Two of three Baxter City Council incumbents filed for re-election Tuesday, with the third already announcing his intention to run.
Filing on Tuesday were Mayor Darrel Olson and council member Gary Muehlhausen. Council member Todd Holman, 47, who was appointed to his post in August of 2007, announced Monday he will run for a full term but has not filed yet. Holman said he intends to file later this week.
Olson, 58, will seek his second term as mayor. Before that he served a four-year term on the council and more than two years on the Baxter Long Range Planning Commission He works as an appraiser in the Crow Wing County assessor's office.
"I've enjoyed being the mayor and have been honored to represent this great city," Olson said. "Everyone likes to feel they have made a difference and I would hope that could be said of me also. There have been a lot of challenges especially in relation to growth but those challenges have turned into good things.
Gary Muehlhausen
"We have a pretty good cohesive council and we are pretty much on the same page, most of the time. Not always, and that's fine."
Olson said the city's six five-member commissions serve the council well.
"A lot of ground work is done before it ever gets to the council," he said. "The council doesn't have time to handle every little issue. We have some really quality people (on commissions)."
Hiring a new city administrator and city planner are among the responsibilities facing the council. Dealing with tight budgets is another.
"One of the challenges will be to do more with less," Olson said. "People get accustomed to a certain expectation - a challenge will be to not go backwards as far as services."
Muehlhausen, 65, has served on the council for 16 years, serving as mayor for six of those years. He was first appointed to the council in 1992.
He said expanding Dial-A-Ride service to Baxter was one of the first issues he worked on as a council member.
Darrel Olson
He said there has been a consensus on the council to make working with Brainerd on the wastewater treatment plant a high priority. He said there is a good relationship between the two cities and he hopes to see that continue. Muehlhausen said the city is currently waiting for final approval on the planned wastewater expansion project from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Muehlhausen praised the people who work on city commissions for their work.
"The city of Baxter is very fortunate," he said. "We have dedicated citizens who step forward. Without them we would be at a great loss."
The three Baxter seats that are up for election are those of the mayor and two at-large seats, held by Holman and Muehlhausen. Filings close at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 9. Candidates may file at the Baxter City Hall at 13190 Memorywood Dr. There is a $2 filing fee.
MIKE O'ROURKE may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.
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