His knowledge, passion for Princeton is irreplaceable: Pete Nelson retires after more than 20 years

Pete Nelson became known as the one stop shop at Princeton’s City Hall.

Holding three roles as city clerk, planning and zoning administrator and human resources, Nelson served the community in many facets, but it was only the beginning of his expertise. City staff said he had an unlimited historical knowledge of every address and property in town, a willingness to help and advise anyone and a passion for the city.

During his last Princeton City Council meeting as part of city staff on Tuesday before his retirement, his colleagues, his wife Mary Ellen, family and friends gathered to celebrate his career at the city.

“It is a rare occasion to see Pete alone in his office or not on the phone,” said City Manager Theresa Wittenauer. “You sometimes felt like you might need to take a number and just wait patiently for your turn. When I took the role as city manager a little over five years ago I quickly realized Pete would be my go to for anything, whether it was something related to city business, city history or just an issue or an event that the city may have been involved in over the years.

“Pete could talk you through anything,” Wittenauer added. “No matter how hard the topic was, he certainly wasn’t going to allow me or anyone else here to fail, and if you started to, he quickly just pull you back and get you back on track.”

Nelson worked for 25 years at Harper Wyman before he started in 2005 as planning and zoning administrator. he was appointed as city clerk in 2011, then to handle human resources. He had served on the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals prior to taking those roles.

Since 2005 as zoning administrator, Nelson estimated he wrote about 1,520 permits worth a total of about $80 million in investment. Since 2011 as city clerk, Nelson has signed checks that were worth a total of about $260 million. He’s attended 787 city council meetings, served under three mayors, five city managers and worked with 85 staff members.

“I remember my first day here in 2005 thinking that I really wasn’t worthy among the staff that we had, because everybody was an expert, everybody knew about infrastructure, everybody knew about street dynamics and they knew everything they needed to know to keep the city running and I didn’t know anything,” Nelson said. “Of course, I knew I’d learn eventually, but I remember coming away very impressed with our first manager’s meeting in 2005 that the city was in wonderful hands with the staff that we had back then.”

Fast forward to 2025 and Nelson is confident the city is in just as good a shape as ever.

“Since then with changing technologies, changing needs of the city, the staff we have in place now is still very customer oriented, they know exactly where their bread is buttered,” Nelson said. “I think a lot of our employees would walk through fire for me, the citizens of this town. So this town doesn’t realize the asset they have in the employees that we have here.”

Nelson said one of the highlights of his career in Princeton was going on two trade missions to China.

As a lifelong resident of Princeton, Nelson has been involved in Junior Achievement, Boy Scouts, United Way, American Heart Association, Princeton public school foundations, the Sally Skinner auditorium renovation campaign, the Perry Memorial hospital expansion and renovation committee, the CV Fields Trust and Greenfield Retirement home board, among other organizations.

“I can say without a doubt there is no one who cares as deeply about the history of Princeton, the future of Princeton and the integrity of Princeton as my brother Peter Nelson,” his sister Mary Nelson said in a message from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Mayor Ray Mabry called Nelson a man of integrity, saying he always kept his word and was willing to offer advice. Council member Michael McCall said Nelson offered guidance and patience to the council.

“I rely on Pete to be honest with me, he’s very honest with me,” Mabry said.

As a way to pay tribute to Nelson, Mabry invited those in attendance to sign a Positively Princeton sign with comments.

“He’s the epitome of Positively Princeton,” Mabry said.

Wittenauer said Nelson spent a lot of time at the Prouty building and at the train depot when he wasn’t at City Hall.

“Pete knew everyone, not just in Princeton, but the entire surrounding area,” she said.

Wittenauer praised Nelson for his succession planning. Janet Henning took the role of city clerk and Michael Zearing as planning and zoning director.

“Please know that you’ve left the city in good hands,” Wittenauer said. “You can guarantee we will still be calling you though.”

Nelson agreed, offering one last bit of wisdom before his retirement.

“My advice to the city. Stay on track, whittle down the debt and honor your employees,” Nelson said. “We’re already on track and doing that. That’s why the city is in as good a shape as it is right now. Probably the best shape it’s been in in decades.”

A history hero

To kick off the Princeton City Council meeting, Nelson was honored by the Bureau County History Center for his contribution to that organization.

Bureau County History Center executive director Lex Poppens said he and Nelson were the third generation from their families to help make Princeton and Bureau County a better place to live.

In spring 1927, a young doctor who had returned from China as a medical missionary met with two Princeton doctors from Perry Memorial Hospital, one of whom was a classmate of his in medical school, Peter H. Poppens (Lex’s grandfather) and the other was Dr. Schraeder, and that conversation was about taking over Schraeder’s practice.

“And here began the story of Dr. K.M. Nelson in Princeton and Bureau County history,” Lex Poppens said. “Dr. Nelson had a young son, Dexter. Dr. Poppens also had a son, my father Arthur Poppens.”

Dexter and Arthur returned to Princeton and worked together as physicians at Perry Memorial Hospital, Lex Poppens said.

When Lex Poppens joined the Bureau County History Center in 2022, he said he began working with Pete Nelson, continuing the tradition of the families working together.

“My last meeting with Pete in this role with the city was just last week,” Lex Poppens said. “His patience and knowledge have really facilitated the success of the cosmetic restoration of the Sash Stalter Matson building. For these reasons, I am personally and professionally thankful for Pete’s work and support on our behalf.”

The History Heroes award recognizes individuals who have helped the Bureau County History Center with renovations, programs and operations.