With the upcoming election on Tuesday, November 4, candidates for New Richland City Council were given questionnaires by the NRHEG Star Eagle. The following are their responses:


Name: Sarah (Peterson) Sundve

Age: 37

Family: Husband Eric, kids Trai, Diamond, Ulrich, Makenzie, and Macala

How long have you lived in the area? Most of my life

What is your occupation or profession? New Richland One Stop, and New Richland Ambulance

Have you held a City Council position in the past? No

What do you consider the most important part of this job? Doing what is best to improve our city, while working within our budget. 

What particular strengths or experience do you bring to the position, that you believe will help you do a good job? I have a degree in Administrative Assistant. I am a self starter, motivated, and love a challenge. I have life experience in working with a budget. I also have experience in talking with my dad Jim Peterson, county commissioner, on finding ways to improve things while sticking in the budget. 

What do you feel are the city’s most important concerns at this time? There are many concerns that the city council has been working on and I would like to help improve these concerns. I feel that each concern is important and should be handled in a timely manner.


Name: Amy Ihrke

Age: 38

Family: Husband Mike, kids Taytum and Jace

How long have you lived in the area? All my life

What is your occupation or profession? Home daycare provider

Have you held a City Council position in the past? Yes, two terms

What do you consider the most important part of this job? Making good choices for our city and our community members. Making choices that are not only benefits for today but for the future of our city.

What particular strengths or experience do you bring to the position, that you believe will help you do a good job? Being on the council for eight years has taught me a lot about how the city is run and its financial situation. I am able to better understand how to bring our city into the future and help us stabilize and grow.

What do you feel are the city’s most important concerns at this time? I think our biggest concern at the time is balancing our budget. Making good choices that will benefit the city and all the people who live here.


Name: Jim Lutgens

Age: 54

Family: Son Nate, daughter Jessica, son Eli

How long have you lived in the area? New Richland, 20 years. Within a 20-mile radius, all but about three years of my life.

What is your occupation or profession? Editor/Publisher, NRHEG Star Eagle

Have you held a city government position in the past? No

What do you consider the most important part of this job? There are many, but I honestly feel one of the biggest things is simply being available to put in the time. Often I’ve been asked if I’d ever consider running for office in New Richland and each time the answer has been the same: maybe when the kids get bigger. Eli is now a junior in high school and I have the time and desire to serve our community as a member of the city council.

What particular strengths or experience do you bring to the position, that you believe will help you do a good job? As a single parent since 1999 and owner of the Star since 2005, I learned how to stretch a budget and make things work even when the situation seemed next to impossible. I majored in business in college and have held elected offices, most notably President of the Minnesota Associated Press Sports Editors. As a member of the media I have covered public meetings since 1981.

What do you feel are the city’s most important concerns at this time? For one, the budget. I hate to think of what’s happened to my water bill through the last 20 years. I feel the city needs to carefully contemplate the spending of each dollar of the tax payer’s money. I also feel there should be more communication between the city and the public. It seems many things are done that people only hear about through the rumor mill. I understand there are many issues that cannot be made public, but I’d like to make sure everything that should be made public is made public.