1 week Ago By Theresa Bourke
BRAINERD — Three candidates are on the ballot to fill two at-large seats on the Brainerd City Council. Incumbents Mike O’Day and Kevin Stunek are running against challenger Shirley Yeager for the positions. Voters can vote for up to two candidates in the race, which will be on the ballot for all residents within Brainerd city limits.
ADVERTISEMENT Stunek was first elected in 2016 and seeks his third term on the council, while O’Day will look for a second term after first being elected in 2020. O’Day said he has enjoyed being part of the city’s decision-making process for the last four years. After getting his feet wet the first couple years while learning about how all the processes work, O’Day said he now feels like the city is in a good position and has become more efficient.
“I would like to continue on with that and see where this leads,” he said. “I think we’re heading in the right direction, and I just want to be a part of it.” When looking back on his time with the city, O’Day spoke of his service on the Charter Commission and Economic Development Authority before getting elected to the council, working on rewriting the city’s charter and giving the EDA more of an active role in the city.
ADVERTISEMENT He described economic development as one of his passions, noting an uptick in interest at the industrial park and other properties that are getting ready to be marketed. “Hopefully we can get some more small business, large business — any type of business that is interested in being in our city, we’re open to it,” he said, noting the city can’t necessarily control what kinds of businesses want to come into the city. The city needs more, high-quality jobs, he said, and could especially use more manufacturing jobs.
“I think that’s an area that we can really improve on,” he said. “We’re a city that started off as highly in manufacturing, with the timber industry and railroad industry, moving into the paper industry. And now we’ve lost a lot of that, and since then I think Brainerd has been looking for a new identity.
” While some might prefer more an emphasis on tourism, O’Day said he thinks the city can do both, and officials need to do what they can to help any businesses expand the number of jobs in the area. “I think the council just has to have an open mind,” he said. “There’s a history of the council saying ‘no,’ and I think that needs to change.
And I think it has changed. I think we’re heading in a direction where most of the members on the council are pretty open to hearing ideas.” If there’s an idea that provides jobs and is an overall positive for the city, he said the council needs to be open to it and needs to offer an appealing environment for business.
ADVERTISEMENT In terms of housing, O’Day pointed to the Eight05 Laurel Street project, which proposes an apartment complex in place of the old Thrifty White building downtown. The project was denied for the latest grant request, but O’Day said the council has done just about everything it can to get the project up and going in terms of tax incentives. He said the council plans to continue working with any developer proposing any sort of housing, as all kinds are needed.
The city has plenty of land available for development, he said, and the council’s role in getting those lots filled is setting up the right zoning regulations.When speaking of the upcoming Highway 210 reconstruction project, slated for 2026-27, O’Day said it will be a challenge, and any project like that will come with hardships for businesses. “We just have to work with those businesses to allow that traffic to get in, to redirect some traffic into those areas so that those businesses can still thrive during that construction,” he said.
O’Day said the city will have to work with partners like the chamber of commerce and Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation and suggested some sort of events centered around promoting the affected businesses. Other priorities O’Day has for another term on the council are government efficiency, keeping taxes low and improving the overall image of the city. With a lot of aging infrastructure and structures in general throughout the city, he said there are some major areas — such as downtown, the Northern Pacific Center and the Brainerd Industrial Center — that have greatly improved in recent years but can always improve even more.
“And I think if we improve those things, those areas, the general image of our city, it’s only going to bring more positive things,” O’Day said. “And that’s really what I’ve spent my energy on.” ADVERTISEMENT Stunek plans to continue using his knowledge of budgets, union contracts and other city-related business from his time as Brainerd fire chief to keep moving the city forward.
He originally decided to run after his retirement from the fire department but did not initially plan on seeking a third term this year. He said he’s since developed a passion for the work and knows he’d otherwise just be watching City Council meetings from the other side, wondering why certain decisions were made. “It really frustrates me when the general public can complain about stuff that goes on in the city.
If you’re going to do that, then step up and get on committees and make your voice heard,” he said. “And that’s what I feel I have to do.” While he might not be the most vocal council member, Stunek said people tend to listen when he speaks, and he likes to absorb all the information first before speaking on it.
Stunek describes himself as “for the people,” knowing he sits in City Council chambers because the community elected him to do so. “They must have done that because they trust what I do,” he said. ADVERTISEMENT Speaking on the recent dealings the city has had with cryptocurrency mining companies, Stunek said his decision on the issue never had anything to do with how he personally feels about the practice but what he heard from residents.
“I have to go with my constituents,” he said. “..
. I listen to people. They’ve got their boots on the ground, and if I don’t listen to them, how can I make rational decisions?” Serving as council liaison to the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport Commission, Stunek noted his work in airport matters, including helping out with the airport’s new aircraft rescue and firefighting building design when asked to lend his firefighting expertise.
