FAIRMONT– During the Nov. 8 election, residents of Ward 3 will need to choose between incumbent Randy Lubenow or current Mayor Deb Foster to represent their ward on the city council.

The city is divided into four wards and residents of those individual wards vote exclusively for their sector’s council representative. Ward and precinct maps can be viewed at www.fairmont.org by clicking on the “City Council” tab under the “Departments” drop-down menu.

Lubenow was elected to represent Ward 3 in 2018. He’s originally from Fairmont and grew up on a small farm just south of town. Lubenow has worked as an office manager at REM Heartland for 22 years and he’s also employed part-time at Hy-Vee.

Foster has been serving as Fairmont’s mayor for close to six years and she has called Fairmont home for nearly 50 years. Foster is currently employed part-time at the Fairmont Photo Press.

As for what prompted each candidate to run for city council, Lubenow said he had been asked by several neighbors to run.

“I thought I could make a difference and help improve some policies such as the rental ordinance to make Fairmont a better place to live,” said Lubenow.

Foster said that public service is one way to give back to the community that has given her family the best place to live.

“I decided to seek election as a voting member of the Fairmont City Council because I am certain there is a way better way to lead and a more positive way to represent Ward 3 residents,” Foster said.

One of the current bigger issues in the city of Fairmont is the proposed Fairmont Area Community Center.

Lubenow said he continues to support a $20 million community center as previously voted on by the city council. He also supports applying for state bonding money so that a dream center, including a field house, ice arena and swimming pool can be included.

“It is so exciting to see community leaders come together to support such a great project,” Lubenow said.

Foster said she has supported the concept of a community center for the last four plus years and in 2018 broke a city council tie vote by voting ‘yes’ to move forward with a community center in Fairmont.

“Now, four years later, I need to have some very important questions answered before I can declare my support for or my support against the building of a new facility,” Foster said.

She cited many recent changes both in the community and world and said that she needs to remain committed to being fiscally responsible to Fairmont taxpayers.

Foster said she also recognizes the work done by community group Citizens 4 A Strong Fairmont, which has offered a proposal to the city council which would utilize use of a current building already owned by the city.

The candidates were asked what their plan would be for improving Fairmont’s streets and infrastructure.

Lubenow said in his first four years on the council he pushed for more funding for those areas and the budget now reaches $3 million every two years. He said he will continue to push for more funding in the next four years, if elected.

Foster acknowledged that improving and maintaining streets and infrastructure is very expensive to taxpayers and property owners.

“For many years, the Fairmont City Council and Fairmont City Staff have tried to find financing options to make the expense more equitable to all users of our city streets,” Foster said.

She also said that every two years the city budgets $3 million to streets and infrastructure improvement or replacement, though it seldom seems to be enough with the expense not being equal to all users of city streets.

When it comes to issues specific to their ward, Lubenow said he will continue to support updates to Veterans Park including much needed repairs to the tennis and basketball courts, lights in the park and an open air shelter house.

“Fairmont needs additional housing and daycare openings and I will support citizens, businesses and contractors that want to bring these resources to the city of Fairmont. Many businesses in Fairmont are struggling to find employees so adding housing and daycare hopefully will lead to more citizens choosing to raise their families in Fairmont,” Lubenow said.

During her last six years as mayor, Foster said numerous Ward 3 residents have reached out to her with concerns or to voice their opinions.

She said the concerns she hears most often are blighted properties, the financial impact of a community center, the condition of city streets and infrastructure, the enforcement of city codes that have to do with being a good neighbor and the lack of a safe walking or scooter path to get groceries.

“If elected I will continue to work with Ward 3 residents and with city staff to get the concerns addressed,” said Foster.

A candidate forum spotlighting these candidates, as well as those running for other open positions, will be held between 6 and 8 p.m. on Oct. 26 and 27 in council chambers at City Hall. It will also be broadcast live on the local public access channel 13.