MARSHFIELD – Two candidates with deep community ties and service-driven backgrounds are competing in the Marshfield District 3 city council race this spring, each bringing personal experience, professional leadership and a desire to serve Marshfield residents.
Joe Konieczny said Marshfield has always been home.
“I was born and grew up in Marshfield,” he said. “After graduating from UW–Milwaukee, I moved back here. I enjoy being close to my family and giving back to the community in which I grew up.”
Outside of politics, Konieczny’s daily life is rooted in education and athletics.
“I’ve been employed at Columbus Catholic Schools for 22 years,” he said. “I usually start my day in the gym as the varsity basketball coach.”
He noted that recent months have also included organizing a fundraising campaign, adding to an already full schedule.
When asked what people may not know about him, Konieczny pointed to an early career path.
“My initial college degree is in occupational therapy,” he said. “Very early, I decided to switch to a career in education and coaching.”
Konieczny said growing up and working in District 3 shaped his perspective on public service.
“Living and working in District 3 for most of my life created a strong desire to serve the district,” he said.
That desire grew stronger through firsthand exposure to city government.
“I attended multiple council meetings over the last few years, either with our basketball team or while following the school addition project,” he said. “This created the desire to be more involved.”
Values play a central role in how Konieczny approaches leadership.
“Respect and empathy,” he said. “I believe those are two things everyone deserves and everyone should practice.”
He credits his leadership style to people who influenced him early on.
“I have been blessed with great parents and many impactful mentors throughout my life,” Konieczny said.
For Konieczny, the responsibility of a city council member comes down to honesty and openness.
“To listen, to remove bias and personal opinion, and to look people in the eye and tell them the truth,” he said.
Natasha Tompkins said her path to Marshfield began after years of travel and work overseas.
“My family has lived in Marshfield for 11 years; we came here after doing medical work overseas,” she said. “After considering many job offers, we chose Marshfield because of the school ratings, church and home prices.”
She described the city as a place that immediately felt right.
“We came from a city of 3 million with horrible air pollution, so you can see why we fell in love with Marshfield right away,” Tompkins said. “It is the perfect place to raise a family — safe, good schools, lots of activities, and 10 minutes to anywhere we need to go in town.”
Tompkins said her schedule reflects both professional and family commitments.
“Thank goodness I don’t have a typical day because I love variety,” she said. “Aside from about 10 hours I spend on city council work, I also work part-time in Internal Medicine as a Nurse Practitioner.”
Family time, she said, remains a priority.
“By about 5 p.m., I’m cooking dinner, and anyone who’s home knows that Family Dinner is at 6:00,” Tompkins said. “Our family spends Sundays at church with a group of people we have come to love.”
One experience many residents may not know about her came earlier in her medical career.
“I spent five years working at a Red Cross Clinic on the Tibetan plateau,” she said. “There were no appointments, so a line of families was already waiting in the hallway when I arrived at work.”
Tompkins said her decision to run for city council came from a combination of concern and opportunity.
“There was a lot of chaos in the city leadership that drew my attention,” she said. “I also noticed that the Wenzel Plaza splash pad was built without a place for kids to change their clothes or go to the bathroom.”
She said that moment highlighted the value of diverse perspectives in leadership.
“I thought having a mom on city council could bring a new perspective about how families use public spaces,” Tompkins said.
Her approach to public service is grounded in accountability.
“Hard work and integrity,” she said. “Because these decisions affect the everyday lives of people in our community, I feel the weight of responsibility.”
Tompkins said her leadership style was influenced by her father.
“He says that being a pastor is like being the mayor of a small city,” she said. “People will always have different opinions, and conflicts need to be handled with patience and clarity.”
She described the core duty of a city council member simply.
“Good decision-making and taking care of the people in my district,” Tompkins said. “I want my constituents to know that I am working for them.”
Both candidates emphasized listening, respect and community connection as central to their campaigns, offering voters distinct personal experiences but a shared focus on service.
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