Star Tribune
St. Cloud, MN-area voters to decide on three ballot questions
ST. CLOUD – On Election Day, St. Cloud voters will be asked to make decisions on a new fire station and moving city elections to odd years, and — for those who live in Stearns County — how to fund a new county jail.
Stearns County officials are planning to build a new $325 million justice center complex that includes a 270-bed jail, a judicial center with courtrooms, and a law enforcement center that houses the Sheriff’s Office. In the summer, Stearns County board members voted to move those facilities out of downtown.
The question before voters is how to fund that center. If voters approve the ballot question, the county will increase the countywide sales tax by three-eights of a cent for 30 years to fund the project. If they vote it down, the county can instead pay for the project with property taxes.
In St. Cloud, city officials are asking residents to approve raising property taxes to fund a new $43.5 million fire station on the city’s southwest side.
The new station would provide fire and emergency services to a fast-growing part of the city and improve response times across the entire city. It would also include a training center for first responders in St. Cloud and surrounding communities.
Lastly, St. Cloud voters are being asked if they want to amend the City Charter so that elections are held on odd years. Mayor Dave Kleis suggested the change to prevent the mayor and City Council seats from being overshadowed by state and national races.
Badel vs. Lunde
In District 1, Gulled Ahmed Badel is running against incumbent Jeffrey Lunde for a seat representing the northeastern corner of Hennepin County, including Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, New Hope, Osseo and Robbinsdale.
Badel is based in Brooklyn Center, according to his candidate filing. Information beyond that isn’t readily available online.
Lunde, who was Brooklyn Park’s mayor for 10 years, wants to increase support for veterans facing homelessness, create a team of advocates for crime victims and expand services for students who fell behind during the pandemic, his website states.
Beck vs. Goettel
In District 5, Jeffrey A. Beck is challenging incumbent Debbie Goettel in the district that includes Bloomington, south Eden Prairie, Richfield and part of southwest Minneapolis.
Beck, who ran unsuccessfully for County Board in 2004 and 2014, said at a candidate forum that housing stability is his top priority. He added that he wants to build thousands of low-income units across the county’s southern portion.
Goettel’s priorities include scoring funding to repair infrastructure, supporting small businesses and expanding transit options, her website states. She served as Richfield mayor before joining the County Board in 2016.
Star Tribune
East metro elections: Arden Hills voters could sway future development at Army ammunition site
Other notable elections in the east metro include several seats on the Ramsey County Board and a citywide trash collection question in Mounds View.
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Orono residents will vote for mayor Tuesday, ending a contentious contest that drew thousands in campaign spending.
Former Orono school board chair Bob Tunheim is challenging Mayor Dennis Walsh, who says he is seeking one last term after eight years in office. Both candidates are pitching themselves as leaders who will value civility, be responsible stewards of taxpayer money and run operations better than their competitor.
Orono is home to about 8,000 people. It borders a portion of Lake Minnetonka and surrounds the city of Long Lake. The two cities are locked in a lawsuit and face a trial next year, as Long Lake officials accuse Orono of trying to poach their firefighters after Orono broke off to form its own department.
The mayor presides over City Council meetings, serves as a spokesperson for Orono and can declare emergencies, if needed. The position pays $4,200 per year. Local elections have drawn many multiples of that in campaign donations.
A new political committee called Preserve Orono, which sent mailers urging people to vote for Walsh, reported more than $55,000 in contributions this year, primarily from three people. In October, Walsh reported about $36,000 in campaign contributions, about $35,000 of which was a loan from himself. Tunheim reported about $30,000 in contributions.
Other notable west metro races:
Residents will vote in three competitive Plymouth City Council races, with at least one seat guaranteed to flip.
