Nick Sauer Running for Sauk Rapids Mayor

SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- A longtime Sauk Rapids City Council member wants to be the city's next mayor. Nick Sauer has been on the council for 12 years.

He's one of two current council members remaining on the ballot for the open mayoral seat. He was born and raised in Sauk Rapids. He says he wants to make the move to mayor to continue to help the city grow.

He says things like infrastructure, public safety, and housing are always going to be top issues.

Sauer says more partnerships with the school district and the county is something he'd be in favor of.

In the realm of things it's all the same money, we're all using tax money to do better for our citizens and why not pool those resources together? Instead of the city building fields, and the school district building fields, why not pool our money and make something that much better?

Both of the candidates who are running for mayor are on the Mayhew Creek Park Project Committee which has formed partnerships with local organizations and the school district.

Sauer addressed the rental license moratorium that is in place in the city. He says he's not opposed to rental properties and he doesn't want to completely stop all rentals, but he says there has to be a balance.

That's the thought, per block. We're reaching out to see what other cities have done and I think we're kind of going towards what Winona has done, you can only have a certain percentage of rentals in an area.

As for development in downtown Sauk Rapids, Sauer says it really is whatever someone wants to bring in to the city and he's open to ideas. He says he feels the city needs to market itself better to let developers know that there are some opportunities available downtown.

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Sauer says residents should consider voting for him because he has experience not only sitting on the council for 12 years but also being appointed as acting mayor for the last six years.

Listen to the conversation below.