Former clerk-treasurerCathy Hoheisel will challenge former mayor and current council member Duane Lossing at the voting booth on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Both candidates shared their visions for the city and ideas they hope to implement if selected for the city’s leading elected position.
Lossing said his diverse career path has increased his effectiveness as a city official, while Hoheisel outlined her former role managing Babbitt’s budget as a key asset for understanding city operations.
Lossing’s work history includes an oversight position at a high-tech snowmobile company, experience at a family construction business, and several years at Rural Living Environments, a job he said allowed him to be an active parent for his daughter.
“In business we’re trying to make money, in the city we’re trying to save money, and it takes almost the same decisions to do both,” Lossing said.
Hoheisel began her 30-year career with the city in 1993 as a receptionist-typist, climbing the ladder to deputy clerk-treasurer, finance director and then clerk-treasurer.
Hoheisel cited the initial adoption of the Banyon accounting system as among her proudest achievements. Hoheisel said she was instrumental in the set-up process and poured about 100 additional hours into the work, which she was not compensated for as a salaried employee.
Though the mayor runs the meetings, both candidates recognize the role as limited, since the mayor is only one vote on a council of five.
“You’re one vote. There’s five people,” Lossing said. “You run the meeting. You get to be the last vote.”
“The mayor doesn’t have that much more power than a council person, just controlling the meeting,” Hoheisel said.
To help inform city budget decisions, Lossing suggested implementing an asset management tracking system.
“Let’s say I bought a set of lawnmower blades for a lawnmower that was number 500,” Lossing said. “At the end of the season, I know number 500 had $475 worth of parts put into it and 20 man hours to install.”
Hoheisel said she's fielded con cerns from voters about levy increases and how the West Babbitt Development might change the city, but she said property tax increases can only be resolved by a boost in revenue to the city or a decrease in expenditures.
“Those expenditures will just keep going up,” Hoheisel said. “We’ve got to think outside the box to come up with ways to balance that.”
“Let people come here. We need families. We need kids,” Hoheisel said. “Some people want Babbitt to stay status quo. I want Babbitt to be progressive.”
Lossing attributed the levy increase to previous councils, who had set the levy too low for too long.
“When you have the levy set at 3% for so many years, and the cost of living is four and half or something, it’s going to catch up with you,” Lossing said.
To boost the local economy, Hoheisel’s priority would be the industrial park’s establishment and making the process more user-friendly for businesses to set up in Babbitt.
“We just have to zero in on it and say, this is where it’s going to be, and then we can start looking for grants to develop that and put some infrastructure in,” Hoheisel said.
The zoning ordinance, too, needs to be re-written to increase clarity for Babbitt’s citizens, Hoheisel said.
Lossing emphasized Babbitt’s marketing potential to become a hub for visitors, who might decide to become residents.
“Let us be the base camp for your wilderness adventure,” Lossing suggested as a marketing tagline. “We need to market Babbitt for what we are. It’s time we start tooting our horn.”
After 30 years with the city, Hoheisel said there is still much to learn, but she has developed the relationships and knows where to go for answers.
“I’m experienced, dedicated and ready to serve,” Hoheisel said.
Lossing was initially motivated to enter city government because he wanted to change the council’s practice of holding 9 a.m. meetings, which discouraged community involvement.
“I haven’t forgotten who I work for,” Lossing said. “I will continue asking the hard questions, even when it doesn’t make me the most popular person.”
Many early votes have already been cast. Babbitt voters may vote in-person on Election Day at the Babbitt Municipal Center’s City Council Chambers from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
