BUFFALO MAYOR

Teri Lachermeier

Name: Teri Lachermeier

Position you are seeking: Mayor of Buffalo

1. Tell us about yourself. You could include your age, family, part of the city where you live, how long you have lived in the city, education, occupation, or any other information you choose.

My name is Teri Lachermeier, and I’m 57 years old. I have lived in Buffalo most of my life. I attended Buffalo High School where I was involved in student government, which led me to St. Cloud State University where I met my husband, David Grage.  Buffalo was an easy choice to raise our three children Dustin, Garrett and Gabrielle. I later attended Concordia School of Adult learning where I studied Business Communications.  I’m currently employed with Cetera Financial Services as a specialist in Life, Long Term Care, and Disability income. 

2. Describe your qualifications for the position you seek and how you can serve the people. You should include any leadership experiences and past accomplishments in the area of public service.

It has been a true honor to serve Buffalo as your current Mayor for the past 6 years.  Prior to serving as your Mayor, I was elected to the Buffalo City Council for 16 years where I served on Safe Schools, Community Center, MEADA, Library, Parks as well as many sub committees.  I’m currently the Chair of the Wright County Mayors Association.  I also currently reside on the Buffalo Strong Board.

I have established many collaborative relationships over the years.  I value the partnerships with our Chamber of Commerce business community, our Wright County Commissioners their staff, as well as our State representatives, Our Schools, and its leadership, but most importantly the citizens of Buffalo.   My goal has always been to be fully transparent and open to even the tough conversations. 

3. Explain why you have chosen to run for this office.

It has always been my passion to serve since I was very young. I love this community and all that is it and will become. I know what Buffalo is up against in the coming years and hope to bring things like a new industrial park that will provide space for our business community as well as jobs close to home.  Now that the city has sold the Golf Course, it has created some room to breathe new life in what’s next, and we must be strategic. Managing growth and sustain our high quality of life. We should all be proud of the foundation that Buffalo provided our families and I think we can continue this quality of life for all citizens of all ages.   I also foresee a community center that will allow all ages to come together to bring health and wellness. I ask for your vote in November because with the changes that are happening all around us, we need strong leadership. I have always considered myself open to the public. If you reach out to me, I will listen.  If I can help I will. If I can’t I will find someone who can.

4. What do you consider to be the most important issue facing the city now? Describe that issue and tell how you would propose solving it.

One of the most important issues facing Buffalo is affordability. We must ensure people can afford to live in Buffalo. We must be cognizant of costs that effect our residents. Keeping utilities and taxes manageable is at the forefront of this issue.  To work toward solving this issue, we need to consider reducing and prioritizing capital projects, study rates regularly, optimize our operations budgets. Financial management of the electric funds is crucial, but first need education on conservation and community engagement.  A possible solution would be to adjust our payment model in the electric fund from a dollar amount to a percentage in our transfer to the general fund.

Second managing our growth. We are all aware of suburban sprawl, but if we stay close to our comprehensive plan and goal of growing responsibly, we can maintain our excellent infrastructure, roads, and utilities. This allows us to provide a quality foundation of customer service we have all grown accustomed to. Growth should occur within commercial, residential, and retail.  These areas build our tax base and allow us to manage our overall plan.         

We are blessed with an incredible city staff who are also experts in their services to our community. 

My passion for Buffalo is deep and I hope to continue to serve you. We are Buffalo Strong.

Sincerely Teri Lachermeier

Jeremiah Patrick

Name: Jeremiah Patrick

Position you are seeking: Mayor of Buffalo

1. Tell us about yourself. You could include your age, family, part of the city where you live, how long you have lived in the city, education, occupation, or any other information you choose.

When I decided to start a family, I knew that Buffalo was the right place to do it. My wife is a 5th generation Buffalo resident, and our growing family lives on the north side of Buffalo Lake. I’ve been a software engineer for a decade working on medical devices and scientific instruments; I stopped pursuing my Master’s in electrical engineering to run for political office in Buffalo. I believe that Buffalo is a great place to be, but is in danger of becoming the next Maple Grove or Wayzata. Buffalo is its own town and should keep its unique character.

2. Describe your qualifications for the position you seek and how you can serve the people. You should include any leadership experiences and past accomplishments in the area of public service.

