Have you help a school board position in the past? Yes, the last 4 years
What do you consider the most important part of this job? To provide the best education for our children, while remaining financially responsible.
What particular strengths of experience do you bring to the position that you believe will help you do a good job? In the last 4 years I have had the opportunity to attend multiple conferences, including NRHEG School District Strategic planning conference, and most recently a State Special Education Funding conference on how Special Education directly impacts our district. Being a stay-at-home mom, I have had time to devote to administration and public concerns.
What do you feel are the school district’s most import concerns at this time? I feel we need a more secured entrance at the Ellendale building. More classrooms in the Ellendale building would provide for a more enriched learning. In the high school, I would like to see more college based learning classes.
Ellendale City Council
Name: Scott Groth
Age: 55
Family: Wife Joni, Alison and Chad, Whitney, Abe and Ashley; 3 grandchildren Cloe, Wyatt, and Aidyn
How long have you lived in the area? Long time
What is your occupation or profession? Owner, Floors 4-U
Have you held a city government position in the past? Yes. Council member 1998-2000, Mayor 2000-2004; Council member again 2010-present
What do you consider the most important part of this job? Need to listen, consider all sides, what are the benefits on your decisions, try to hold taxes and spending to a minimum.
What particular strengths or experience do you bring to the position, that you believe will help you do a good job? The years of serving both on City Council and the School Board teaches you how to listen and make good and sometimes tough decisions.
What do you feel are the city’s most important concerns at this time?
–Street repair – promoting our housing department and I would like to see us do more for the youth in Ellendale.
Ellendale City Council
Name: Steve Hackett
Age: 55
Family: Wife, 2 children, 4 grandchildren
How long have you lived in the area? Thirty years
What is your occupation or profession? Retired Union iron worker
Have you held a city government position in the past? No
What do you consider the most important part of this job? Honesty; openness; truthfulness and integrity. To lead by example to speak up and voice the citizens’ opinions when necessary.
What particular strengths or experience do you bring to the position, that you believe will help you do a good job? The ability to provide all of the aforementioned qualities of the previous question.
What do you feel are the city’s most important concerns at this time?
1. Municipal Liquor Store’s lack of revenue creation for the city. It does not reach its potential.
2. Street Maintenance needs improvement – neglected for too long.
3. Animal control issues
Ellendale City Council
Name: Jeff Howe
Age: 38
Family: Angela Blouin; children Nash Howe, Aryanna Howe, Kayla Sikel, Jacob Sikel (not living)
How long have you lived in the area? Since 2001
What is your occupation or profession? Truck driver
Have you held a city government position in the past? No
What do you consider the most important part of this job? Doing what’s right for the people of this community.
What particular strengths or experience do you bring to the position, that you believe will help you do a good job? I speak up and I am strong willed to say what needs to be said and done.
What do you feel are the city’s most important concerns at this time? Taxes are too high. Infrastructure.
Ellendale City Council
Name: Stephanie Lageson Kibler
Age: 51
Family: I have two adult children, Matthew and Jessica, and a beautiful granddaughter, Kyriana, who loves to visit Ellendale. My significant other, Pete Paulson and I share a home in Ellendale. Pete also spent many years as a child in Ellendale with parents Millie and Al Paulson.
How long have you lived in the area? I was born and raised in Ellendale. My parents were Stan and Pearl Lageson. I returned to the community three years ago.
What is your occupation or profession? I am self-employed and owner of Moebius Education, specializing in program development, continuing education, communication and public relations for health and human services, as well as elementary and secondary education. The mission of Moebius Education is to promote life-long learning, not only for professionals but for community members, as a result, enhancing social involvement and inclusion, active citizenship, and personal growth and development, while promoting self-sustainability. I have organized several free community forums in Ellendale raging from sex trafficking to synthetic drug abuse to the importance of affirmations. I have had the opportunity to provide this service statewide for the past 15 years and am extremely proud of the impact life-long learning has on Minnesota as a whole.
Have you held a city government position in the past? No
What do you consider the most important part of this job? To provide input on creating a clear vision of what Ellendale will look like in the future. I look forward to working as a team to create a plan that will develop the people and businesses that make up our community.
What particular strengths or experience do you bring to the position, that you believe will help you do a good job? I bring more than 15 years experience working with city, county and state governments. 20 plus years experience in meeting planning and continuing education, including managing a ½ million dollar budget, volunteer management or more than 200 people, coordination of one of the largest statewide conferences attracting close to 3000 people.
What do you feel are the city’s most important concerns at this time?
1. Economic development, revitalizing “main street.”
2. City image – cleaning up properties that are rundown, abandoned; working with the media to highlight the positive attributes of the city.
3. Infrastructure – road improvements.
Ellendale Mayor
Name: Mark Skroch
Age: 80 years
Family: Wife (Gail), Daughter and Son-In-Law (Suzanne and Paul Larkin), Son and Daughter-In-Law (Dave and DeAnna), four granddaughters (Mikaela, Madison, Sydney and Sarah)
How long have you lived in the area? 55 years
What is your occupation or profession? Currently retired; worked as an educator for 39 years (Music instructor)
Have you held a city position in the past? I served as Mayor of the City of Ellendale for 28 years. I left office in the year 2000.
What do you consider the most important part of this job? There are many aspects of mayoral duties that are important. Leadership on issues that effect our citizens. Being very prudent and judicious in budget planning and spending. My philosophy as good public policy is the benefit must justify the cost. Public bodies have to remember we’re spending our citizens’ money.
What particular strengths or experience do you bring to the position that you believe will help you do a good job? After serving as Mayor in the past for several years, I understand budgeting and planning. We as a council have to have a good understanding at entitlement and discretion on spending. I’m always concerned about the ability of our citizens to pay increases in taxes and fees.
What do you feel are the city’s most important concerns at this time? I feel that we must be careful in planning. That with our current bonded indebtedness, that the city can keep our infrastructure, public safety, etc., in good shape without going prohibitively further in debt.
Ellendale Mayor
Name: Roger Swearingen
Age: 67
Family: Wife Caren and seven children; 9 grandsons; 2 granddaughters; 2 granddogs
How long have you lived in the area? All my life
What is your occupation or profession? Retired 20 years Air Force; retired City of Ellendale maintenance supervisor
Have you held a city government position in the past? Yes
What do you consider the most important part of this job? Serving the City of Ellendale to try and move forward such as street repair/water infrastructure. The young people of Ellendale are very important to me – they’re our future.
What particular strengths or experience do you bring to the position that you believe will help you do a good job? I’ve lived here all my life. During my city position as maintenance and emergency management director I’ve received for the city over $300,000 in grants for improvements to water/sewer and storm sewer. Recently received a grant to clean up a burned out house in Ellendale.
What do you feel are the city’s most important concerns at this time? The most important thing right now is the infrastructure. Our streets are 30 years old and need to be improved. We’re working on quite a few projects right now.
