Chanhassen to elect a new mayor, two new council members

Changes in city government are ahead in Chanhassen, where a new mayor and two new council members will be elected in November.

Three candidates are running for mayor, succeeding Tom Furlong, who was first elected in 2002.

Council Member and Deputy Mayor Denny Laufenburger said that, if elected, he would work to prepare for continued residential and commercial growth in the city.

"Infrastructure must keep ahead of demand. Roads, trails, water and sewer … must be carefully and responsibly planned to accommodate growth that we know is coming," he added.

Former Council Member Mark Senn said he can bring "new leadership, a new perspective and a fresh set of eyes" to city government. He believes there has been a lack of leadership in preserving natural resources in the community, primarily lakes. He also said local government needs more transparency, and the city needs to keep spending in check.

George Murray said he is not actively campaigning but has his name on the mayoral ballot to get exposure for the next election.

Peter Adolphson, one of eight City Council candidates, said if elected, he would be an advocate for small-business owners. "I want to bring back transparency to the way our city government functions," he added.

Jim Boettcher, who serves on the Chanhassen Parks & Recreation Commission and Carver County Park Commission, said major issues include Hwy. 61 corridor development and future plans for well and water treatment plants.

Dan Campion, who currently serves on the Planning Commission, said the city needs to address drinking water scarcity, protect lakes from invasive species and attract new businesses to reduce the tax burden on residents.

Brad Karels also said high taxes are an issue. "I believe the first order of business is to carefully examine our city's expenditures to root out the unnecessary and seek maximum value in all other areas," he said.

Michael Leonard, a longtime resident and business owner in Chanhassen, said that often the council "seems to go along with whatever the administration wants." He said he would like to see the council become an advocate for people and businesses in the community.

Elise Ryan, a parks and recreation commissioner, said the city needs to have a balanced approach to growth to keep Chanhassen "a premier suburb vs. the trend of becoming an urban center."