gaylordhub.com

A two-year term as Gaylord Mayor is up for grabs in the November 4th general election. Vying for the post are incumbent Doug Quast and former Gaylord Mayor John Schwartz.

Both candidates recently responded to a questionnaire distributed by The Gaylord Hub. Below are summaries of their responses.

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DOUG QUAST

Life-long Gaylord area resident Doug Quast, who was elected the City’s Mayor in 2004, is seeking the post for a third straight term.

Quast, who also served on Gaylord’s City Council for ten years, said he is running for reelection because of change. Change is going to happen if you plan for it or not, Quast explained. He wants to help the City of Gaylord plan for change and be a part of the decision making process.

According to Quast, change itself can and will determine the future of Gaylord. And, the City needs to be proactive so it can guide and direct change for the betterment of the community, he explained.

Depending on how they are handled, Quast said he views challenges facing the City as opportunities. He believes there are numerous opportunities for the town. The challenge now is prioritizing the City’s needs and opportunities, and finding funding resources for implementation.

Quast said his people and communication skills will enable him to continue to represent Gaylord in a positive fashion. He said he tries to lead by example and expects the same from the people he works with. “I’m a strong leader and confident in my abilities,” Quast said. “I’m proud to serve the residents of Gaylord and want to make sure residents are proud of their community and its quality of life.”

Quast, and his wife Connie of 35 years, have four adult children and four grandchildren. He works for Parker Hannifin as an Industry Market Manager.

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JOHN SCHWARTZ

Schwartz served as Gaylord’s Mayor for nearly two decades. He retired from the position four years ago.

According to Schwartz, the budget is the biggest challenge facing the City today. He said a lot of people in Gaylord are on a fixed income and cannot afford all the things that the City is doing and continue to eat.

Schwartz believes the City should try to put together a budget for the next ten years and stick to it. All requests for money for new projects should be studied very carefully and with a cut somewhere else, Schwartz explained.

According to Schwartz, some of the decisions of the City were not in the interest of the public as a whole. He believes many of these decisions were made with not much attention paid to the public through petitions and town meetings.

Schwartz believes he is qualified to serve as Mayor because of his past experience in leading the City. He also listed his military background and 27 years as a chemical dependency counselor for Sibley County as qualifications that will help him serve as Mayor of Gaylord.

Schwartz and his wife Karlyn have lived in Gaylord since 1975. They have four adult children and five grandsons.