SWANSEA — Mayor Jim Rauckman has announced he will not seek re-election.

"From day one, I was always going to be a one-term mayor," said Rauckman, who was a village trustee for two years prior to being elected mayor.

As mayor, Rauckman said his goal was to "shore up operations," and he feels he's been able to do that.

"We've been able to take a lot of money out of the operation by eliminating positions and overtime. The overtime was almost out of control when I came in," he said. "Between overtime and these different positions, we took several hundred thousand dollars out of operations."

Rauckman said he may run for public office again.

At least one person, Ken Mueller of Swansea, has picked up a nominating petition to run for mayor.

Mueller, 70, said he believes in public service and hopes to serve the residents of Swansea as mayor.

"I'm just a person who believes everybody has talents," he said, "and serving in a capacity in the government side of things is where my talent lies, and I enjoy doing it."

Mueller is no stranger to public office. He served as mayor of Red Bud from 2007-11 and prior to becoming mayor served as an alderman. He also served on Swansea's planning commission in the 1970s and on the Swansea Village Board from 1980 to 1990. Mueller currently serves on the village's park board.

"I have to be involved in community or something, because that's something I think I'm supposed to do," he said.

Mueller, a native of Mascoutah, lived in Swansea for 30 years prior to moving to Red Bud, where he lived for 11 years. He and his wife, Alice, moved back to Swansea in October 2010 to be closer to family members.

Other positions up for election in April are four village trustee seats, village treasurer and village clerk.

Trustees David Thacker and Bill Saak have both said they will not run for re-election.

Incumbents Brian Wells and Susan Schultz and three other people, Doris Rebenstorff, Brian McGuire and Bill Phillips have picked up nominating petitions to run for village trustee.

People interested in running for municipal, township or school board seats have until 5 p.m. on Dec. 26 to file petitions with the village clerk in order to be placed on the April ballot.

Contact reporter Jamie Forsythe at 239-2562 or jforsythe1@bnd.com.