The primary elections are this Tuesday and local city council candidates are hoping for voters to send them to the general elections in November.

Four of the seven city council seats are up for grabs this year: the At-Large seat, held by retiring Councilwoman Janet Anderson; First Ward, held by Councilman Jeff Austin, who is running for the At-Large seat; Second Ward, held by retiring Councilman David Hagen, and Third Ward, held by retiring Councilwoman Judy Enright.

Of those four races, the At-Large, First Ward and Third Ward seats are heading into Tuesday’s primary. Jason Baskin is the only candidate running for the Second Ward seat and will not be on Tuesday’s ballot.

Each primary race has three candidates competing for their respective seats. They are:

• At-Large: Jeff Austin, Susan Fell Johnson and Lynn Spainhower

• First Ward: Jeff Arneson, Aaron Jones and Rebecca Waller

• Third Ward: Brian Heimer, Joyce Poshusta and Nathan Wradislavsky

One candidate from each race will be eliminated after Tuesday’s vote.

In order to familiarize voters with the candidates, the Herald reached out to all nine, asking for a brief biography, relevant experience, issues (if any) that are key to their platform, and a statement on why voters should support them in the primary.

In their own words, here are their responses.

At-Large

Jeff Austin

Biography

I was born and raised in Austin and have been a lifelong resident.

Experience

I have served on the council for 12 years, representing the First Ward. I am currently an Assistant Store Leader for Kwik Trip. I also serve on the Austin Port Authority (Vice Chairman), the Park and Recreation Board, Austin/Mower County Homeownership Board and the Blazing Star Joint Powers Board.

Issues/Platform

I do not have an agenda and have not run with an agenda in the past. I feel most of the issues we deal with are important to the residents of Austin. Currently, we are working on the budget for 2019 and are in the process of doing a compensation and classification study for our employees. We continue to deal with flood control issues as we are in the process of completing the final stage of work on the Cedar River/Mill Pond with the levee going up behind where the new Community Recreation Center is going up. We have also started on the Turtle Creek area.

Why vote for me?

Experience! Having served on the council for 12 years, I am the senior council member, along with the mayor, and I feel the At-Large position should be filled by someone with experience on the council. I try to be a voice of reason and often look at issues from a different angle than the status quo. I respect and appreciate the diversity that we have in Austin and am always looking at ways to move us forward, making Austin the best city it can be for its residents!

Susan Fell Johnson

Biography

I’m a third generation Austinite and graduated from Austin High School, Riverland Community College, and Mankato State University. We moved away from Austin 12 years ago and returned about a year ago to be closer to family and friends. I’m employed as a study developer at the Cancer Research Center, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where I build computer systems that capture patient data for cancer clinical trials. Before I moved home to Austin, I was a computer instructor at Alexandria Technical & Community College for nine years. I’ve been married to Andy Johnson for 31 years and we have two adult children and one grandson.

Experience

Because I moved away from Austin for 12 years and have returned, I bring a unique and broad perspective to the council. I have prior experience serving the Austin community as an elected official of the Austin School Board and I’m currently a member of several community organizations, including the Austin Area Arts as a board member and a musician with the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

Issues/Platform

The number one issue I am campaigning on is to fight crime, increase community safety, and push out the drug-dealers. Every community I’ve lived in has seen a spike in crime over the past decade due in part to the abuse of methamphetamine and opioids. Austin is no exception. If elected, I will work with my constituents and listen to their concerns and ideas. I propose using technology to increase safety in neighborhoods. Specifically, we will write grants to secure funding to install video cameras and establish an Austin Real Time Crime Center to monitor the live video feeds. We will enhance exterior lighting and develop neighborhood watch systems. I propose working with community foundations to secure funding to develop additional low-cost mental health counseling programs and additional free programming/activities for everyone. We need to keep people active and engaged in the community and off the streets.

The number two issue I am campaigning on is bringing in higher paying jobs to boost our economy.

The number three issue I am campaigning on is affordable, safe, reliable day care. I know what it’s like to be a working mother.

Why vote for me?

I’m honest about my views and I listen to others. I don’t have all the answers and I don’t have any special interest groups. I fight hard for progress for the benefit of my grandson and all children. I want to leave this world a better place than I found it.

