Meet the candidates running for St. Cloud City Council

ST. CLOUD — The pool of candidates vying to join the City Council here this fall is the largest in at least five decades.

But on Aug. 13, that pool of 16 will be whittled to six who will appear on the November ballot in the nonpartisan race.

The Star Tribune asked each candidate the following questions in advance of the election to help voters decide. Answers may have been slightly edited for length and clarity. Candidates are listed alphabetically. Lenora Hunt, Omar Abdullahi Podi and Garrett Zimmerman did not respond to multiple requests from the Star Tribune to return the questionnaire.

For more information ahead of the election, voters can watch candidate interviews conducted by St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis and posted on the city’s website. Kleis said he is not endorsing a candidate but recommends voters look at candidates’ track records of community involvement.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13. Find your polling place here.

Age: 43

Education background: Bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Bethel College

Occupation: Operations manager/financial planning

Family: Wife, Sara, and daughter, Makena

Experience: Has served his local church and as a coach for Special Olympics.

Why are you running? I’ll bring Godly wisdom, logic and common sense to City Council. I’m running to make St. Cloud a better, safer and more stable community for all of our legal residents. I am pro-business and believe in smaller government. My signs around town say, “Protecting: Family, Home & Wallet” and I’ll do exactly that. Public safety, infrastructure and taxation/spending are top priorities. Everybody is hurting right now. We’ll budget and spend wisely, supporting essential services while minimizing the tax burden on our hard-working citizens. Bottom line: It’s your money and I’ll steward it wisely for you.

Age: 66

Education background: Bachelor’s degrees in music and minor in business administration from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, and a master’s degree in middle school education from St. Cloud State University

Occupation: Small-business owner, Physicians Revenue Services MN

Family: Husband and four children

Experience: Has served as elder at a local church, coached youth sports, volunteered with ISAIAH/GRIP, and been involved with local policing agreements and the St. Cloud Education Rights Advocacy Council.

Why are you running? I have a passion for public service. St. Cloud is a wonderful city. Together, we can make it better. I want to strengthen our city and help residents solve problems — big and small — to ensure that St. Cloud is a safe, vibrant community with good roads and parks, a strong economy and best-in-class public services.

Age: 35

Education background: Bachelor of science in mass communication and minor in general business

Occupation: National sales representative and owner of Northway Home Inspection

Family: Wife, two children and one on the way

Experience: None related to politics.

Why are you running? I have lived in central Minnesota my entire life, and as I have gotten older and have had a family, I’ve gotten into politics. I can honestly say that in the last 10 years, the country and state have dramatically changed. They are getting away from family, faith, law and order. I’ve realized your local political office will have more impact than you think on your day-to-day life. My role would be to advocate for our city to have a small-town feel and focus on community safety and family values.

Age: 35

Education background: Associate degree in philosophy from Normandale Community College, bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and marketing from Simpson College, a master’s degree in business administration from Drake University and a juris doctorate from Drake Law School

Occupation: Attorney adviser

Family: Engaged to be married

Experience: Has served on the investment committee for the United Way of Central Minnesota, a state watershed advisory council and utility tax replacement task force, a sister cities commission, the Parks Area Foundation board and the Inns of Mediation board, and as in-house counsel to a statewide trade association of municipal utilities.

Why are you running? I love our community and want to make it an even better place to live, work and raise a family. I bring nearly a decade of professional experience in law and policy. I aim to use this experience to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to address our city’s challenges with an emphasis on economic development, infrastructure improvements and public safety. I will serve with integrity, transparency and responsiveness, ensuring every voice is heard. Together, we can create a brighter, more prosperous future for St. Cloud.

Age: 66

Education background: Degree in biology from North Dakota State University and completed a physical therapy program at St. Philip’s College

Occupation: IT project and program manager

Family: Married with children

Experience: Has served as a board member for the Minnesota Amateur Radio Consortium and for the Senate District 14 GOP political organization.

Why are you running? I am running to be an advocate for the residents and business owners in St. Cloud for issues related to the city government’s impacts to their properties, services and future city development plans.

Age: 66

Education background: Bachelor’s degree from Gustavus Adolphus

Occupation: Licensed real estate agent, retired sales manager and food manager

Family: Married with four children and five step-children

Experience: Has previously served the United Cerebral Palsy of Central Minnesota, Project Pathfinder, Stop It Now! Minnesota and the Confidence Learning Center.

Why are you running? To enforce the safety of our community and our schools, to support teachers, parents and our students, to take a closer look at homelessness in St. Cloud and to rebuild tourism and attract new residents.

Age: 50

Education background: Doctorate from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

Occupation: Stay-at-home dad, former university philosophy professor

Family: One son and one daughter

Experience: Has volunteered with Feeding Area Children Together

Why are you running? I am running to advocate for all who struggle. I better understand others’ suffering after becoming partially blind due to a rare hereditary disease. We require creative and caring methods to solve common problems, including issues of affordable housing, safety, appropriate towing/parking policies and food security. My 10 years in St. Cloud is the longest I have lived in one city, making it home. The community helped me turn despair into hope, and I feel a duty to improve conditions for all of us. Human struggles are real, but so are the possibilities of the human spirit.