I’ve been a software engineer on many different projects- I’ve worked in the defense industry where sterling character and discreteness is a must and in the medical industry where I managed a multi-million dollar project in the midst of the pandemic. I’ve stepped up to lead projects which then defined company-wide initiatives and delivered results which would allow decreased delivery time. I’m an Eagle Scout, and I believe that servant-leadership is the best way to lead. I started my campaign by leading a group to clean up the dedication pavers in Buffalo’s Veteran’s Park which had been neglected for years. I run the Buffalo Watchdogs page and have attended most City Council meetings for the last 3 years.

3. Explain why you have chosen to run for this office.

Buffalo has been known for having a small town charm, being safe, affordable, and having a great school system; that is why I chose to raise my family here. Unfortunately the city is heading down a slippery slope and that is why I am running for Mayor. The cost of living is skyrocketing, citizens are losing faith in local government, and the debt is sky high. I decided that I wanted to do more than complain, so I’m running to become your Mayor.

4. What do you consider to be the most important issue facing the city now? Describe that issue and tell how you would propose solving it.

In my mind, the two most important issues of this town both have a theme- keeping Buffalo a place where you want to raise your family.

First, the cost of living has skyrocketed in Buffalo due to taxes and utilities; debt plays a central part of that. Buffalo has $70M of debt- 37% of the budget is currently going to service that debt. We have debt laid upon the utilities departments because of Wild Marsh (the golf course), and that’s one reason why the cost of utilities is higher in the city than out. My focus would be to start budgets by allocating money for maintenance: roads, water, sewer, electric, police, fire, and parks. Then money for paying down debt is allocated, and finally whatever is left over is used for what the city needs. When loans are paid off, we split the money saved to new loans and back to citizens as a tax cut.

Second, local government transparency needs to be improved. Citizens need to be able to find out how to engage with their local government easily, and to have faith that their concerns are being heard and acted upon. In my mind, it’s down to the government to show to people that they are responsible for the trust they ask from their citizenry. I want to lead the way on that by showing where government money goes and why, what grants the city is accepting, and what strings are attached to those grants. By being able to understand how their money is being spent and where it’s coming from, citizens can understand the direction the city is taking.

5. What do you consider to be the three most important issues facing the state now? Describe each issue and tell how you would propose solving it.

While a mayor cannot define state policy, I see three things at a state level that I would like to see changed. First is the attitude of state officials towards Law Enforcement officials. The attitude in the last few years has been that police can do nothing right, this is leading to streets becoming dangerous, jails unable to be staffed, and concerns about safety becoming paramount. If there are issues within law enforcement, those issues need to be addressed; disbanding the police forces and vilifying the men and women who serve are not the way.

Second is simplifying regulations to become or run a business. Being a small business owner is the bedrock of a solid middle class, and it should be the goal of government to make things smoother instead of rougher for an owner. Instead there are reams and reams of regulations to have to comply with, state and federally, all of which takes time. As the adage goes, time is money; lose enough and you’re out of business.

Third is the cost of living; the state had a massive tax surplus this year. In a year where inflation, shrinkflation, and supply chain breakdowns meant that grocery store bills doubled or tripled, the price at the pump doubled in a year, and the cost of heating and cooling your home went up, state taxes should have taken advantage of the tax surplus and eased pressure on the average person.

BUFFALO CITY COUNCIL

Bradley Dahl

Name: Bradley Dahl

Position you are seeking: Buffalo City Council Position

1. Tell us about yourself. You could include your age, family, part of the city where you live, how long you have lived in the city, education, occupation, or any other information you choose.

I am 55 yrs old, have been married to my wife Teresa Dahl for 31 years and we have 2 adult children, Sabrina (son in-law James) and Aaron.  Teresa and I live within a block of Perkins in the same location that the Varner store was in the 80’s and 90’s.  My father Robert Dahl also lives with us.  I have lived in Buffalo since 1975 except for 4 years of my Active Duty time.  I have an Associate’s degree in Applied Science for Aircraft Maintenance Technology, FAA Airframe & Power plant License to work on civilian aircraft, and a Class A CDL.  I have also had multiple leadership training courses over my 37 years in the Air Force and am currently employed in the 133 Airlift Wing as an Aircraft Maintenance Technician Superintendent.

2. Describe your qualifications for the position you seek and how you can serve the people. You should include any leadership experiences and past accomplishments in the area of public service.

