Kasson City Council welcomes new member
Kasson native Ryan Christensen is joining the Kasson City Council, having been designated for appointment on May 26. He was scheduled to be sworn in Wedesday night.
Christensen graduated from Kasson-Mantorville High School in 2001. For eight years he and his wife Angela lived nearby in Mantorville, and he served on the city council there for two of those eight years.
He said he found it rewarding to serve on the council, so when Kasson City Councilmember Lonnie Zelinske’s seat became available, he decided to apply. There were five applicants for the position that Christensen was appointed to.
Christensen teaches fourth grade at Kasson-Mantorville Elementary School and said he’s always asking his students, “What is your legacy?” He asked himself the same question, and decided it was time to serve the community via a council seat.
“I want to make sure I leave a legacy that shows I not only support the community but also that I wanted to do good,” he said. “I think that’s important. I’m just trying to lead by example. That’s why I’m doing the things I do.”
Christensen will serve the Kasson City Council until his term is up in 2022, and he will then run for his seat and “get their votes this time around,” he said.
He said the Kasson City Council works well as a team, and makes tough decisions. His personal motto is to be “quick to listen, slow to speak,” which he said is a philosophy he sees in action on the Kasson City Council.
“I want to help support that,” he said. “They’re thinking about not just the present but about the future when they’re making decisions. I want to support that.”
As for the future of Kasson, Christensen said he’d like to see an updated fire hall or a new facility within the coming 3-5 years. He’d also like to see a plan put into place for helping downtown businesses, with façade improvements or other upgrades.
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