Hauan to bring leadership experience as Thompson’s new mayor

The community of Thompson will have a new mayor at the start of the new year, as Mike Hauan won the write-in vote for the position during the Nov. 2 election.
Hauan is a native of Lake Mills, but he says he’s lived in the Thompson area since third grade, when his folks started farming out west of town. He works as a farmer, and he also owns Lake Mills Motor Sports in Lake Mills and Algona.
Hauan served as chairman for the project to build a new Winnebago County Public Safety Center, and he has also been involved as secretary of the Sno-Jammers and has served on church boards. He and Terry Durby purchased the former Thompson school building several years ago to give it new life as an apartment building.
Hauan’s family includes his wife, Robin; son, Matt, who runs the motor sports store in Lake Mills; stepdaughter, Leah Engelbarts; and stepson, Wade Engelbarts. His hobbies include owning modifieds and stock cars.
This is Hauan’s first time holding public office, but he says he’s been involved in politics his whole life. He has served as chairman and secretary for the Winnebago County Democrats. He previously ran for Winnebago County Supervisor in 2016. He says he didn’t campaign to be mayor of Thompson, but his cousin Sharon Hauan asked if he’d do it, and she spread the word for a write-in campaign.
While he’s not coming into office with his own list of priorities, Hauan says he’s had people approach him about things they’d like to see addressed around town. He says the biggest thing to work on is that people want more community awareness about what’s going on around town.
He says his goals are “just trying to keep this little town rolling and keep it on the up and up.” With his experience as a business owner and involvement in area organizations, Hauan says leadership and guidance are the biggest things he has to offer the City of Thompson.
The City just got finished building a new water treatment facility, and Hauan says he wants to take care of the budget and make sure funds are spent in the proper way to address future needs.