Looking back at his time on the council, Stunek said he’s proud of how well elected officials work together now. He said that wasn’t the case when he was fire chief, with council meetings lasting late into the night, and discussions often feeling more like fights. “And it can’t be that way.
We have to agree to disagree and listen to our fellow council people and the community,” he said. “So what am I proud of? I think I’m proud of that — just the camaraderie, and we make good, rational decisions that we believe are best for the city.” Housing and economic development are two issues Stunek said are important to him and the city going forward.
He said the city definitely needs to figure out how to get more housing options, whether it be apartments, duplexes, condos or whatever is needed. Working with community leaders and promoting the entire Brainerd lakes area, he said, will likely be the key, though it’s difficult with the state of the economy. ADVERTISEMENT “We have to utilize those resources within the area of Brainerd to help us all grow,” he said, noting biking amenities in Crosby that draw a lot of people to the area.
In terms of economic development, Stunek again pointed to promoting the city and the area at large, noting recent developments like Brekken’s moving back downtown and an Amazon warehouse planning to come to Baxter. “Is that going to help Brainerd? Of course it is,” he said of Amazon, noting any sort of businesses — big or small — coming into the area is positive growth. Moving on to the upcoming Highway 210 reconstruction project, Stunek said traffic flow during construction is going to be horrible, but the end result of the project should improve traffic patterns for Brainerd.
Speaking of the two roundabouts planned for northeast Brainerd, he said many people tend to be against them in the beginning, but they serve as a good way to slow down traffic while maintaining the flow. He pointed to the roundabout at Beaver Dam and Wise roads, which he said he drives frequently and has slowed traffic down significantly. “So the 210 project, when we do that kind of thing, are there going to be detours and delays? Absolutely,” he said.
“But when it’s all done, people are going to go, ‘Wow. That’s a good thing.’” Stunek concluded with one piece of advice for voters: “Get out and vote.
” Yeager’s decision to run for City Council boils down to encouragement from her friends. Being a conservative Christian, Yeager said she prayed on the decision and ultimately felt like she is perfectly capable of being on the council and could not come up with a good reason not to run. “And I think we need a balance on our council of different perspectives and that it was maybe time for some change and hopefully to bring more of a balance to the council,” she said.
“So that was my motivation.” Yeager’s priorities for a term on the council are very general, she said, and include making sure every issue is carefully considered from multiple points of view and thoroughly researched and discussed before a decision is made. “I want to go into it with that attitude on every issue that comes along,” she said.
“I don’t have any pet projects. I don’t have any specific agendas. I just want to see good, sound governance of our city.
” One specific issue she said she’d like to explore more is the ownership of the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, referring to ongoing discussions revolving around Brainerd residents paying into a levy for the airport at both the city and county level, essentially being taxed twice for the resource. When the issue was brought up last year, the county agreed to increase its portion of the airport levy by 6%, representing Brainerd’s share of the county’s taxbase, while Brainerd decreased its levy by the same amount. Yeager said she is very interested in talking about the topic of airport ownership, noting one of her opponents voted against establishing a work group earlier this year to discuss the issue with the county.
“I thought that wasn’t in the best interest of the people because that’s what we’re supposed to be doing on the council is looking out for the best interest of the city residents,” she said. When tackling the issue of housing, Yeager said the council has to be very open to possibilities, as there are needs across all demographics. “It’s across the board a problem, and so we are going to have to look at every option available to us.
And we’ll be limited by affordability because economics is a huge problem right now.” The council needs to make solid decisions and find creative solutions to bring about the best outcome possible, she said, noting this issue will not be solved overnight. Speaking with senior citizens, Yeager said she knows of some who have waited for housing for up to two years, looking to move out of their homes and into an assisted living or easily maintained house situation, such as an apartment or senior living facility.
In terms of economic development, Yeager said the council needs to continue doing what it has been doing, pointing to moves to ease up on sewer and water accessibility fees and approval of variance requests for businesses to get up and running. “I think they just have to continue to do that but yet keep it within the boundaries of what’s affordable for the city,” she said. When asked about the upcoming Highway 210 project, Yeager said she does not have a background in government and knows everything will be new to her, and there will be a steep learning curve.
“I’m going to just rely on my value system and recognize that I’m going to have to do a lot of research and learn a lot and just take it one step at a time,” she said. “I don’t think at this point I could foresee exactly what’s going to happen and what has to be dealt with, but I certainly will be willing to deal with it as it comes.” Serving in a position on the City Council is a privilege, Yeager said, and she believes there are a lot of people who are capable of it and should take more of an interest.
“And I’m just trying to do — to the best of my ability — a job that I think we’re all called to do because that’s what it means to be in a republic, and that’s part of running a city,” she said. THERESA BOURKE may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch.
com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.
com/DispatchTheresa ..
