Nesheim to run for different seat
Lucy Nesheim, incumbent at-large member of the Brainerd City Council, will run for a different city council seat in the Nov. 2 election.
On Aug. 11 Nesheim announced that she would again be a candidate for her at-large seat, but in an e-mail sent to the Dispatch Tuesday she said she would instead be seeking the Ward 1 council seat being vacated by Jim Dehen.
The reason for the switch, Nesheim said in a phone interview, was because her daughter's Florida home was damaged by Hurricane Charley. Nesheim said her daughter is OK, but she won't know about the condition of her home until Wednesday.
"By filing in Ward 1, I will be able to go to Florida to help my daughter and still get to every door in my district," Nesheim said. "I would not be able to do that if I ran at large.
"It was a difficult decision because I just didn't know who would step forward to run for at large or Ward 1. Ward 1 was an open seat, so I felt comfortable making that decision."
Nesheim said she made her decision Sunday. She said if Dehen was going to run again, she wouldn't have filed for Ward 1. Nesheim has been an at-large council member for 16 years and has lived in Ward 1 for 37 years.
"I'm proud of my record as an alderman and will continue my hard work on your behalf," Nesheim said. "If re-elected, I would continue to work on economic development issues to help create more jobs, improve our transportation systems and work with Elizabeth Harris, crime prevention specialist with the Brainerd Police Department, to strengthen neighborhoods and reduce crime."
Ed Shaw and Robert Fitzsimmons announced earlier their intentions to seek the Ward 1 city council seat.
Filings for city posts open Aug. 24 and close Sept. 7.
MATT ERICKSON can be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.