The District 4 City Council race between Lynn Binnie and Cort Hartmann will affect many students living off campus in the area.

District 4 primarily includes housing on the south side of Main Street.

Current District 4 Council member Lynn Binnie is just completing his second term and seeking his third re-election. With a tight city budget, Binnie said he plans to do as much as he can to present a positive impact on the community.

“The budget is tight, and we have to do our best to be as efficent as possible while still providing the quality service that our residents enjoy,” Binnie said. “I strive for more affordable housing in the community.”

Cort Hartmann is running for his first elected position and said he feels his 50 years of native Whitewater experience will benefit his campaign.

“Whitewater is a great town that I was fortunate enough to grow up and live here for 50 years,” Hartmann said. “I feel someone has to pitch in and keep it that same great town.”

Parking issues on Prairie and Prince Streets are of huge concern among students.

“If the city decides to add meters to those streets, then the university should limit some of the parking permits issued on campus,” Hartmann said.

No decisions have been made yet on the parking topic.

The zoning policy regarding the number of residents per household is among one of the key issues impacting students living off campus. The current number of unrelated individuals residing is a house is three, but there have been talks in changing that number.

“I believe we should consider the possibility of a different type of policy where the homes closer to the campus will allow for more density than other parts of the city,” Binnie said.

Hartmann feels Whitewater needs to focus on voicing the opinions of people in the community.

“The city of Whitewater needs to have a voice again because I feel it has lost it over the years,” Hartmann said. “The small business man needs to be heard a little more, and I feel I could represent that voice for the people.”

Hartmann says he wants to focus on implementing more interaction between the university students and local businesses.

“Students taking advantage of local businesses is huge for our city,” Hartmann said.

The election for the District 4 race will be on April 3.