Local Election Debates
Local Candidates Debate Growth, Infrastructure, and Leadership Across Multiple Municipal Forums
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Kendall County Board District 1 candidate Brad Chamberlin said the Yorkville data center debate motivated his first campaign, and he wants neighboring governments to share standards for assessing major developments’ effects on water, power, traffic and infrastructure. In Moorhead, city council candidates discussed growth, infrastructure, walkability, sustainability and economic development, while mayoral candidates focused on long-term planning, core services and the costs of expansion. At a Laredo mayoral forum, incumbent Trevino cited investments in water and infrastructure, while challengers Cigarroa and Casso called for stronger planning and accountability; Casso also criticized spending and permitting delays. Albany County sheriff candidates Aaron Appelhans and Daron Wyatt both emphasized trust and leadership, differing on organizational support and employee accountability, and discussed emergency-response coordination.
Key Points
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Chamberlin proposed a shared checklist for major developments that would include what happens to the land if a project stalls and require developers to pay for traffic and infrastructure studies. He said this could help smaller governments avoid negotiating alone against developers’ legal teams.
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Moorhead council candidate Heather Nesemeier suggested continuing city efforts such as replacing turf with native plantings and offering community-garden grants; she also said the city should work with county and state governments to improve access to childcare. Chris Snyder advocated exploring solar and wind power.
3
Moorhead mayoral candidate Lisa Borgen said a third fire station on the city’s south side is included in the strategic plan, but the city must determine how to pay for it. The forum also came days after candidate Craig Whaley’s Sept. 11 DWI arrest.
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In Laredo, challenger Cigarroa called for a public accountability dashboard and said future water sources should be quantified for sustainability and affordability before the city commits to them. She also criticized the city’s handling of a failed $417 million bond proposal.
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Albany County sheriff challenger Daron Wyatt said regular employee evaluations should be part of the sheriff’s office and described the sheriff’s role in coordinating fire, EMS and search-and-rescue teams through the incident command system during major emergencies.
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