HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 11-04 Maplewood voters choose candidates for two open council seats PIONEER PRESS 11/4/2015 Maplewood voters will choose candidates for lwo open council seats-TwinCities.com
Maplewood voters will choose candidates for two open council seats
Updated�iN3N201509:25:i6PMCOT TwinCities.com
Maplewood voters will choose candidates for two open council seats
IYs a battle of ihe familiar versus the new in Maplewood's upcoming city council election.
Four candidates are vying fortwo open seats,including incumbent council member Bob Cardinal and former Maplewood mayor Diana Longne.
Cardinal also previously served as mayor of the city.
They will face off against Bryan Smith and Tou Xiong at the balbt box,two new names to local politics.
Tou Xiong is an urban planning organizer for Harrison Neighborhood Association in Minneapolis.He has lived in Maplewood for 12 years and
recently graduated from William Mitchell College of Law.
"I just want to bnng a fresh perspective,a new voice to city hall,"Xiong said of his reasons for running.
Smith,a marketing manager at Tennant Co.in Minneapolis,has lived in Maplewood forfive years with his wife and 7-yearold son.
Serving in city govemment would allow the former political intem to return to an eariy passion,he said.
"I am not running because I have any ax to grind.I am running because I think Maplewood deserves sensible government...and I think I can
deliverthat,"Smith said �
Cardinal,a real estate broker,is hoping voters will keep him around.The local political veleran served as mayor for six years in the eady 2000s.
He was elected to the city council in 2011.
"I think that the council needs a balance,and so long as I am on it,there is one,"Cardinal said about why voters should support him.
"If it tums into a 5-0 vote,that balance will go away,and there won'f be any accountability."
Prequent political candidate and former mayor Diana Longrie,an attomey,said residents urged herto throw her name into another race.
"IPs a matterof public service to my community,"Longrie said."I love Maplewood...and people I know here said they felt I could be their voice
on the council."
The top two voteyetters Tuesday will fill Cardinal's open seat and the one being vacated by Marvin Koppen,a longtime fixture in Maplewood
politics.Koppen served for 12 years after being elected to city council in 1993.He retumed to the council in 2010.
He said the city's stable state convinced him ihe time was nght to step down.
"When I came back...our insurance rates were sky-high.Those are back to normal,now.We built a new fire station.We remodeled the police
station.We got a new city managec Our city staff is just fantastic,"Koppen said."I'd say the city is probably in the bes�shape iPs been in for
awhile.It's kind of like,OK,mission accomplished."
OTHER RACES
Maplewood is just one of several cities across Ramsey CouMy with elections Tuesday.
In New Brighton,incumbent mayor Dave Jacobsen is being challenged by city council member Gina Bauman and long�ime New Bnghton
resident Val Johnson.
Four candidates will also compete for two open seats on the city council.Incumbents Mary Burg and Paul Jacobsen face Rick Moses and
Susan Enckson in that race.
Falcon Heights also has a mayoral election on the ballot.The city's mayor,Peter Lindstrom,faces Lisa McDonald.
Four candidates are also angling for two seats on the city council there.Candidates include Randy Gustafson,Tom Brace,Gordon Strom and
incumbent Joe Brown Thunder.
Newcomers Tony Fischer and Michael Tracy will vie for a third open seat via a special election.
White Bear Lake and St.Anthony also have city council races.
Sarah Homer can be reached at 651-228-5539.
Follow her at twitter.com/homsarah.
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