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Candidates differ on view of power BRAINERD MAYOR Staff Writer Two veterans of Brainerd government are squaring off in the Nov. 7 general election to become Brainerd's mayor.
On Thursday, both took the opportunity during a candidate forum at Brainerd High School hosted by the Brainerd Lakes Area Chambers of Commerce to define the meaning of the mayor's position as well as how they would lead Brainerd into the future.
A third candidate for mayor, Lance Broch, did not attend Thursday's candidate forum.
Bob Olson, who since 2001 has been a council member and this year is challenging incumbent James Wallin for the mayoral position, said the city needs to be managed like a business and not through crisis management. Olson also is a former Brainerd mayor.
Olson said the mayor's position has tremendous power, and if elected to the position, he would not hesitate to use his veto power.
Wallin, on the other hand, said Brainerd's charter established a weak mayor and a strong city council, where the mayor only votes on issues in the case of a tie.
Wallin said that as mayor he often makes recommendations on city goals and policies to be enacted upon by the council. He also said that, as mayor, it was his job to be a chief representative of the city at military deployments and with dignitaries from other cities, states and countries.
¥ On bringing development to the city, Wallin said he would showcase the city's health systems, the airport, its schools and its work force, which he said was among the best in the nation. Olson said he would use his political courage to personally meet with companies about coming to Brainerd.
¥ On further cooperation of services with the city of Baxter, Olson said he would like to see it expanded to include police, engineering, city administration and other city departments. Wallin pointed to the success of joint services already shared between the cities, such as fire protection and the wastewater treatment facility.
¥ On whether they would prefer to see Brainerd's focus remain as a government and education center or as an industrial center, Wallin said he would like to see an emphasis on both issues. He pointed to the recently purchased land for expanding the industrial park and said he would like downtown Brainerd to be a showcase that would attract people. Olson also said both are needed. He said that while he didn't support the recent purchase of land for industrial park uses because the cost outweighed the benefit, he noted there is 60 acres of land by Highways 18 and 25 that could be used for industrial purposes.
¥ On the No. 1 concern facing Brainerd, Olson said the city needs to bring in new industry and high-paying jobs. But to do that, he said the city needs to revitalize downtown, clean up its neighborhoods and fix up rental properties.
Wallin said while it was impossible to point to the No. 1 concern facing Brainerd, he noted revitalizing downtown and finding businesses to employ the city's workforce are two main issues.
MATT ERICKSON can be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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