From Fremont Tribune November 4, 2020 - Noah Johnson

For the first time in a decade, a new mayor has been elected in Fremont.

Joey Spellerberg will become the next mayor for Fremont, ending current mayor Scott Getzchman’s decade in the role.

Getzschman announced he would not run for election in December after holding the seat since 2010.

Around 17,110 unofficial ballots were reported as tallied by the Dodge County Election Commission Wednesday, with Spellerberg receiving 6,378 votes, or 58.1%, compared to Ellis’s 4,528 votes, or 41.3%.

Around 7,500 of the total votes submitted were early ballots, according to the Dodge County Election Commission.

Spellerberg received 49% of the May primary vote, with 6,342 total votes cast for him. Ellis received 22% of the total vote, which equates to 1,458 votes.

Following the May primary’s encouraging results, Spellerberg said he spent time talking with members of the community, as well as city department heads and employees, to gain a better understanding of the city’s goals.

“That has been a challenge given the current environment we’re in, but I’ve been able to do it safely and had some great conversations while just trying to understand the goals of our community,” he told the Tribune in early October. “That’s been one of the joys of the campaign for me.”

Spellerberg runs Moostash Joe Tours, a family-owned business previously owned by his father. With a business geared toward travel, Spellerberg said he understands the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on local businesses in the area.

“When you have a small business, you go through ups and downs and challenges,” he said. “This year has definitely taught me how to lead a business through hard times. I know how to keep everybody moving forward and we’re going to be better after this.”

In an interview with the Tribune following Tuesday’s unofficial results, Spellerberg said he felt he saw the bright future Fremont has while making stops and talking with community members throughout his campaign.

“I got into this race because I love this community,” he said. “This is my home and I wanted to give back to a place that’s given so much to me.”

Spellerberg said he believed Fremont is a great place to live, work and raise a family.

“I think the future is really bright and I look forward to being that face for Fremont,” he said. “To help us continue to grow Fremont together is really what my campaign has been about.”

Spellerberg said there isn’t a specific issue that stands out to him as a key platform heading into his mayoral tenure, but he said he plans to work to continue bringing council members together and to set a strategic plan for the community.

“I’m really, really looking forward to that and to keep getting community input and, you know, just getting down to work,” he said. “It’s time to get to work.”