The entire City family is saddened by the tragic loss of Mayor Dick Bolender. We extend our deepest sympathies to Dick’s wife, Chris, and the rest of the Bolender family on this overwhelming personal loss. Dick was well liked and respected by all here at the City. The City of Oak Creek is a better community for his service as Mayor. We know that Dick was looking forward to a true retirement, following his current term and we are saddened by the fact that he will not have the opportunity to enjoy time with his family, friends, and farm animals.

Some of his significant accomplishments as mayor are:

• Starting the process for redeveloping the lakefront and opening it to public access
• Initiating the process for redeveloping the Delphi site and seeing the potential this 85-acre property has for the future of the community
• Bringing Bucyrus International’s (now Caterpillar’s) corporate headquarters to Oak Creek. Midwest Express was leaving and the corporate offices could have become vacant if Dick had not been aggressive in convincing Bucyrus to come to Oak Creek – now we are blessed to be the home of the mining division for a major US corporation
• Promoting and supporting efforts by the City to work with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the City of Franklin to develop a full interchange at Drexel Avenue which time will prove to be an important economic generator for the City and would not have come about without the Mayor’s leadership
• Much of the development along Howell Avenue including Woodman’s which he personally recruited. His personal involvement helped to transform the region into a commercial hub allowing Oak Creek citizens to do their shopping locally rather than needing to travel outside the City

While he felt comfortable in working on all these major projects he always had time to work on problems facing the average citizen as evidenced by his monthly Saturday morning opportunities to “Meet the Mayor”. Dick Bolender was all about openness and honesty in local government and he was a fighter for the community he loved. As we collectively grieve Dick’s loss we can all join in celebrating his life and the things he accomplished for Oak Creek along with his fellow elected officials, City staff, and those citizens who brought him their ideas, passions, problems and yes, even their particular quirks.