I believe that with my life experiences and with all of the Professional Military Education leadership training I have received combined with my desire to help people qualifies me to serve the people of Buffalo.  Some of my leadership training is military to include Airman Leadership School, Non-Commissioned Officer Course, and Senior Non-Commissioned Office Course.  I have lead 200+ service members on combat deployments in high stress situations in Kuwait and Iraq that taught me the value of being prepared for anything.  Along with leadership I strive to serve others in need by providing free lawn & snow care for disabled veterans and deployed service member’s families since 2010 through Project Evergreen.  I have also been on the Buffalo Airport Advisory Board since February 2022.

3. Explain why you have chosen to run for this office.

I love living in Buffalo and while I was either deployed or living in other areas of the country while in the Air Force had always missed being home.  With that being said, I feel it is time for me to contribute back.

4. What do you consider to be the most important issue facing the city now? Describe that issue and tell how you would propose solving it.

I have three things I see as important issues facing both our state and city.  First, is that we strive to be better at being fiscally responsible with our resident’s tax money by working with city officials, city council members, planning commission, and most important listen to concerns of our residents.  Second, is to work on improving and expand the city core services by maintaining the electric and water services while working other avenues to keep costs low.  Finally, I see an importance in continuing to improve public safety at both law enforcement level and personal safety.  My relationships with law enforcement at county and local levels along with listening to Buffalo residents I feel this is achievable.

I want to thank my family and the residents of Buffalo for this opportunity to serve you and believe I am the best candidate for city council and I ask you for your vote on 8 November 2022.

Tessa Jones

Buffalo City Council candidate Tessa Jones, did not submit her profile article by this week’s deadline.

Linda Kittock

Name: Linda Kittock

Position you are seeking: Buffalo City Council Position

1. Tell us about yourself. You could include your age, family, part of the city where you live, how long you have lived in the city, education, occupation, or any other information you choose.

My name is Linda Kittock. I have lived in Buffalo for 26 years now, and I still love this town. I retired from the BHM School District in 2021. I do have ongoing projects that still keep me busy.

2. Describe your qualifications for the position you seek and how you can serve the people. You should include any leadership experiences and past accomplishments in the area of public service.

Buffalo City Council Member from 2016-2020. We accomplished a dog park at Gary Mattson’s Park.  Senior and Family housing as well as a new Fire Station. We have other projects already lined up in the near future for the downtown area.

3. Explain why you have chosen to run for this office.

We need to do more on the housing situation. There is a long waiting list. We need more affordable housing. (Low Income Housing) for single adults of all ages. What we really need is a developer or developers that want to build for low income adults, that really can’t find housing, because of the market value housing we have right now. We need housing for everyone in our town. This includes homeless, and young adults that can’t leave their parents home, because they can’t afford the rent on these new apartments.

Everyone deserves a place of their own to live.

One more item that I would like to tell you about. It’s the Buffalo Cinema building. It’s been vacant for several years now. I have formed a small group of 2 others. We have a plan for the Buffalo Cinema building. We will have a presentation for the Buffalo City Council at a later date. It may or may not be a movie theater again. We need to have some kind of entertainment back in our downtown area. And I guarantee you, this will be spectacular again for all ages.   

4. What do you consider to be the most important issue facing the city now? Describe that issue and tell how you would propose solving it.

Inflation is number one on everyone’s minds right now. And yes, we are all in this together. Like the pandemic that we faced for the past 2 years. Thousands of people got covid and thousands of people died from this as well. I know it is hard  to make ends meet right now. For myself I’m budgeting every penny that I have coming in each and every month. The Feds are raising the interest rate to help in this matter. But the real question to be answered is: When is that inflation going to end, so we all can get back to normal again. We will get through this. It’s just a matter of when this will happen.

Racism is still a problem in our city, county, state and around the country. I know this is an ongoing issue that we face on a daily basis. We probably never totally wipe out racism all together. This has been going on for hundreds of years. But one thing that we can all do is treat everyone with respect. People should not be discriminated against by the color of their skin, gender, and religion. Everyone’s lives matter.

5. What do you consider to be the three most important issues facing the state now? Describe each issue and tell how you would propose solving it.

Inflation, housing shortage, and Racism. If we all pull together and stop putting the blame on each other, the world would be a better place for everyone.

