North metro elections: Voters replace one Blaine council member, retain other local leaders

Blaine voters on Tuesday replaced one City Council member but kept many other local leaders, who faced heated contests, focused on who will guide development in the growing city.

Voters re-elected Mayor Tim Sanders, who took home about two-thirds of the vote in a race against opponent, Patrick Hobot, according to preliminary results posted by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office.

During the campaign, Sanders, a former Republican state representative, said leaders have been more proactive in planning out how to better connect the city and add amenities. Hobot, argued the push for new development is too aggressive.

In Ward 1 across southern Blaine, challenger Chris Ford defeated incumbent Lori Saroya. Saroya has had a turbulent term on the council, where she is a frequent critic. Her fellow members censured her in October because they say Saroya has disrespected staff and violated city code. Saroya has defended her actions.

Council Members Chris Massoglia, who represents Ward 3 in northern Blaine, and Leslie Larson, the Ward 2 member in central Blaine, both retained their seats. Massoglia ran against Amina Baha, while Larson faced newcomer Ini Udomah.

Other notable races across the north metro:

Anoka voters decided the city shouldn’t institute an organized garbage collection system, meaning residents will continue to individually select their trash hauler.

It’s been a contentious issue, with haulers organizing against Anoka selecting a single company for the city and advocating for more competition in the market. Proponents argued the city selecting a hauler would ensure there’s consistent pricing, reduce noise and cut down on the number of garbage trucks on the street.

The city has agreed on a contract with Ace Solid Waste, which sued the city in June over how it has handled the negotiations, to be its lone hauler.

In Brooklyn Park’s eastern district, newcomer Amanda Cheng Xiong won over incumbent Council Member Boyd Morson, whom the council has censured twice.

In the central district, Shelle Page defeated Teshite Wako. And in the western region, incumbent Tony McGarvey won after facing a challenge from Daniel Goba.

Seven candidates were on the ballot for three open seats on the Robbinsdale school board, just months after an investigation revealed widespread animosity among current members.

The 34-page workplace conduct investigation determined that personal disputes and cross-complaints among at least six of the seven board members had resulted in “a high level of dysfunction and animosity in the school board’s operations.”

Incumbents Greta Evans-Becker and Helen Bassett garnered the most votes. Aviva Hillenbrand led Kenneth Wutoh for the third seat, but they were separated by just 15 votes in preliminary results, making the race too close to call.

Challengers Barbara Breher, Aileen White, and Deborah Campion rounded out the field.