Three Two Harbors City Council seats are up for grabs in an election that already has featured several twists and turns.
A deceased candidate's name remains on the ballot in the Ward 1 race, where incumbent Steve Phillips is being challenged by John Dover. After longtime city councilor Jon Jacoby died in late September -- too late to remove his name from the ballot -- Todd Ronning entered the race as a write-in candidate.
This also has been the first City Council election in local memory where thousands of dollars have flowed into campaigns. While nowhere near the level of state or national level races, one candidate for City Council has, as of late October, received up to $1,910 in cash contributions, and another has spent at least $2,536 on his campaign, according to campaign finance reports filed with the city.
Candidates are required by state law to report accumulated contributions of more than $750. They also are required to itemize individual contributions of more than $500, though no candidate filed an itemized list.
In the Ward 2 race, incumbent Chris Swanson is being challenged by Thomas Koehler, and for an at-large seat, incumbent Roger Simonson is being challenged by Jason Kuettel.
ADVERTISEMENT
In addition, councilor Mary Rosati is running for a Lake County commissioner's seat. If she is elected to the County Board, she also must give up her council seat, which would then be filled by appointment or by a special election.
Swanson topped the list of reported campaign contributions, having received $1,910 in cash from Sept. 21 to Oct. 24, mainly from "family and friends," Swanson said. He has so far reported spending $1,325 on his re-election campaign.
Other candidates reporting contributions in excess of $750 include political newcomers Kuettel, who collected $1,250 in cash and spent $2,536 as of Oct. 27, and Dover, who collected $265 in cash and $1,375 in in-kind services and has spent $866 as of Oct. 26. Koehler reported receiving $175 in cash and spending $667, and Ronning reported receiving $530 in cash and spending $627.
The larger numbers have been surprising to City Councilor Randy Bolen.
"I come from old school politics that says you should pay for your campaign on your own behalf," and you should do your own campaigning, Bolen said. "If you want to get into office, you have to earn it yourself."
Simonson reported receiving no contributions, but has so far spent $970 on his re-election campaign.
But Swanson, who has spent about twice as much for his re-election campaign as he did when he first ran for office in 2002, said the 2006 campaign simply has been more competitive. He sees that as a positive sign.
"People are becoming more aware of politics in Two Harbors again," Swanson said. "Six years ago, we couldn't even find a candidate for mayor. ... Now it's nice to see so much political activity."
ADVERTISEMENT
Business development in general and the fate of Lighthouse Point in particular had figured as an issue for several candidates in the election. But a recent, and somewhat unexpected, development agreement between landowner Sam Cave and the city for the future of Lighthouse Point has added one more twist to what hasn't been small-town politics as usual in Two Harbors.
Dave Battaglia has been involved in Two Harbors politics as mayor, a state representative, and, most recently, a city councilor, for about 40 years. He, too, has never seen outside influences take hold in a city election, and called the development "a tragedy."
And while he believes the development agreement between the city and Cave is a good one, Battaglia also believes the 2006 elections were being used as a lever in the fight over Lighthouse Point.
Several candidates, including Swanson and Ronning, believe that development on Lighthouse Point will continue to be a pressing issue for the city to deal with. Kuettel believes the council should focus on repairing crumbling roads and sewer lines, while Koehler wants to call attention to leaking septic systems and sewer lines and their effects on Lake Superior.