Age: 72

Education background: Undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University, master’s degree from University of Minnesota

Occupation: Retired; former owner of Hemsing’s Delicatessen and employee of Quiet Oaks Hospice House

Family: Wife Patricia and sons Alex and Chris

Experience: Has served on St. Cloud City Council for more than two decades. Has also served on several nonprofit boards including the YMCA, St. John’s Boys Choir and St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as a task force regarding the convention center, the city’s zoning board, and founded a committee on sustainability. As a council member, has served on the board of equalization, library design committee, the St. Cloud Area Planning Organization, the St. Cloud Regional Airport committee and the neighborhood best practices committee; currently serves on the board for the city’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority and is a member of the Regional Rail Authority.

Why are you running? I am running because of my desire to continue to be involved in our city. My experience is an important asset in serving the residents. My constituents have always appreciated my willingness to ask hard questions, challenge the administration and keep a keen eye on how the city spends the taxpayers’ money. The city still has many challenges and I believe I can represent the residents’ concerns and, at the same time, address these challenges in a practical and common sense approach. My most important priority is being accessible to residents and being a voice for them.

Age: 39

Education background: Bachelor’s degrees in conflict resolution and English literature from College of St. Benedict, master’s degree in conflict resolution from the University of Notre Dame, doctorate in higher education and leadership from St. Mary’s University and human resource certification from Cornell University

Occupation: Small business owner

Family: Married

Experience: Has served on boards for the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, the mayor’s downtown St. Cloud task force, the Central Minnesota Community Foundation and Anna Marie’s Alliance.

Why are you running? St. Cloud has become increasingly diverse with about 30% of the population identifying as people of color. As Minnesota’s racial demographics continue to change, it is essential for the City Council to represent the makeup of its constituents. I’m running because I want to be a voice for all St. Cloud residents, listening to their concerns and amplifying their voices. I have 16 years of community service and business leadership, a decade of teaching at St. Cloud Technical & Community College, a doctoral degree in leadership and seven years of conflict resolution experience.

Age: 65

Education background: Attended a business program in St. Cloud and completed courses to be ordained for pastoral ministry

Occupation: Pastor

Family: Wife Becky

Experience: Has served as leader of National Day of Prayer and volunteered at community functions.

Why are you running? With the major transition St. Cloud City Council will be going through, I believe my years of experience in working with various people and groups will help me add stability. I will advocate for our residents’ safety, financial wellbeing and constitutional freedoms. My career has been helping people overcome their problems, become law-abiding and contributing residents of the community, and have stronger marriages and families. This experience, along with a servant-leadership, practical and commonsense approach to life, will help me serve the residents of St. Cloud.

Age: 39

Education background: Bachelor’s degrees in political science and international relations, and a master’s degree in business administration from St. Cloud State University

Occupation: Instructor at St. Cloud State University’s Herberger Business School

Family: Married with four children

Experience: Has served as an automatic logistical specialist in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Has been involved with the campus Veterans Resource Center, the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce and youth sports.

Why are you running? I’m running for City Council to make St. Cloud a better place for everyone. With my background as an educator, Army combat veteran and community advocate, I aim to boost economic development, enhance public safety and promote policies that increase affordable home ownership. I believe in transparent governance and working together with the community to solve problems. Coming from a blue-collar background to a white-collar profession, I understand the challenges faced by residents and want to ensure everyone has opportunities to succeed. Together, we can point St. Cloud toward a bright future.

Age: 39

Education background: Master’s degree in community counseling psychology and graduate certificate in chemical dependency from St. Cloud State University, and a master’s and doctoral degree in psychology from Walden University. Also completed a professional development program through the Harvard Extension School

Occupation: Community engagement coordinator for St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis’ office and a psychotherapist with CentraCare

Family: Mother, sister and nephew

Experience: Currently serves on boards for the Jugaad Leadership Program, Create CommUNITY, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota, St. Cloud State University alumni and the Central Minnesota Community Foundation Community. Also served on the ombudsman committee for mental health and developmental disabilities, the state advisory council on mental health and the governor’s community council on inclusion and equity. Was also a 2017 Bush Fellow.

Why are you running? I have over 15 years of dedicated community involvement in St. Cloud and eight years as the community engagement director in the mayor’s office, with a proven track record of leveraging partnerships and fostering community engagement. I’ve served on numerous local and statewide boards. I am a proud alum of St. Cloud State University and a former SCSU adjunct professor who is committed to our city’s growth and unity. My top three priorities are public safety, infrastructure and community engagement/involvement.

Age: 28

Education background: Bachelor’s degree in psychology from St. Cloud State University and a juris doctorate from the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

Occupation: Assistant public defender for the state of Minnesota

Family: Wife Bernadette and son Magnus

Experience: None related to politics.

Why are you running? I want to help the voters get the clean streets and safe streets that they deserve. I was inspired by Theodore Roosevelt who says “the first duty of an American citizen, then, is that he shall work in politics; his second duty is that he shall do that work in a practical manner; and his third is that it shall be done in accord with the highest principles of honor and justice.”