FAIRMONT — Ward 2 residents will choose their Fairmont City Council representative from a field of four candidates at the Nov. 3 general election at the Fairmont National Guard Armory.

Incumbent Ruth Cyphers has drawn challenges from Britney Kawecki, Ronald Lindberg and Joseph Loughmiller.

The city is divided into four wards, and residents of those individual wards vote exclusively for their sector’s council representative. Ward 2 comprises residents in the center part of the city. The fifth council seat, the at-large position, represents the entire city so all registered voters may cast a ballot in this race.

Ward and precinct maps can be viewed at www.fairmont.org by clicking on the “City Council” tab under the “Departments” drop-down menu.

Cyphers is seeking a second term on the council, having won her first trip to City Hall in 2016. A lifelong Fairmont resident, she has been extensively involved in the City of Lakes through her business ownership and community involvement.

Cyphers started two businesses, AdMfg, Inc. and SewMfg, Inc., in Fairmont and currently has seven employees. Her passion in the area of substance abuse prompted her and her AdMfg employees to be trained in marketing using positive community norms. They work in Fairmont, Wells and Austin, marketing the reality versus misperceptions of substance abuse.

During her first term, Cyphers represented the council on the advisory boards of the Fairmont Municipal Airport, Fairmont Community Education and Recreation, and the Region 9 Commission, as well as several of its committees.

Looking to the future, she wants to focus on a variety of areas.

“There is more to be done in the area of roads and how to pay for them,” she said. “We have started this process, the goal being that not just homeowners pay for our roads, but rather all those that use them pay for them. The effort will be ongoing.”

Cyphers also sees housing as an important issue, specifically home ownership, especially after purchasing her childhood home in 2016 and learning first-hand how hard it was to accomplish.

Other areas of concern are Fairmont clean-up, a business development center, downtown revitalization and a city campground.

Cyphers has two grown children and three grandchildren.

A long-time member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fairmont, she has been involved in its choir, taught Sunday school and volunteered for many church functions.

She also has served in leadership roles in many organizations including Fairmont Women of Today, Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center, Fairmont Rotary and Project 1590.

Brittney Kawecki was born and raised in Fairmont, graduating from Fairmont High School in 2000. After attending the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, she has worked as a registered nurse for 15 years, currently as school nurse at Southern Plains Education Cooperative.

Kawecki points to a lack of visitors and tourism as the pivotal issue facing Fairmont.

“I feel that if we all work together, citizens, City Council, city administration, Chamber of Commerce, Visit Fairmont and Project 1590, to figure out how to market Fairmont to attract new people to our community, to enjoy the things that we have to offer, the rest will just fall into place,” she said. “Increased tourism equals increased revenue.”

Kawecki says increasing the number of visitors and sustaining that growth will attract new real estate investment and other opportunities. The increased revenue would allow the city to focus on improving roads and infrastructure, the downtown area and cleaning up the community.

“I feel that I come from a different generation that can bring a new perspective to the city council. I want to work with the citizens of Fairmont, the City Council and city administration to make Fairmont the best it possibly can be,” she said.

Kawecki and her husband, Brian, who is employed at Mayo Clinic Health System, have three children, Olive, Hazel and Hugo.

Ronald Lindberg brings a strong business resume to his City Council campaign.

He and his wife, Jeanne, are both graduates of Fairmont High School, and the couple has adult children. Lindberg graduated from Northwestern Electronics Institute, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in business administration from Mankato State University.

He is a certified employee benefits professional and certified compensation professional. While working with Electro-Craft Inc., Medtronic Inc., Pentair Inc., Lifetouch Inc. and serving in the Army National Guard, Lindberg says he acquired a deep knowledge in business, human resources, acquisitions and union relations leadership.

“I would focus on efforts for companies to consider Fairmont, thereby increasing the tax base and jobs,” he said. “As a team, we could help develop updated, effective plans to illustrate what Fairmont has to offer them. I would support strong proactiveness in this area.”

He says he would work to build a cohesive team within the council through trust, accountability and conflict resolution practices.

“I would strive for balanced budgets and project implementation using my steadfast rule: objective, analysis, test, go/no go,” he said. “I am confident that my varied work experience, particularly in business acquisitions, strong analytical project experience and human resource plan development, will provide me with the skills to help manage and grow the city of Fairmont.”

Joseph Loughmiller cites his experience in private business as an employee and employer as assets he would bring to the City Council.

Loughmiller is a senior swine technical services manager for a multi-national nutrition supplement supplier for livestock and companion animals, and also a business owner in a regional livestock nutrition company.

“I understand the effects of increased competition, taxes and fees on local business viability and our quality of life. I have a vested interest in helping our city develop and grow coherently while not overlooking the needs of the underprivileged and underserved,” he said. “I am ready to help Fairmont by increasing City Council accountability and re-establishing trust with our citizens.”

Loughmiller stresses the importance and responsibility of leadership in explaining why infrastructure investment is needed, as well as how it can be paid while minimizing increases in property taxes.

“For instance, why haven’t city leaders taken the time to remind us, in detail, why the new city maintenance shop is needed, what happens if we delay and how much we expect it will cost the average household per year if properly bonded over time?” he said.

“Instead, we see them vacillating and requesting more discussion because it’s an election year and property taxes are increasing.”

Acting now when construction bids are more competitive would result in a minimal property tax increase if the cost is bonded properly, he said.

Loughmiller hopes to promote city investment that complements, rather than competes with, local businesses. He cites the proposed community center’s potential competition with local fitness centers and banquet halls as an example.

He and his wife, Cheryl, have three sons.

The family is involved in Fairmont school sports and activities, Boy Scouts, 4-H and their church’s lay ministry. He is a past member of the Agri-Business Committee of the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce and the Martin County Park Board.