St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis Not Running for Re-election

Originally published April 19th, 2024 8:17 a.m

Updated April 19th, 2024 10:07 a.m.

(KNSI) — St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis announced Friday that he will not run for re-election in November after 20 years in office.

At a press conference, he said, “In January of 2025, I look forward to being able to raise my hand and swear in a new mayor for the city of St. Cloud. I will not be seeking re-election this year.”

Kleis ran for mayor for the first time in 1989 but said it wasn’t his time. He came in seventh out of eight candidates. He explained that he had 750 yard signs posted around town, but he got 96 votes in the end.

He was elected to the state senate in 1995 and then elected mayor in 2005, defeating incumbent John Ellenbecker. Kleis ran for re-election unopposed several times but did get challengers in 2020 and defeated Steven Schiller in the general election. He said others running for mayor will be a great opportunity for them and also for the citizens.

Afterward, Kleis told KNSI News he was close to handing it off in 2020, but said it really would have been the wrong time. “You had a challenging situation where, I’d hate to have someone have to come into that situation, especially virtually, because that’s about what it was.”

As for why he is announcing it six and a half months before the election, he said he wanted to give the candidates enough time. “I want to give an opportunity for people to come forward, I’ve been encouraging people for 19 years to run for mayor and to really get some great leadership,” equating it to hiring a CEO. “If you look at a business, you’ve got an over $120 million budget, over 460 employees operating here and you’re hiring the CEO. We’re a unique system of government, it’s one of only four cities that have a strong mayor system in the in the state. So it’s an opportunity for people to vet the candidates and give an opportunity for someone that’s willing to serve, and for the voters an opportunity to make that hiring decision, which they’ll have.”

Kleis explained when many people make the decision to move on from where they’re at, they check out, but he said he will be checking in probably more than he already does and “I’ll be supportive in every way I can. I still love St. Cloud, and I’ll still be in service in some way, but in the private sector.” Kleis is the owner of Central Minnesota Driving Academy.

Kleis reflected on his decision and said he felt good about where the city is being left for a new leader to come in and take over. “I’ve had the opportunity to hire and promote every single person in leadership in the city, they are among the top; the finest of the finest of the best of the best. When it comes to public safety, which is our top priority, we have absolutely the best of the best, we’ve got great leadership in all those positions. And we’re on financially strong footing, but it is time for to for new leadership.”

He says service has been a part of his whole life, having enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, and he calls servant leadership the most important thing to him.

He also announced Friday a change to the city charter, moving elections to an odd year, citing many residents don’t vote for local at large seats in major election years. Kleis is asking for another change by eliminating the at-large seats and moving to all wards. Currently, St. Cloud has four wards and three at large seats. The switch would create seven wards with one rep each.

Those changes must be approved by the Charter Commission.

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