Mayoral Candidate Ranz Hopes for New Ideas, Not Radical Change

Editor's note: This is the third in a series profiling the four candidates running to be the next Port Washington mayor. The other three candidates include: John Sigwart, Tom Mlada and Jim Vollmar.

Port Washington mayoral candidate Ricky Ranz decided to run for the spot because he thought the city was ready for some new ideas.

A 27-year-old resident of Port Washington, he's also quick to point out that he doesn't want his push for new ideas to be equated with radical change.

"I love how Port is," he said. "A couple things I love about Port: Port is very safe … it's very quiet and it's a great place to raise your family — and I love that about Port and I don’t want to see that change."

Instead, Ranz said he thinks the city could use some new perspective — a younger voice to put a youthful touch on governmental decisions. He wants to focus on ways to grow Port not only as a destination for visitors year-round, but also as a place that kids who grew up in Port will want to spend their life.

"We have to kind of start thinking of the younger generation, too — we don’t want them to get fed up with this place and say, 'I want to move away,'" he said. "We want them to stay and help grow Port."

Ranz would like to see businesses come to the area that offer entertainment for youth as well as adults, including such ideas as a budget theater, reception halls, dinner-and-a-show type restaurant, and indoor skate park, a venue for live music and more.

What needs to be fixed is the hole that was left when the Smith Brothers restaurant left the city, he said.

"What do we need? We need something to come in here and be our beacon again — and that’s where the new ideas come in," he said. "We need to sit down and think, 'OK — what do we have that’s going for us and how can we play off that?'"

Another great aspect of Port Washington, Ranz said, is how you can drive off Interstate 43 at exit 100, drive through downtown and back to I-43 at exit 93.

"We’re really a great stop from the freeway," he said; however, the next step is to get people to exit at all.

Ranz moved to Port Washington when he was 5 years old and is taking on his run for mayor with little governmental experience. That being said, he's sure he can learn quickly because of his work ethic.

"My inexperience is just that, it’s inexperience … but I’m a hard worker and that’s how I can overcome that," he said.

Ranz is a long-time employee of New Port Shores, where he started working as a dishwasher but eventually — through hard work and dedication — worked his way to a cooking position. He still works for New Port Shores occasionally, but puts in his full-time hours as a carpenter’s apprentice. He has a little bit of college under his belt, but took a break from his education to earn money and purchase a house.

Another stance Ranz is strong on is that when you do something, you do it right the first time — meaning he won't take his time as mayor lightly.

Right now, Ranz doesn't have plans to hold office hours but would be available by appointment and over-the-phone conversations when people have concerns they'd like to send to the mayor.

"I'm all about trying to hear what the community has to say," he said. "I love talking to people about any issues that pop up in the city, and hearing what their ideas are or how to solve it."