(Name as it appears on ballot)
Barry N. Hottmann
How long have you lived in Dodgeville and what do you think about living here?
I’ve called Dodgeville home for most of my life. My family moved here in 1977, and aside from about 13 years when I was away for college and early in my career, this community has always been home.
What I love most about Dodgeville is the people. It’s a place where neighbors know each other, where people show up to support one another, and where there’s a genuine sense of pride in the community. Whether it’s volunteering, supporting local businesses, or coming together during times of need, you see that spirit in our community.
I chose to live here because I care deeply about this community. I truly care about the people who call Dodgeville home and about the quality of life we all share. That’s also what drives me-having the opportunity to serve, give back, and help make a positive difference.
I also appreciate the balance we have here. Dodgeville offers a high quality of life – great schools, strong local services, and growing recreational opportunities – while still maintaining that small-town character that makes it special. At the same time, we’re continuing to move forward with thoughtful investments in our future, like our new City Hall, the library expansion, housing developments, and economic growth.
What really excites me about living here is the opportunity. Communities don’t stand still-they either move forward or fall behind. I see incredible opportunity for Dodgeville to grow, evolve, and strengthen in ways that benefit everyone. That’s a big part of why I’m running for re-election because I want to continue helping shape a shared vision for our future through collaboration, thoughtful planning, and community involvement.
For me, Dodgeville isn’t just where I live – it’s where I chose to raise my family, serve my community, and invest in its future.
What is your educational profile and what do you do for a living?
I graduated from Dodgeville High School in 1989. I then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Management Information Systems in 1993, followed by a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1999.
Today, I serve as the part-time Mayor of the City of Dodgeville, and my fulltime role is as a Community Development Educator with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, serving Iowa County.
I think it’s important to share what I do in my full-time role, because it directly connects to how I approach leadership and service in our community. Extension’s mission is to bring the research, data, and knowledge of the University of Wisconsin-Madison out into all 72 counties across the state. It’s grounded in what’s known as the Wisconsin Idea – the belief that the university should serve and strengthen communities throughout the state.
As a Community Development Educator, I get to work in “community” every single day. I build relationships,
facilitate conversations, and help connect people and organizations to resources that support growth and long-term success. My work includes supporting projects related to broadband expansion, EV infrastructure, and renewable energy. I also help develop county leadership programs, assist organizations with visioning and strategic planning, and connect entrepreneurs with tools and resources to start and grow their businesses.
On any given day, I’m working with residents, businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders – not just in Dodgeville, but throughout Iowa County. That constant connection to people and real-world challenges gives me a valuable perspective that I bring with me into my role as mayor.
Simply put, my career has been built around bringing people together, solving problems, and helping communities move forward – and I truly enjoy the work that I do.
Why are you running for Mayor?
I’m running for re-election because the work we’ve started together in Dodgeville is making a real difference-and there’s more to do. Over the past several years, we’ve focused on responsible budgeting, long-term planning, and meaningful investment in our community. We’ve completed the renovation of our new City Hall in the former Armory building, and we’re making significant progress on the long-awaited library renovation and expansion-projects that will serve our residents for decades to come.
At the same time, we’ve made real progress in just the last two years. Through our contract grant writer, the city has secured nearly $5 million in grant funding supporting our library, parks, small businesses, and a new fire/EMS training tower. We’ve hired a full-time Recreation Director who is doing an outstanding job, expanding opportunities for both youth and adults. We’ve increased our room tax locally and helped establish room tax in the Town of Dodgeville-creating new resources to support tourism and community amenities.
We’ve also taken on long-overdue updates, including modernizing EMS contracts that hadn’t been updated since 1991, and we’ve continued to strengthen our economic foundation through thoughtful development in TID 3-bringing new housing, businesses, and opportunities that grow our tax base and support local jobs.
Just as important, we’ve built a more collaborative and supportive culture within our city staff and leadershipone that values communication, accountability, and teamwork. As we move forward with hiring a city administrator, that strong foundation will be critical to ensuring efficient and effective operations for years to come.
