Voters to elect mayors, council members

When area voters go to the polls on Nov. 5 most communities will have races for city officials. The DCI sent questionnaires to all candidates who filed for election and were in contested races. The responses received are included here.
Claremont:
Residents of Claremont will be voting for a mayor and two council members. Mayoral candidates include Tasha Dahl and David Stein. Running for the council are Deborah Ellis and Donna Gregory.
Tasha Dahl
Position: Mayor
City: Claremont
1. Tell us a little about yourself, to the extent you feel comfortable. (family, job, hobbies, etc.)
I am married to Casey, and we have 2 daughters. We have lived in Claremont since 2009. I work for Bremer Bank as a Commercial Banking Associate. I am a Firefighter and EMR in Claremont and a member of the Claremont Chamber. I help coach basketball and when we have free time, we like to spend time together outside or curled up on the couch!
2. Why are you running for this position?
I have fulfilled the Mayor term for 4 years (2 terms) and there are projects and goals we are in the middle of that I am excited to see completed.
3. What is something in your past that has prepared you to run for office and serve the public?
I served as a City Council member for 2 years learning and understanding before running for Mayor and have served the Mayor role for 4 years.
4. Are there any specific issues you hope to address in this role? If yes, what are they?
I would like to continue to address problems and repairs without the band aid fix. We are finding many things that have to be addressed because the “band aid” was placed previously and now it is becoming a more challenging fix. I also want to continue to encourage out of the box thinking. We have found we are very resourceful when we use our own talents and come together on a project.
5. How do you work toward compromise with people who share differing opinions?
Listen. If you are not willing to hear what others have to say you will not work as a team. We work well together when we listen to each other and consider what each other has to say.
6. Are you willing to vote against a personal belief for the “common good?
“ Yes, and I have in the past and will continue to in the future. What is best for the community is not always what is best for me or what I believe personally but I was not elected to do what is best for Tasha and Tasha alone. I must do what I believe is best for my community as a whole.
Dodge Center:
Dodge Center residents will be elected two members of the city council. There are four candidates running, Cathy Skogen, Braedon Dostal, Matt Legler, and David Myrom
Cathy Skogen
Position: Council
City: Dodge Center
1. Tell us a little about yourself, to the extent you feel comfortable. (family, job, hobbies, etc.)
I am married and have four children and 11 grandchildren. I’ve lived in the Dodge Center area all my life and in the city for 39 years. Prior to retirement I worked for Dodge County for 35 years in human services. I like to read, visit thrift stores, spend time with family and go to the cabin in northern MN. I’m active in my church and help others when possible.
2. Why are you running for this position?
I have served on the council for the last 13 years. I have learned a lot during that time and feel I have made a difference and bring a unique contribution to the council.
3. What is something in your past that has prepared you to run for office and serve the public?
My work with the county and several nonprofit entities helped prepare me to be a good Council member. I have served on boards for Faith in Action, Salvation Army, the back to school program Ready, Set, Learn, as well as several positions within my church.
4. Are there any specific issues you hope to address in this role?
The city has projects planned that I would like to see completed. We have worked hard to improve our city streets and infrastructure, maintain and improve our parks and pool, have robust ambulance and fire departments, and are currently plan for updating our wastewater treatment facilities.
5. How do you work toward compromise with people who share differing opinions?
I have years of experience listening to different perspectives, respectfully asking questions, having open communication, coming to a consensus and facilitating change. I don’t always agree but remain professional and move on once a decision is made.
6. Are you willing to vote against a personal belief for the “common good?
Yes and no. The needs of the citizens of our city come before my personal beliefs. I would not agree to anything illegal or amoral.
Braedon Dostal
Council
City: Dodge Center
1. Tell us a little about yourself, to the extent you feel comfortable. (family, job, hobbies, etc.)
I’m 28 years old, I have a wife and 2 kids, I work for Northern Pipeline, I enjoy taking my kids to the park, fishing, metal detecting, anything with my family really.
2. Why are you running for this position?
I’m hoping to be a leader for mine and the younger generations of Dodge Center in taking action and being aware and involved with what’s going on in this city. I believe as a city if we aren’t growing, we’re dying. With no involvement from our citizens, especially those of us in younger generations, I don’t think Dodge Center can continue to grow.
3. What is something in your past that has prepared you to run for office and serve the public?
I think being from Dodge Center and living here for over 20 years has prepared me to serve the people of this city. I’m a blue-collar worker and I’m hoping to help the many hardworking employees employed by the small and large businesses in town.
4. Are there any specific issues you hope to address in this role? If yes, what are they?
Hopefully we can keep helping small businesses in town gain more traction as well as encourage more small businesses to plant their stakes here. There are still some empty lots on the east side of town, I think it would be nice to see them occupied.
5. How do you work toward compromise with people who share differing opinions?
I don’t think compromise is as difficult as career politicians make it out to be. Figure out what the common goal is and there will be some middle ground to be settled on. Always keep that focus on a common goal rather than who’s right or wrong, or who’s better or worse.
6. Are you willing to vote against a personal belief for the “common good?”
I think personal beliefs are important, it’s one thing I’ve always looked for when voting for a candidate. I’ll never not share mine when asked, but ultimately, I would not let them get in the way of doing what’s best for the community. I’d like to think what I believe is always going to be in favor of the common good anyways.
Hayfield
Hayfield voters will be choosing two members of the city council. Candidates include AJ Anderson, Steven Feist, Garrett Herman and Joshua R. Therring.
Kasson
Kasson voters will be choosing a mayor and two council members. Running for mayor is Dan Eggler. Council candidates include Melisa (Mel) Ferris and Brian Wempner.
Mantorville
Positions up for election in Mantorville include mayor, two council seats and one special election for council member. Jeffrey Ingalis has filed for mayor, Lynnette Nash for one of the two council seats and Jim Potter for the special election for a council member position.
West Concord
Voters in West Concord will be choosing a mayor and two council members. Running for mayor is Jeffrey E. McCool. Candidates for council include Jeffery J. Burse, Karen M. Johnson and Nicholas Kilen.
Karen Johnson
1. Tell us a little about yourself, to the extent you feel comfortable. (family, job, hobbies, etc.)
My husband and I moved to West Concord from Iowa in March to be closer to family. I enjoy swimming, biking, gardening, reading, and my grandchildren time.
2. Why are you running for this position?
As a member of this community, I believe it is my duty to be involved and learn about my town’s operation.
3.What is something in your past that has prepared you to run for office and serve the public?
I was a teacher and a coach for 10 years and then worked for 31 years as a supervisor of Public Aid for the Iowa Dept. of Human Services.
4. Are there any specific issues you hope to address in this role? If yes, what are they?
Work to build a larger tax base to relieve the current property tax pressure.
5. How do you work toward compromise with people who share differing opinions?
Listen, talk openly, work through the issues, reach for the overwhelming common good.
6. Are you willing to vote against a personal belief for the “common good?”
I support, totally, the Constitution of the United States and how that trickles down to the local level.