'Mayor Steve' Scaffidi Says He's Done

OAK CREEK -- Mayor Steve says he's done.

Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi announced Friday that he is not going to run for a third term. His current term runs through April 2018.

According to a report from FOX 6 News, he’s always planned to serve only two terms and he thinks it’s time to see what someone else can do as mayor. Mayor Scaffidi says he’d like to give whoever is the next mayor plenty of time to plan for a run.

Scaffidi was first elected to the Oak Creek Common Council in 2009.

Mayor Steve Takes office in 2012

When Scaffidi was elected mayor in April 2012, big decisions awaited on the redevelopment of the former Delphi site, 7929 S. Howell Ave., which was arguably the top issue throughout the campaign.

At the time, Scaffidi has said the city must study carefully and consider residents' input in the type of businesses that will go on the empty 85 acres at the corner of Drexel and Howell.

Fast forward three years later, and Drexel Towne Square is the city's pristine new municipal complex and one of the hottest development sites in the Milwaukee area.

Tragedy in 2012

Scaffidi was acting mayor when seven people, including the gunman, died after a shooting rampage at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek Aug. 5, 2012.

President Obama called Scaffidi that week to offer his condolences to the city. "His words were very comforting on a very difficult day," Scaffidi tweeted at the time.

In the tragic aftermath, Police Chief John Edwards and Mayor Steve Scaffidi spoke to countless reporters and camera crews, trying to put into words for the nation what happened in their city the day before. He spoke and acted with Sikh leaders and community members alike as the shock of the tragedy gave way to the lengthy process of healing.

Development in 2016

Then there was the May 2016 news that IKEA was planning to open a store in Oak Creek.
The news was a huge splash for the suburban Milwaukee community that Scaffidi said is positioned to see approximately $500 million in new development by the end of next year.

Correction: An item in this article incorrectly stated that Mayor Scaffidi took the office of Mayor in 2013. The article has been corrected to reflect that Mayor Scaffidi was first elected in April 2012 and took office May 1, 2012.