We have two capable, experienced Council members, both women, running for Mayor in 2014. Having run against and lost to Julie Trude, I developed a strong appreciation in the 2010 race for her representation of our City. I can not picture a better representative voice for our community. She is a leader, she is thoughtful in her position, she reaches out for many opinions, and she makes pragmatic decisions based on the information has collected on the concern. I respect Sheri Bukkila, who begins many issues in a different perspective than I do, but I am less certain about her ability to reach out and represent the various communities and opinions of Andover residents. For that, I strongly endorse Julie Trude for Mayor of Andover in 2014.
For City Council, a friend and long-time Andover resident and community leader, Val Holthus, has filed for what is basically the Trude vacancy on the Council. There are two city-wide Council seats on the ballot this year. I strongly endorse electing Val Holthus to one of those seats. Val has worked tirelessly on the City's Planning Commission for many years, she has been a long-time teacher in Anoka-Hennepin and works hard to better our education community through the teacher's association. And she and her family represent Minnesota values - a look at her Facebook page shows both a proud fishing champion and a proud Mother, whose daughter has been pageant royalty this past year.
Of the remaining three candidates, I don't know Tonya Kostick and will be pleased to meet her and read more about who she is and why she is running. I posted about James Goodrich last month. Mr. Goodrich is doing a lot of good campaigning - prominently displayed signs, strong web page, etc. He is clearly part of the political community I strongly oppose and abhor. He may be a good fit for many Andover residents. Certainly, our Republican-Democrat polling results reflect that. Nonetheless, Andover does not need a second Hennepin County Sheriff's Deputy on its Council, representing the same religious right, pro-gun, heavily-tilted law enforcement viewpoints that Councilwoman and possibly Mayor Bukkila addresses right now. I will not vote for or recommend a vote for James Goodrich.
Depending on what I learn of candidate Kostick, I am tentatively supporting and recommending the re-election of Tony Howard to fill the other Andover Council seat in this election. Tony lost in 2010, as I did. He came in third, I believe behind Julie Trude and Don Jacobson. When Don resigned soon after, Tony was appointed to fill the term and then won election for two years in the 2012 Special Election. Tony is a man of good character, a strong family man and community leader, a successful businessman, and another realist, who does not seem to be carrying an agenda in serving the community on the City Council. I am most likely voting for Howard and Holthus this fall.
http://candidates.sos.state.mn.us/CandidateFilingResults.aspx?county=2&municipality=1486&schooldistrict=&hospitaldistrict=&level=3&party=0&federal=True&judicial=False&executive=True&senate=True&representative=True&title=&office=0&candidateid=0
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