Swantz leaves city council after 8 years – 4 as president

Seven of 13 council members getting sworn in today are new.

Dick Swantz leaves the job of La Crosse city council president with the city looking a lot different than when he took the position just four years ago. 

Swantz officially gets replaced today as the new council gets sworn in. He says major development has been the biggest part of his time in that leadership role.

“The show piece, probably, the biggest splash is getting Belle Square up and running,” Swantz said. “That was not as easy or as smooth as some people might think.”

Swantz, who spent the last eight years on the council, opted not to run again after planning a move to a different part of the city. 

He’s among several incumbents who will be gone after today but it may not be the last of him in city government.

The former La Crosse schools superintendent said he’d be willing to serve on a committee if the mayor wants him to but he’ll try to create a little distance – like when he retired as superintendent after 21 years.

“I think I was pretty good at walking away from it,” Swantz said. “There were times when I wanted to stick my nose back in there in the worst possible way but I didn’t. It’s somebody else’s show now.”

Seven out of 13 council members getting sworn in today are newly elected to the body.