Mayor John Dickert has announced his resignation will be effective Sunday, July 16th, at 11:59 pm.

Common Council President Dennis Wiser will serve as Acting Mayor effective immediately following the mayor’s resignation. 

The Common Council must then select a Mayor, to serve in the interim, until a special election is held to elect someone to serve the remainder of the resigned Mayor’s term.

Racine Ordinance says that the Common Council will select the Common Council President, and Alderman Wiser has said he will serve as Mayor in the interim.

Mayor Dickert has accepted the Chief Executive Officer of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI), an organization with offices in Chicago.  GLSLCI members are mayors in both the US and Canada, dedicated to protecting and restoring the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. 

While looking forward to his new position with the not-for-profit, Dickert reflects on his years as mayor with fondness and accomplishment.  “Crime rates are at historic lows.  Our community policing efforts is a big part of that improvement.  And we were able to move the unemployment from 17% and last place in the state down to 4.4%.  In the economic environment, we have battled through, this is a big accomplishment.  And to those who are working now because of the additional jobs, it means everything.” 

Dickert acknowledges that these successes were a result of working together. “This level of change doesn’t happen in a vacuum.  So many people and organizations worked together to make things happen.  Our city departments worked together along with the Police Department and citizen groups to make sure Anthony Lane emerged from the disaster that was Jacato Drive.   

Organizations like Segue, United Way, the County, and Continuum of Care helped our people experiencing homelessness survive the winter and continue to work hard to ensure that all our citizens sleep under a roof this coming winter.  I am proud of these and all the other accomplishments we’ve made together in recent years.