Ottawa Mayor Dan Aussem says he will run for re-election

Ottawa Mayor Dan Aussem announced Tuesday he is seeking a second term.

The election will be in April of 2023.

Aussem, after 15 years serving the city of Ottawa, was elected to succeed long-time mayor Bob Eschbach, besting opponent Julie Johnson by 169 votes in 2019.

Aussem said he worked with the City Council and staff to address challenges of the pandemic and seek out available grant funding for the city and its businesses.

During his term, he said he oversaw the cleanup of the former Central School in order for the new YMCA to break ground this summer. He said a new water main servicing the Interstate 80 and Route 71 corridor was completed in 2021, and for the first time city water runs north of the interstate on Route 71. He also championed a transparent city government with broadcasts of its meetings.

The city received more than $23 million in grants this past year including $3.6 million for COVID relief, $4.5 million for public transportation (North Central Area Transit), $4.5 million to reconstruct Stevenson Road and $550,000 to rehab homes. He also said the city received a $9.7 million grant to relocate the railroad switchyard and alleviate traffic gridlock on the Route 23 crossing.

Under his leadership, the city of Ottawa created free events, such as Kites in Flight , Free Movie Night and touch-a-truck. Park improvements were completed at the Project Inclusive Playground, Eastside Park and Thornton Park all with new accessible surfaces.

Aussem said his future goals include building an amphitheater at the former Central School site; replacing the roadway and adding walking and bike lanes at Allen Park; working with the Conservation Foundation to expand nature areas at Harpers Farm; constructing a new swimming pool; designing a second wastewater treatment facility; raising Green Street out of the flood plain and working with the Port District to relocate the rail switchyard and eliminate train blockages on Champlain and Columbus streets.

“I look forward to working with the City Council to address the challenges that these goals present,” Aussem said.