New St. Cloud Council Members Faced Tough First Meeting

(KNSI) – Three members of the St. Cloud City Council were sworn in Monday, and their first taste of the job was a three-and-a-half-hour meeting.

Public hearings on hot-button issues surrounding homeless shelters were on the docket. One of the new members is Tami Calhoun. She explained afterward to KNSI News that she was well prepared for the subject.

“I have worked with the temporary shelter facilities in the past…and the letters that we received as a council in support of Lincoln Center were many people that I’ve worked with and respect. So, I knew this was going to be a tough night and a long night.”

Calhoun says she felt comfortable throughout the meeting. She describes herself as curious and attentive, which she believes are two qualities that make her a natural fit for the role.

Calhoun is using some of the lessons learned during the campaign to influence her long-range goals when tackling big issues like homeless shelters. “As I was doing door-knocking, I came upon many homes that were group homes, and from the outside, you would never guess it was a group home. They’re very well taken care of, and there are staff on site…I’d like to see more of those to fill the need.”

Joining Calhoun in the freshman class are Mark Johnson and Scott Brodeen. Hudda Ibrahim was sworn in to fill the seat of now-mayor Jake Anderson in December 2024.

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