Becker says it’s one and done for him as mayor

Port Washington Mayor Marty Becker announced on Tuesday that he will not seek a second term.

Becker, a retired longtime pharmacist and co-founder of Port Apothecary in Port Washington, said he and his wife will be moving in spring to the Town of Cedarburg, where they will live with their daughter and her family “so I can be with my two grandkids (ages 7-1/2 and 5-1/2).”

The families spent much of the last 4-1/2 years living together, Becker noted.

Becker, who was choked up as he made the announcement, said it was “probably the hardest decision of my life.”

“I love this city. After 42 years of living in Port Washington, unfortunately I’ll be moving.”

But, he added, he wanted to make the announcement so others could decide whether to run for election in April.

“I think it’s important I let people know this is the case so they can plan,” he said.

Becker said he expects two or three people will seek his position in the spring election.

Becker has been mayor since 2018, when he defeated Adele Richert to succeed Tom Mlada.

A former member of the Police and Fire Commission, one of his major goals was to get the city to approve construction of a new west-side fire station.

“I didn’t get a fire station, and I lost on the sidewalks,” he said, referencing his opposition to a planned sidewalk on Hales Trail to Upper Lake Park. He reiterated the fact he would like the city to concentrate on sidewalk repairs as much as sidewalk construction and added that he believes a new fire station would be in the works if the city and other county communities weren’t in the middle of a shared-services study.

Nomination papers for the mayor’s post, as well as the city’s 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th district aldermanic seats, can be circulated beginning in December.