We have reached out to all of the mayor and city council candidates. If the candidate responded to our email, we have added their responses below. Thank you.

Mayor Candidates

1.      Please tell us about yourself and why you are interested in becoming a member of the St. Francis City Council.  Be sure to highlight any current and past civic involvement you have had/have.

I have lived in St. Francis for 25 years with my wife and family. We moved to St. Francis for its rural setting yet close proximity to the Twin Cities. As a long-term resident of St. Francis, I pride myself in staying informed about what is going on in our community. St. Francis is a vibrant, growing community but I am concerned with recent tax hikes. I believe we need to do a better job of controlling expenses and reducing debt. As mayor, I believe I would bring a fresh perspective on these issues.

I was recently appointed to the St. Francis City Council to fill a short-term vacancy. I have also had the privilege of serving four years on the St. Francis ISD 15 School Board. Part of my career was spent in public safety including a stint as a volunteer deputy. I am active and engaged in my community and interact with a wide variety of people.

2.      What prompted you to run for City Council?

Back-to-back major increases in my city taxes for two years in a row. Several other citizens and I voiced our concerns to the City Council multiple times over the past two years but little to no relief was offered. I believe a concerted effort needs to be made to reduce the tax burden on our residents and reduce the ever-increasing city debt.

3.      If someone was looking for additional information on your campaign, where would they find it?

Joseph Muehlbauer

1. Please tell us about yourself and why you are interested in becoming a member of the St. Francis City Council. Be sure to highlight any current and past civic involvement you have had/have.

I have served on the council since 2017,  I lack trust in government and have had quite the education these past 7 years learning local government and civil service.

2. What prompted you to run for City Council?

 I am currently serving as Mayor, however given we have other qualified candidates, council is a better fit for my life goals. Titles never impressed me and being able to serve the people as I would like to be served means more then any title.

3. If someone was looking for additional information on your campaign, where would they find it?

I do not have a website or another venue for the campaign.  I'd encourage people to either read the minutes or view the meetings via YouTube. 

My only platform is that I will continue to serve and try to make the best decisions that benefit the residents at large. 

Anyone can promise they are going to cut taxes , however the follow up should always be how will this affect our quality of service? Taxes while not popular are a necessary evil so to speak.  Our job is to provide the necessary services at the lowest cost possible.