Slim margins in two Ramsey County elections held up in recounts, handing victories to Arden Hills City Council candidate Kurt Weber and District 7 Ramsey County Board candidate Kelly Miller.
The recounts conducted last week were publicly funded because the margin was close enough to qualify.
The development of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) has been central to Arden Hills city politics for many election cycles — and development of the site, one of the largest pieces of undeveloped land in the metro, is one of the county’s priorities.
Both of the newly elected officials will be part of that ongoing work.
Arden Hills elects Kurt Weber
In Arden Hills, Weber held a five-vote lead over David Radziej on election night. After the recount, Weber’s lead was four votes.
Weber, chair of the city’s planning commission, supported a plan for more housing at the TCAAP site and campaigned on continuing negotiations with the county. He will replace outgoing council member Thomas Fabel, who supported his campaign.
He will be part of a three-member majority that favors more housing on the site as the council guides development at TCAAP with Ramsey County.
In 2023, the council appointed themselves to the board responsible for developing TCAAP with Ramsey County. They re-started negotiations with the county to develop the site, rezoning it to allow up to 1,960 housing units.
