With Kleis Not Running, Here are Five Qualities the Next St. Cloud Mayor Should Have

For nearly 20 years, Dave Kleis has served as mayor of St. Cloud. But with his recent announcement he won't run for another term, it means St. Cloud will need to find a new leader.

Here are some qualities I'm looking for in the next mayor of St. Cloud:

LISTENS AND ENGAGES

Whoever the people elect needs to not only listen to their constituents during the campaign, but throughout their term in office. Mayor Kleis has done a masterful job of engaging with residents by holding literally hundreds of listening sessions or town halls. The next mayor will need to continue engaging with constituents, be accessible and hear them out. After all, residents are the mayor's boss.

FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE

St. Cloud is a thrifty town. We want a bang for our bucks -- especially when it comes to taxes, building projects and improvements. We want the nice things -- but we want good value for our time and money. The new mayor will need to have a vision for the city, but will also need to watch out for residents' wallets.

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HAS COMMON SENSE

The new mayor needs to be a pragmatist. They need to understand there are many viewpoints on any given subject. After all, the new mayor will need to find concensus among residents in a time when "Team Red versus Team Blue" threatens to tear us apart.

IS A SUPERFAN

No one has been a bigger supporter of St. Cloud than Mayor Kleis. Whether he was a goodwill ambassador in Spalt, Germany or pushing for St. Cloud's interests at the State Capitol, he was always extolling the virtues of living and doing business in the Granite City. The next mayor needs to love the city, too.  Being a committed cheerleader goes with this job.

HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR

No one wants a stiff leading them. The next mayor needs to be able to laugh and joke and be willing to be the butt of a joke or two. That quality will serve them well in a time when people are crankier than ever and fuses are sometimes very short.

How has Dave Kleis scored on this list of qualities? Pretty well. The next mayor will have some big shoes to fill and for that we say, "Thank you, Mayor Kleis."