St. Cloud’s Next Steps: What Happens to Councilman Jake Anderson’s Seat After Mayoral Win?

(KNSI) – Now that St. Cloud City Councilman Jake Anderson has been elected mayor, what will happen to his council seat?

Current Mayor Dave Kleis told KNSI News the city’s charter spells out the procedure, starting with the winner resigning from the council. “After the resignation, they would declare a vacancy. Thirty days from that period of time, they have an opportunity to fill the seat. So the council would fill the seat. If they were not able to select in 30 days, then it would be the mayor’s choice.”

It could be this current council making the appointment or the next council when they meet in January.

The person who is appointed will fill out the rest of Anderson’s two-year term. He represents St. Clouds’ Third Ward, but that doesn’t mean his replacement will be from the same neighborhood. “The charter does not stipulate that requirement, and there is no requirement for that. That may be a decision that the council would weigh. All the charter says is it must be a voter from the city of St. Cloud.”

Anderson will be St. Cloud’s first new mayor in 20 years. He will replace the city’s longest-serving mayor, Kleis, who announced his retirement in April.

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