Dakota County races: Lakeville City Council
Three candidates are running for two seats on the Lakeville City Council in November's election.
General information about the Nov. 5, 2024, election is online at twincities.com/news/politics/elections including information on candidates for races in Ramsey, Dakota and Washington counties.
To find out what's on your ballot, where to vote and other election information, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State's elections page at sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting .
John Bermel (incumbent)
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What would your top priorities be if elected? Public Safety. Public safety services should be adequately funded, equipped, and trained. Fiscal Responsibility. Lakeville should maintain its low tax rate and continue responsible fiscal policies to address economic challenges. Responsible Development and Growth. Continuing city growth should keep pace with city infrastructure and services.
What qualifies you to hold this position? I serve on the City Council and am seeking reelection. My professional background includes municipal public safety leadership, including managing a taxpayer-funded budget. These experiences have prepared me to make the challenging decisions necessary to lead a city. I have a proven record of community involvement and service in Lakeville.
What do you think is the primary role of government? There are three primary roles: protect, provide, and invest. Protect through properly funded, trained, and led public safety services like police, fire, EMS, and emergency management. Provide services that enhance our quality of life: parks, roads, water, sewer, etc. Invest in economic development by providing jobs and business opportunities.
How do you work to understand, and then learn from, opinions that differ from your own and people who disagree with you? Elected leadership is most successful when we listen carefully and are willing to identify the best solutions, balance interests, and make difficult decisions that support our community's principles. Open communication, clarity, and connection are essential. I will always work to find connection and common ground, especially in disagreement.
Website or contact information: Website: electjohnbermel.com Email: Talk/Text: 612-709-0180
Drew Boxrud
(Candidate information not provided)
Dan Wolter (incumbent)
Age:
What would your top priorities be if elected? My top priority is expanding Lakeville's public safety resources to meet the community's rapid growth the last decade. We need to add police and fully convert our fire department from a paid on-call department to a hybrid one that is able to meet the emergency needs of our community. Lakeville has a history of having one of the lowest tax rates in Dakota County and I will work to keep taxes low in the near term and prepare for the day when our community is fully developed and revenue from growth is reduced. Finally, we need to keep our outstanding quality of life as a priority, through safe streets, good schools, modern parks ,and a thriving arts community.
What qualifies you to hold this position? With more than 30 years of public service at the state, local, and federal levels, I have served on the Lakeville City Council for nearly 19 months. My past experience as a member of the Metropolitan Council and chair of a planning commission prepared me well for the critical decisions to be made on land use and development. As a former member of the Lakeville Finance Committee, I am familiar with the City's budget and work to keep the tax burden on Lakeville residents and businesses low. Also, I currently am employed by a large retailer that is one of Lakeville's largest employers, so have a good line of sight into both business and resident issues. Finally, I am a good listener and believe my first role is to listen to the concerns and needs of residents to inform all decisions on the City Council.
What do you think is the primary role of government? At the City level, our primary role is public safety through police, fire, and EMS services. In addition to that, we need to keep the City's roads, water system, parks and arts center robust and well-managed. City government has the responsibility to provide the best quality of services for residents and businesses at the most affordable cost.
How do you work to understand, and then learn from, opinions that differ from your own and people who disagree with you? Any elected official's top responsibility is to be accessible and responsive to citizen questions and complaints. We need to be out and about as ambassadors of city government and the decisions we make. By having direct and frequent communication with our neighbors and business owners, our decisions will be better informed and more accurately reflect the needs of the community.
Website or contact information: www.danwolter.com
