help move Cudahy into the future,” he said, marketing Cudahy as “the place you want to be.” “Being alderman is not about me, it is about we the people.”
What is Hollenbeck's experience?
A graduate of UW-Milwaukee for Engineering and Milwaukee Area Technical College for retail management, Hollenbeck was a retail store manager for 11 years and co-owned a computer/networking consulting business for 17 years. He has been an IT architect for the last 11 years.
Comparing himself to Haines, Hollenbeck said he is the most qualified and can hit the ground running through his past experience as alderman, solid plans in mind and his knowledge of development, city policy and procedure.
“I am a natural leader who leads … I don’t just talk a good game, I walk the walk,” he said.
He highlighted his participation with Cudahy’s gateway and city center plans along with other efforts to incentivize development.
What are some opportunities in District 3 and Cudahy as a whole?
Hollenbeck said District 3 has excellent opportunity for development with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources approving the last portion of the Iceport land for development and space near Pennsylvania and Layton avenues awaiting approvals.
While the former Kmart property is not in District 3, Hollenbeck has some ideas for its use.
“I think the City should try to entice Hy-Vee to redevelop that property,” he said. “It might take the city or Community Development Authority to purchase the property from Transformco given their 30-day window to sell and close on the property.
Hollenbeck said Cudahy is looking at a potential tax incremental financing district to deal with the blight in that area.
“Otherwise, the building should be razed and made into a new residential area and add a new road along it,” he said.
Hollenbeck's biggest supporters and how he can be reached
“My wife Carrie and my daughter Ria, my sister Dawn, and my parents,” Hollenbeck said in response to who his biggest supporters are. He also cited support from Stacy Ann, Heidi Dauer, Chris Galewski, Bob Grams, Scott Grams, Frank Magestro, Diana Rowland, Dan Zweck and Jay Weber of WISN 1130.
The best way to reach Hollenbeck is [email protected], 414-881-1686 (cell) or 414-483-7377 (home).
Contact Erik S. Hanley at [email protected]. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Hollenbeck faces newcomer Haines for seat on Cudahy Common Council
