The City of Garretson had several seats coming open this election season, though only one seat will be up for election next Tuesday, April 8. Two candidates applied for the open Ward 2 seat, Tony Plahn and current appointed councilor Matt “Jake” Jacobson.
Incumbents Brayden Beaner (Ward 3) and Alysha Kientopf (Ward 1) each applied for their current seat and were not challenged. However, Ryan Story of Ward 1 did not file a petition for his seat, which means that seat must be appointed.
Registered voters in Ward 2 (see map, above) are encouraged to vote next Tuesday, April 5 between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. (the same time as the school board election).
To help Ward 2 voters decide who to vote for, we held a Q&A with each of the candidates.
Tony Plahn
Personal information, tell the voters about yourself your history?
My name is Tony Plahn, and I’m 43. I have a Bachelor of Arts from Augustana University with majors in Economics and Business Administration. I formerly held the position of Customer Care Representative and later as Data Specialist. I am currently limited by disability to part-time activity. My parents and grandparents are/were originally from rural Garretson. I have lived in or within two miles of Garretson from infancy until I was five and from 2016 onward.
Why do you wish to become a member of the Garretson city council?
I want to provide a choice on the ballot for change and a responsive voice for the common concerns of those I represent. I possess a character of service.
What do you think is good about the City of Garretson or that they are doing well?
I believe the City is good at planning ahead for the future in terms of major projects and amenities.
What do you think needs improvement or/and what needs to change to make it better?
It seems the City passively communicates with its citizens about future projects, bills, and local concerns. I believe the City needs to do a better job of reaching out to citizens. Newsletters, mailings, and online app advertisements would help them find out where and how to address issues they may have, while social visits would help people feel more connected to their government and community.
What are some city policies or politics you agree with or/and disagree with?
I agree with growing Garretson’s residential, industrial, and commercial developments at a fiscally sustainable pace; however, I would like to see more emphasis on multi-family housing and encouraging the private/taxable sector to take up recreational amenity projects.
Why should a voter consider you for the city council?
My education and employment have built strengths in collaborative and confident communication, financials, and critical analytical thinking. I feel connected to and devoted to the community of Garretson through my involvement with the local museum, membership in a local church, and use of local businesses, parks, and festivals. I care about the vibrancy of Garretson and most importantly that its citizens’ wants are heeded before what I think is best.
What goals will you set and attempt to accomplish for the city if you are elected?
My primary goals are to engage citizens with their needs, encourage the development of multifamily housing, and hold discussions to see what can be done besides patrols and redundant spending to encourage a fun and safe environment for children, adults, and visitors of Garretson.
Jake Jacobson
Seeking re-election is Matt “Jake” Jacobson. Jacobson was appointed to fill the empty council seat after the death of Tom Godbey last fall. His father, Dwayne “Jake” Jacobson, was on the city council for a number of years and served as Garretson’s mayor as well.
Firstly, we’ll start off with personal information, tell the voters about your history?
I grew up in Garretson, moved back about three years ago now after being away for about twenty years. Married Heather and I have two daughters, both who attend the school here. I’m a salesman out at Nordstrom’s Automotive.
You were appointed to the city council to fill the seat of Tom Godbey after his untimely death. So why are you seeking re-election?
Yes, Mayor Bruce Brown approached me and asked if I would be willing to be on the city council, and serve out Tom’s term. Bruce told me that my dad sought him out a while back and encouraged him to run for city office and that he always remembered that, so he thought of me after Tom passed. I feel like I’m just getting my feet wet and I’d like to do more. I’m looking to make Garretson a better place to live. I see the potential that Garretson has. I think we have a good council and we can get some things done and I want to see that through. Even on the short time I’ve been on the council we’ve made some strides, and have some good forward momentum, so I want to see that through and see what else we can accomplish.
What do you think is good about the City of Garretson or that they are doing well?
I like the fact that we have a company that’s going to help us as far as the city engineer, something we can rely on as regards future projects to help improve our infrastructure. We need to take care of some old, outdated and deteriorating items that need to be addressed, because if we don’t address them they’re be problems down the road. There are several things we can do for the community, whether that’s things we do with the parks or other projects to help people get out and involved and part of the community. Growing up here, it was a very tight night community, and though I was away for a while, it’s nice to come back and see that’s still the case and provide people the opportunity to share in that community. Thinking of ways to create that type of atmosphere again is a priority.
What do you think needs improvement or/and what needs to change to make it better?
We need to address old infrastructure issues and bring them up to current standards and specifications, because until we address that it’s hard to move forward with growth. We’ve done a good job with the street projects, and that’s’ a lengthy process sometimes, but it needs to be done in order for us to prevent problems or even crisis before it happens. It’s all about preventative maintenance. We want to be proactive, so we don’t have to be reactive. If we continue on with the preventative maintenance, it will save us money in the long run.
What are some city policies or politics you agree with or/and disagree with?
I’m still learning a lot of it. We’re working on addressing ordinances that don’t make sense for this day and age anymore, so it’s getting those off the books is a good thing. As for any policies I don’t like, I can’t think of any at the present moment, but it is an ever-changing thing. It’s always a learning process to see what works best and what is practical. You go to it with the attitude of trying to find what’s best for the city, and you to find a practical solution to make that happen, and when something isn’t working, you have to be ready to change or fix it.
Why should a voter consider you for the city council?
Garretson has always been near and dear to my heart. Growing up here, and my parents instilled a lot of civic pride in myself. People are proud to call Garretson their home and I want to be somebody to help that along. I want to help make Garretson grow and thrive, and figure out the best ways to possibly do that.
What goals will you set and attempt to accomplish for the city if you are elected?
Well I want to continue to further my knowledge. I have some ideas to try and encourage more natural beatification with native plants. We are the city of parks and I want to enhance that, not only in our three great parks, but around town as well.