Bryan VantHof

Name: Bryan VantHof

Position you are seeking: Buffalo City Council Position

1. Tell us about yourself. You could include your age, family, part of the city where you live, how long you have lived in the city, education, occupation, or any other information you choose.

My family and I have lived on the northeast side of Buffalo for 13 out of the past 20 years.  My daughter graduated from BHS and my son will graduate next year from BHS.  I have been a real estate agent since 2003 focusing on the west metro area.  I have an MBA from Bethel University and a degree in Finance with a minor in Economics from SCSU. We enjoy spending time on Lake Pulaski as well as traveling to mostly warmer destinations.

2. Explain why you have chosen to run for this office.

I am running for City Council this year because I feel the city is at a major crossroads.  The next 5-10 years will be transformational for Buffalo unlike any time we have seen in the past 50 years.  With the government center moving out of downtown, a lot of jobs and people went with it.  I worry that businesses downtown will be hurt by this, and I want the city to have a partnership with the county and whomever buys & develops that land to bring some full-time jobs and people downtown.  We have a unique opportunity for a centerpiece property that could contain a variety of spaces from commercial to residential with the best Buffalo Lake views in town.   

3. What do you consider to be the most important issue facing the city now? Describe that issue and tell how you would propose solving it.

The city’s comprehensive plan is also under review with discussions about bringing more commercial projects to the new government center area along with a variety of other opportunities around town.  I think my experience as a small business owner and Realtor can be valuable in offering ideas and information to grow the community smartly and bring opportunities to the community that may be missing.  I want to keep our dollars working in Buffalo as opposed to sending them out of town for things like restaurants, shopping, entertainment, etc. 

I would also do what I can to hold the line on property taxes in the community at least at the city level.  Since my family and I moved back to Buffalo in 2017, we have seen a 56% increase in county taxes on our home, 43% increase from the school district and a 30% increase in city taxes.  I’ve heard from so many of you the real dollar impacts these massive increases have had on your ability to make ends meet in this highly inflationary time including the possibility of having to sell your homes because incomes have not kept pace with expenses. 

I’d also like to see the Buffalo community fight for what it deserves when it comes to the fact that we are the Wright County seat.  We should be an economic hub for Wright County and, while we do bring people to town for grocery and shopping, the good paying job base is not as developed as it could be.  I want to help develop that and keep employees in town as much as possible.

I’d love your vote on November 8th as our community looks towards what will be a change to the community impacting us for generations to come.  Thank you.

Jameson Wakefield

Name: Jameson Wakefield

Position you are seeking: Buffalo City Council Position

1. Tell us about yourself. You could include your age, family, part of the city where you live, how long you have lived in the city, education, occupation, or any other information you choose.

My wife Stacia and I have made Buffalo our home for 16 years. Our two oldest boys are Buffalo High School graduates and our youngest is a sophomore in high school. I graduated from St. Cloud State University with a BA in Political Science and have an MBA from St. Thomas University. I work as a Marketing Director with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

2. Describe your qualifications for the position you seek and how you can serve the people. You should include any leadership experiences and past accomplishments in the area of public service.

I have served on the Buffalo Planning Commission since 2015, been a member of the Downtown Development focus group, the Community Planning focus group as well as the EDA Advisor group for the county office site in downtown Buffalo. I have had the opportunity to participate in the review of long-term planning concepts for the downtown district and preview new housing development concepts to adapt to the changing home buyer’s market.

I serve on the Council at Zion Lutheran Church, have served as Den Leader and Committee Chair for the Buffalo Cub Scout Pack 358 as well as helping coach youth sports.

3. Explain why you have chosen to run for this office.

Buffalo is our home, and I would like to be a positive part of its development, helping maintain the small-town appeal while managing new growth and control costs for residents. Serving on the City Council is a way to give back to the community.

4. What do you consider to be the most important issue facing the city now? Describe that issue and tell how you would propose solving it.

A key issue is making sure the city’s financial situation is in good shape and the cost of city utilities to citizens is kept as low as possible. A city needs to perform core functions well such as sewer, water, fire, police, and other infrastructure items. Doing it in a fiscally responsible way it critical. The other topic is the development of the downtown County office site which will be critical in shaping the character of Downtown Buffalo and help maintain and strengthen retail opportunities in the downtown district.