I’m running because I care deeply about this community and believe in the direction we’re heading. We are making smart, strategic decisions today that will benefit Dodgeville tomorrow and decades to come-and I’m committed to continuing that progress.
Most importantly, I believe in the idea that we’re all in this together. Supporting our schools and hospital, investing in infrastructure, growing our economy, and maintaining high-quality city services are not competing priorities-they are all essential to a strong and thriving Dodgeville.
I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I’m excited about what comes next.
What are three issues facing the community and what are your goals to solve them?
Dodgeville, like many communities, is facing challenges in housing availability, infrastructure needs, and managing the tax burden. These issues are all connected, and our approach has been to address them thoughtfully with a long-term perspective.
1. Housing Availability
We need more housing at all levels to support our workforce, families, and future growth. We’ve made real progress here. This summer, a 54-unit affordable housing development will be completed, providing much-needed options for residents. In addition, 48 apartment units have recently been completed in the Limestone Hills development north of Walmart, along with 11 duplexes offering 2- and 3- bedroom options. Also, there are 22 single-family home lots in the Diamond Oaks subdivision that were recently developed, creating opportunities for new home construction.
Goal: Continue supporting smart residential development-both marketrate and affordable-so people can live and work in Dodgeville while strengthening our community and local economy.
2. Infrastructure (Streets, Utilities, and Long-Term Planning)
Maintaining and improving our infrastructure is critical, but it must be done thoughtfully and intentionally. Street reconstruction is one of the most expensive investments a city makes, so we want to ensure we are making the right decisions at the right time. In 2025, we completed the Washington Street project, and we are currently conducting a comprehensive street condition analysis to better understand needs across the entire system.
At the same time, we have important long-term utility needs ahead of us, including planning for an additional water tower, addressing aging wells, and preparing for future wastewater treatment investments.
Goal: Develop a long-term, datadriven infrastructure plan that prioritizes needs, manages costs responsibly, and ensures safe, reliable streets and utilities for years to come.
3. Taxes, Growth, and Community Investment
We understand the pressure that taxes place on residents. Recent increases have largely been driven by necessary capital investments-like our new City Hall and the library project-that will serve the community for generations.
At the same time, our community is facing an important decision with the upcoming school referendum. I understand this represents an additional tax impact, but strong schools are one of our greatest assets. They are essential to attracting families, supporting our workforce, and bringing in new businesses.
Goal: The most effective way to manage the long-term tax burden is to grow our tax base. That means continuing to attract new businesses and industry-not just within TID 3, but throughout the entire community-so we create a balanced mix of residential, commercial, and industrial value. By doing so, we can spread costs more broadly and reduce the reliance on homeowners over time.
Ultimately, these challenges are interconnected. Supporting our schools, maintaining infrastructure, expanding housing, and encouraging business growth are not competing prioritiesthey are all part of building a strong,
stable, and thriving Dodgeville.
A city administrator is being proposed. What are your thoughts and how would you work with this structure?
The Common Council has already taken action to approve the transition to a city administrator form of government, and the process of hiring a city administrator is currently underway.
I support this decision because it’s about putting the right structure in place to best serve our community. As Dodgeville continues to grow and take on more complex projects, having a dedicated, full-time professional focused on administration, coordination, and implementation will strengthen how our city operates.
This model is really about teamwork. It allows the Common Council, mayor, and city staff to work together more effectively, with clear roles and shared responsibilities. The city administrator will help ensure day-to-day operations run smoothly, departments are aligned, and council priorities are carried out efficiently.
Just as important, this structure builds on the collaborative and supportive culture we’ve been working to create within our organization. It emphasizes communication, accountability, and a team-oriented approach to problem-solving and decision-making.
My goal-and I believe the council’s goal-is to make sure this transition enhances how we work together as a city. When everyone is aligned and working as a team, we can deliver better services, respond more effectively to challenges, and continue moving Dodgeville forward in a thoughtful and responsible way.
At the end of the day, this isn’t about any one individual-it’s about building a strong, collaborative organization that is well-positioned to serve our community now and into the future.
