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Wednesday, August 27, 2008
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3 incumbents, challenger file in Brainerd
Staff Writer Filings opened Tuesday for four Brainerd City Council seats up for election this year, with three incumbents and one challenger paying the $5 fee to have their name on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Filing for re-election were Lucy Nesheim for Ward 1, Kevin Goedker for Ward 3 and Mark O'Day for one of two at-large council seats up for election Nov. 4. Barb Egan, who earlier announced her intention to run for the Ward 3 council seat, also filed.
Nesheim, first elected to the council in 1988, is seeking her second term as Ward 1 council member. Previously she served as an at-large council member.
"I've enjoyed working on the council for the last 20 years. It's been an honor and privilege to serve," Nesheim said. "I really care about the city and I guess I would like the opportunity to serve four more years. We've accomplished a lot but we still have a lot of projects on our agenda."
The projects important to Nesheim include downtown street reconstruction, College Drive reconstruction, the expansion of the city's wastewater treatment facility and creating safe routes for children to walk to school.
Nesheim, 71, and her husband owned Nesheim Bait and Tackle for 35 years before retiring.
Goedker, 36, is seeking a second term as Ward 3 council member.
"I think I bring something to the table that is needed in sense of experience in communication and good decision-making abilities," Goedker said. "I think those are two important qualities needed to get through some of the times ahead."
Along with the expansion of the wastewater treatment facility, an important issue for Goedker is keeping city taxes as low as possible.
"For the past several years I've fought to try and keep taxes down and we're going to need to be able to do that again this year," Goedker said.
Keeping taxes down while maintaining city improvements and infrastructure will be difficult, Goedker said. He said it will require long-range planning and setting priorities while holding the budget in check.
Goedker is married with two children. He is a Realtor with Edina Realty and has taken over the management responsibilities for Goedker Property Management after his father, former council member Gene Goedker, became ill.
O'Day, 47, is seeking a second term as at-large council member. He previously served as Ward 2 council member from 1991 to 2003.
"I enjoy it and want to do it another four years," O'Day said.
O'Day said important issues facing the city include downtown reconstruction, future expansion of the runway at Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport and bringing higher-paying jobs to the city.
"That's always an issue for me," O'Day said.
O'Day said he's enjoyed working with city staff and fellow elected officials on the council and with appointed officials on the Economic Development Authority, the airport commission and the newly formed arena oversight committee.
"They're all great people to work with," O'Day said. O'Day is employed at W. W. Thompson Concrete Products.
Filing for city council seats closes Sept. 9.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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