City's path at issue in Coon Rapids primary

For Coon Rapids Mayor Tim Howe, the upcoming primary may be a test of his drive for large-scale community projects. Challenger Phil Rosar would like to put the brakes on.

As primaries approach, the controversial ice arena and community center projects seem likely to loom large in the campaign, along with other big-city initiatives such as Homes for Generations.

Howe listed as accomplishments recent projects, including the new Cook Ice Arena, the Bunker Hills Golf Course clubhouse, and ongoing plans to revitalize Coon Rapids Boulevard. He also has supported the community center that eventually could be attached to the ice arena. Howe also said he'd like to see the restoration of cuts to services and staff, a result of the recession and state funding cuts of about $4.1 million since 2003.

"As a city we've handled it without a huge loss in government services," he said, "but we've got to continue to look at ways of doing things more efficiently. That's going to be a focus for many years to come."

Rosar said a more free-flowing discussion of important city issues -- including televising the public forum at city council meetings -- would put an end to city expenses he sees as unnecessary and intrusive into the free market, such as funding for the arena/community center and the city's home rehab showcase program, Homes for Generations. Rosar does similar home rehab work in the private sector.

"With public input I don't think we would have built a hockey arena in which our city council had the engineers' report that clearly stated there was nothing wrong with Cook Arena that couldn't be fixed for a minimal amount of money," he said. "To tax the citizens of Coon Rapids on their real estate taxes for something we don't need seems very unfair to the citizens who in many cases don't want the hockey rink."

Howe also cited his 12-year tenure as mayor and longtime participation in city matters.

"It's having a connection to the past and understanding our history," he said. "We just celebrated our 50th year as a city. I don't go back that far, but close to it, and it's having a vision of how we can improve the city as we move forward."

Rosar said he would run the city has he has run his business.

"I've started a business from one employee, and grown them to 80," he said. "I understand cost management; I understand finance. We are financing hockey arenas on our grandchildren's debt service and it's just plain wrong."

Another resident, Dave Nelson, is running for mayor. He refused to share his views with the Star Tribune.

In other city council races, former Ward 5 councilman Bruce Sanders, who stepped down in April because of pension issues after he retired from his job with Maple Grove, is running, against Cedric Lattimore and Alan Williams. Another councilman, Paul Johnson, has only one challenger, Sothea Sar, so they won't face off until the November election. The rest of the council serves through 2012.

Maria Elena Baca • 612-673-4409