Past/Present Government Service I currently serve as the Mayor of Dodgeville, and it has been an honor to work alongside our Common Council, city staff, and community partners to move our city forward.
During my time as mayor, I’ve been actively involved in all aspects of city government-from budgeting and capital planning to economic development and community engagement. I work closely with our Finance Committee, Plan Commission, and other boards and commissions to ensure thoughtful decision-making and long-term planning.
I’ve helped with major community investments, including the renovation of our new City Hall in the former Armory building and the ongoing library renovation and expansion. I’ve also been directly involved in advancing economic development efforts through
TID 3, supporting new housing, business growth, and job creation in our community.
In addition, I’ve worked to strengthen collaboration within our city organization and with our local and regional partners, including the county, school district, technical college, and economic development organizations. These partnerships are critical to ensuring we’re aligned and
making the most of opportunities that benefit Dodgeville and the surrounding area.
Public service, to me, is about being accessible, listening to staff and residents, and making decisions that balance today’s needs with long-term sustainability and growth. I take that responsibility seriously and remain committed to serving our community with transparency, accountability, and a focus on results.
Why should people vote for you?
I believe I’ve earned the opportunity to continue serving as your mayor because of the results we’ve achieved together and the direction we’re heading as a community.
Over the past several years, we’ve made thoughtful, long-term investments in Dodgeville-from renovating our new City Hall to advancing the library expansion, supporting new housing developments, and positioning our community for economic growth. These are not short-term decisions they are investments that will serve our residents for generations to come.
At the same time, we’ve worked to be responsible with our finances, maintaining budgets while navigating rising costs and state-imposed limits. We’ve also built a stronger, more collaborative culture within our city staff and leadership, which is essential to delivering effective and efficient services.
I bring a steady, practical approach to leadership. I listen, I communicate, and I work to bring people together to solve problems. I understand that the decisions we make-whether it’s about taxes, infrastructure, schools, or growth-impact real people and families.
Most importantly, I believe in this community. Dodgeville is growing, evolving, and full of opportunity-but that only continues if we stay focused on smart planning, responsible investment, and working together.
If re-elected, I will continue to lead with that same commitment-focused on results, grounded in collaboration, and always keeping the long-term success of Dodgeville at the center of every decision.
Mike Olson
Answer: I have lived in Dodgeville for about 3 years. I grew up on a small dairy farm outside Highland and graduated from Highland in 1996. My father’s side of the family has been in Iowa County since we came over from Norway in the mid-1800s. My great grandfather and great-grandmother Olson were married at Grace Lutheran Church. My father grew up on a farm east of Dodgeville until he was five years old, then my grandfather bought the farm that I grew up on.
I worked around the Midwest for many years. When I was able to work remotely, I relocated back to the area and bought a house in Dodgeville. Iowa County is such a blue-collar county with a lively spirit. It’s unique. Dodgeville has a great blend of residents with different backgrounds. I have relatives and friends who live here and I’m a short driving distance from other relatives. I enjoy my neighbors. All great people. My kids and I enjoy living near Centennial Park and the city pool. We enjoy being able to walk downtown. I enjoy going to Feeding Friends on Wednesday nights at the United Methodist Church.
What is your educational profile and what do you do for a living?
Answer: I hold bachelor’s degrees in History, Political Science, and Social Science, along with a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. I have certifications in Data Analysis with Python and Responsive Web Design. I am a certified Salesforce Administrator, Salesforce Business Analyst, and Salesforce Platform App Builder. I am also a licensed teacher in the State of Wisconsin for Business & Marketing K-12. During Covid, I taught Introduction to Business, Introduction to Marketing, Personal Finance, International Business, Business Communications, and Business Law at Stevens Point Area Senior High for three years.
After many years of being a manager in both the private sector and in the government, then teaching during Covid, I transitioned into software. I currently create, maintain, and customize a software product called “Anvil Pro” for agricultural and construction dealerships all over North America. I take client problems and then design and create solutions that solve their problems.
Why are you running for Mayor?
