A crowded field of seven is running for mayor this year in Coon Rapids, where incumbent Tim Howe is not seeking re-election after 12 years in office.
The primary Aug. 12 will narrow the pool of candidates to two for the Nov. 4 general election.
The seven people seeking to succeed Howe are two council members, Jerry Koch and Ron Manning, plus Ted Schmolke, Ronald R. Bradley, Phil Rosar, Jerry Pierce and Eric Sykes.
Howe, 57, first was elected mayor in 2002, beating out six other candidates. He also served as a City Council member from 1992 to 1999.
"I've done it for a long time. I felt it was time to let somebody else step up," said Howe, who works in the building materials and house industry.
Asked about some of the accomplishments during his tenure, Howe said he helped the city ride out the financial crisis that included dramatic cuts in state aid to cities.
"We took one of the biggest hits in the state when our local government aid was cut close to $4 million. We kept moving forward as best we could," he said.
He and the council also focused on neighborhood improvements, creating the "Homes For Generations" initiative, which provides grant money to private homeowners undergoing large-scale remodels.
