Kasson city council member announces departure

Lonnie Zelinske is stepping down from his Kasson City Council member post at the end of June, he announced at a council meeting earlier this month.
Zelinske said his family has bought a home in another community. He’s served on the council for four years.
Office manager at A&A Electric and Underground Construction Inc. of Kasson, he said the most rewarding aspect of being on the council has been being able to do things for taxpayers in the community, getting street projects completed, and ensuring safe routes to school. “I always felt Kasson was progressive,” he said.
The most challenging aspect of being on the council has been “making everybody happy,” Zelinske said. “If you are on the council, you have to do what’s right for the community as a whole. Sometimes you have to step back and look at what the community as a whole really needs.”
Kasson City Administrator Tim Ibisch said Zelinske has contributed a lot to the council during the last four years. “Commitment to improving Kasson, and a commonsense approach to budgeting,” is what Ibisch named as Zelinske’s contributions, going on to say Zelinske is level headed and straightforward.
Ibisch said Zelinske’s response to the flooding years ago made him a stand out council member. “Lonnie was also instrumental in getting the sump pump and laterals inspection program going; also the extension of 16th street to the east.”
The council accepted the resignation during the meeting and said they will accept applications for the open seat. Interested parties and those with questions should call the City Hall at 507-634-7071.
The council will be looking for someone with a strong commitment to bettering Kasson, with a focus on moving big projects forward in 2022, Ibisch said.
He said Zelinske is an “authentic person and those are not easy to find.” He added that Zelinske is clear, truthful, reliable, has good knowledge of the streets and utilities and a good overall knowledge of Kasson.
Mayor Chris McKern chimed in, saying “Lonnie’s knowledge of the city’s infrastructure was very valuable to the council and community. He spent the better part of his career installing and maintaining the underground water, sewer and storm systems. That knowledge will be missed.”
“Lonnie served on the Planning & Zoning Commission as well as the Emergency Services Committee. Lonnie has done good work for the city and we would like to thank him for his service to the community.”
Zelinske said Kasson’s future is bright, and “can only go up. Even if the economy took a nose dive, we are always kind of protected from major economic impacts.”