Lynn Spainhower

Biography

I was born in Austin and moved with my family to California when I was two. I came back to Austin 25 years ago to raise a family and contribute to my community. I have been an active Austin community member for those 25 years. I am a single mom to Chris and Mitch and it has been a pure joy to watch them grow into young men and U.S. Navy sailors.

Experience

I have been actively engaged in the community as an Austin City Planning Commissioner for 12 years.  I was also involved with Vision 2020 for five years as a Co-Chair on the Gateway to Austin Committee and the Chair of the Directional Signs Sub-Committee.  As past Director of Catherwood Child Care, I advocated with legislators, testified before state senate committees and met with legislators about issues that were affecting our families and children. I hold a paralegal certificate and I have a liberal arts degree from Riverland Community College. I work in Grocery Products Marketing for Hormel Foods and I volunteer as the communications coordinator for our Employee Response Group – HMVET. We work with active military, veterans and their families. I volunteer at the VFW and Knights of Columbus service organizations. Being a Navy mom, I feel it is important to do whatever I can to assist active duty military, veterans and family members.

Issues/Platform

If elected, I would like to concentrate my efforts on enforcing the newly enacted Rental Housing Ordinance. I would like to bring affordable housing to Austin and work to extend the Austin Home Initiative. I will work to enforce responsible budgeting and bring clarity to “wants” vs. “needs.” Finally, I would like to grow economic development and diversity. I think the new educational grants from Hormel Foundation that puts a two-year degree within reach of all 2019 Austin and Pacelli High grads and beyond is a huge asset to this city. We need to leverage that asset to bring new business and new diverse ideas to our town.

Why vote for me?

Being a single mother for so many years gives me an understanding of tenacity, organization, team work, budgeting and discipline and would serve me well in the City Council At-Large position. I respectfully ask for your vote on Aug.14.

First Ward

Jeff Arneson

Biography

My family has lived in Northwest Austin since 1959. I’m a graduate of AHS and attended Augsburg University and University of Minnesota. I have spent 25 years in the real estate industry as a realtor, including as partner at Century 21 Citywide in Madison, Wisconsin and mortgage banking in California. I have lived in Minneapolis, Madison, Chicago, Orange City, California, and Las Vegas. I have been a vegetarian for 46 years. I have been back in Austin for eight years living with my mother, a cancer survivor.  My hobbies include golf, bicycling, astrology, gardening and cooking.

Experience

Bernie Sanders delegate at the 2016 DFL Convention.

Issues/Platform

Reversing the decline in quality of life in Austin, income inequality, legalizing marijuana (or at least decriminalizing it), increasing high school graduation rate and more after school activities for children.

Why vote for me?

I am from a working class family. Higher paying jobs in Austin and quality of life continue to decline. Austin needs new union leadership that represents the workers, not the biggest employers here. My years in real estate sales and mortgage lending to people from diverse backgrounds in several metropolitan locations has given me an invaluable insight into what works in building and maintaining family neighborhoods as well as new business opportunities. Slaughtering animals is a dying industry – literally. I learned long ago that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. My commitment is to listen to my constituents’ concerns, problems and ideas. Great communication is the key to all good relationships. Finally, I would be a strong voice in encouraging people to participate and defend our democracy that is in growing jeopardy since the bogus election of Trump as president. That fight must start at the precinct level by voting!

Aaron Jones

Biography

I am from Ames, Iowa. In 1999, I graduated from the University of Iowa for the second time, then moved to Minnesota and was admitted to the bar in 2000. I worked in Mankato and then Sibley County before coming to Austin in 2006 for my current position as an assistant county attorney. If I get free time, I like to travel.

Experience

My position has allowed me to attend an awful lot of meetings and become familiar with the whole process of meetings and rules of order. This experience has also shown me how meetings can go bad.    

Issues/Platform

Not sure there is a particular issue that makes me want to run; it is more a sense of willingness to do the job.

Why vote for me?

Certainly, each decision should be given consideration, but I feel I am not one to be obstructionist just to be obstructionist.

