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BRAINERD — Alderman Gabe Johnson announced he will run for reelection representing Brainerd’s Ward 4 for a third term.
Johnson was elected to his first term on the Brainerd City Council in 2014. He is currently the chair of the city’s Personnel and Finance Committee and the council liaison to the Brainerd Economic Development Authority, Brainerd Housing and Redevelopment Authority and Brainerd Public Utilities Commission.
“It has been an honor to represent Ward 4 residents,” Johnson said in a news release. “The City has done some excellent work these last few years and we are on a rocket ship.”
Johnson sees southeast Brainerd’s most recent successes as:
- Financial stability with the city developing a long-range capital improvement plan resulting in holding the levy increase at 3% or less for the last three years and decreasing the estimated tax rate from 80.1% to 69%.
- Continued economic growth through financial incentives such as reduced sewer and water availability fees in southeast Brainerd at businesses like the Northern Pacific Center, which is located in Ward 4 and has helped create more than 15 new businesses and 100 new jobs in the city.
- Enhancement of recreational opportunities with the installation of new playground equipment at Jaycees Park scheduled for 2022, the successful state funding of the Mississippi Overlook park scheduled to be completed in 2022, and the extension of the Cuyuna Lakes Trail system through the Northern Pacific Center to be completed this summer.
- Installation of north-south sidewalks in southeast Brainerd enhancing the safe routes to Harrison Elementary School, the recently remodeled neighborhood school.
In the next four years Johnson will be focused on:
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- Further reduction of the estimated tax rate.
- Neighborhood enhancement through Safe Routes to School, development of a residents’ association and park improvements.
- Housing development with the completion of the Brainerd Oaks neighborhood, which has added more than 60 new single family homes to southeast Brainerd.
- Development of the former state hospital site with both commercial and residential components bringing more jobs and housing opportunities to southeast Brainerd.
Johnson has been a resident of Brainerd since 2004. He owns and operates a digital marketing company. Johnson and his wife, Mary, have three children, Tegan, Joe and Jackson.