Answer: I currently serve as an Alderperson for District 3 here in Dodgeville. I am one of eight alderpersons on the Common Council. I am running for mayor because we need better balance in our city government. I’m not left or right, I’m for right and wrong. I’m not comfortable that we increased city property taxes 17.8%. In this economy, 17.8% is a significant burden on households, especially older adults. I use artificial intelligence (AI) every day in my job. When you combine AI with the growing job insecurity and lack of loyalty in the workplace, it is a bad combination for people and families and for their future stability. I wholeheartedly support our core city services (water, streets, emergency services, and library services, etc.), but I don’t believe in non-essential projects like the library renovation and city hall relocation when you consider the economy and the current impact upon the residents. There are wants and there are needs.
I want to maintain trust in our local government. I have often been the only “No” vote on the common council. If I voted “No”, it was for these reasons. One, I am uncomfortable seeing more spending projects come before the common council when we already increased taxes 17.8%. A normal person doesn’t continue to spend money like this, not in this economy. Two, I voted “No” if I felt that something was mismanaged, such as with the 38-year-old library elevator that got missed during the initial bid from Daniels Construction, only to return as a hefty change order recently. We had an experienced staff member who could have helped during the bid process. Three, I voted “No” if I felt that the mayor brought an item to council for a vote without the council being fully informed or involved in the process.
Lastly, I’m running for mayor because I want unselfish people in government. Late last year, before the election cycle began, an item appeared on the Common Council agenda to discuss the possibility of a fulltime mayor with fulltime administrator or a parttime mayor with a fulltime administrator. With a 7-0 vote, the alderpersons approved a part-time mayor with a fulltime city administrator. However, the idea of a fulltime mayor continued to strangely resurface at council meetings, even though we had voted against it. At the preliminary city budget meeting, a $130,000 salary was suddenly budgeted for the mayoral position. Once it was caught, then the number was lowered to $100,000 for the “future city administrator.” We can’t have another situation like this where this perception is created. When people don’t pay attention, these things happen.
What are three issues facing the community and what are your goals to solve them. (housing, infrastructure (streets), taxes are good ones to consider)
Answer: First and foremost, we need to bring balance to our city government. All City business must go to the appropriate committee before it goes on to the council as a whole. We have committees established in our local ordinance for a reason. When committees meet, your elected alderpersons are better educated, informed, and make better decisions. No agenda should ever be altered after it has been posted. Anything that is intended to be distributed at a meeting needs to be included in the agenda packet so that the public can see the full information. This has to be black and white. No exceptions.
Second, we need to stabilize our city finances. Last year, I proposed that a financial impact statement accompany any agenda item that would require City spending. It went nowhere. The common council needs to have a clear understanding of the present and future city finances so that we can budget appropriately and stabilize property taxes. When I sit in on these meetings, I see uncertainty across the room.
Third, and equally important, we need to return focus to our core City services. We have water system updates and street repairs that will be needed in the near future. I support maintaining our emergency services. These are all things that we need and they impact everyone.
A city manager is being proposed. What are your thoughts and how would you work with this structure?
Answer: We are in the process of hiring a fulltime city administrator. In my mind, this person will supervise the City daily operations and assist as needed with the various committee and council meetings. This person, in my opinion, should not be expected to do all of the heavy lifting. No single person can run a city. We have staff, department supervisors, and committees who will, and should, be involved. The city administrator should report only to the Common Council. This is critical. Within this structure, a successful mayor would be a good team player, working with and for the various committees, rather than being an independent policymaker.
Past/present government service
Answer: I currently serve on the City of Dodgeville Common Council as an Alderperson for District 3. I am on the Public Works Committee, the Ordinance & Regulation Committee, Board of Review, and Administrative Review Appeals Board.
For past service, I was elected to the Portage County Board of Supervisors for District 16. I served on the Land and Water Conservation Committee, the Aging & Disability Resource Center Committee, Parks & Recreation Commission, and Land Records Modernization Committee. I gained a great deal of experience and was part of a large courthouse/law enforcement center project.
Why should people vote for you?
Answer: I have integrity. I believe all people deserve respect, fairness, and justice. Balance is important. I don’t know everything, nor do I pretend to do so, but you can count on me.