Rebecca Waller

Biography

Greetings, my name is Rebecca Waller. I’m a married mother of two who has lived in the First Ward of Austin for over 11 years. I moved to Austin in 2007 when my husband Bernard was sworn in as a deputy sheriff. We had our first daughter, Isabelle, in 2009 and our second daughter, Sydney, in 2012. My family and I enjoy spending time outdoors, biking the trails throughout Austin and taking advantage of the park systems.

I was born in Owatonna where I lived for several years before moving to Rochester, where I graduated from John Marshall High School in 2002. I attended Winona State University, where I received my bachelors degree in marketing in 2005.

Experience

I work for Kwik Trip, where I have been a store manager for nearly 11 years. I have managed three stores, including two in Austin. I opened the truck stop Kwik Trip on 10th Place Northeast in 2014 and continue to be their store leader. In addition, I am one of the area’s certified training store leaders. That role gives me an opportunity to help other managers develop their leadership skills. 

Issues/Platform

During my time living, working and raising my children in Austin, I have become increasingly concerned about the juvenile crime rate within our community. I feel the fundamental issue is an absence of parental supervision and role models. We need to responsibly develop additional programs that encourage and demand parental responsibility.

In addition, we need to continue to encourage new business growth, such as additional dining options that I believe would increase our communities appeal.

Why vote for me?

If you choose to vote for me as your First Ward representative on Austin’s City Council, I will work to ensure Austin continues to be a family friendly community with opportunities for all members of our city.

Third Ward

Note: Third Ward candidate Joyce Poshusta did not respond to the Herald’s inquiry and had not submitted any information by the time this edition was sent to print.

Brian Heimer

Biography

I was born and raised right here in Austin, Minnesota. My mom was a CNA, and then continued her education to become a Nurse. My father worked with McNeils Co. manufacturing cement mixers, then continued his education to become a machinist. After graduation from high school in 2000, I went to RCTC until Sept. 11 happened. After that day, my eyes were opened to the larger world we live in and I joined the United States Marine Corps Infantry. After four years of active duty and the opportunity to defend our country in foreign lands, I returned home and went to college for education.

Today, I am currently a Physical Education and Health teacher with Pacelli Catholic Schools, where my wife, Kara, and I send our boys.

Experience

The experience I will bring to the City Council is that I understand the need to work collectively within our community; however, I also know when it is necessary to stand up and be a voice for those who aren’t heard. I have worked with international coalitions on rebuilding city infrastructure and security to allow for the development of daily commerce to flow and generate jobs and security. Overall, I bring a global understanding to local policy and understand how each decision can affect the individual and the community as a whole.

Issues/Platform

My campaign centers on continued business development by creating cooperative public-private partnerships to help the new business owner have the support and opportunity to be successful in this community. We also need to shift our focus from being a single source employer to creating opportunity to allow for the next generation of business to thrive here. This would be in the form of distribution centers located in the many vacant former retail spaces. With the closing of Bellisio Foods, I see an opportunity to create a micro-manufacturing opportunity for smaller scale business to rent or lease the space and grow into a larger area if needed.

Why vote for me?

Overall, I feel people just need to vote, period. Vote for me or vote for someone else if they are more qualified and meet your needs. But, I have been all around this beautiful world we live in, and I know that America is great for many reasons. The foremost reason is that we choose the leaders who will lead us.  When you choose me, I will listen and I will act for you, the voters.

Nathan Wradislavsky

Biography

I have been an Austin resident for most of my life. I work at Ellis Middle School and my wife works for Hormel in the consumer response group. We have three children; Adyson (12), Wesley (6) and Lyncoln (2). We are involved with our church, where we lead the Sunday school music program, run the annual Christmas program, I serve as elder and choir director. I also lead the Austin Big Band and am active in several other areas of music throughout the community.

Experience

This will be my first time on a local government organization and I am looking forward to the chance to be a part of improving Austin for all of our residents.

Issues/Platform

I think Austin is doing OK overall, but there is always work to be done. I will be paying close attention to how we can improve the community for all residents, providing opportunities for everyone to enjoy being a part of our community.

Why vote for me?

Austin is my home, my family’s home. I believe in being involved to make our community the best it can be for all of us. I’m really just a husband and father of three that wants to see our community grow, provide exciting opportunities for our youth, stability for our families and be an excellent city to raise a family and make a home.