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BEMIDJI 鈥� Incumbent Bemidji City Councilors Gwenia Fiskevold Gould and Ron Johnson are running head-to-head for the Ward 1 seat on the council.

Gwenia Fiskevold Gould, 36, is the Ward 1 incumbent, having won the seat on the city council in a special election in April 2023.

She is the Director of Annual Giving at BSU and decided to run for city council because she believes it is crucial to step up if you have something to offer your community.

"With my background in community engagement and fresh perspective, I saw an opportunity to bring my collaborative working style and offer a new generation of leadership," Fiskevold Gould said.

She currently serves as the council representative for the Bemidji Parks and Recreation Commission and the Community and Police Advisory Board, and is on the Bemidji Area United Way Investment Cabinet.

Fiskevold Gould believes the two main issues facing the city of Bemidji are public safety and housing.

"As a renter who would like to buy a home in this neighborhood, I know how challenging it is for anyone of any income level to find homes available," she said.

To address these issues, Fiskevold Gould wants to see the council bring in more state and federal funding to relieve the tax burden on its residents.

"In my first year and a half on the council, we have begun addressing our housing shortage by approving workforce housing and a senior living cooperative, updated our rental ordinances and increased funding to build retention in our police department, but there is still more work to be done," Fiskevold Gould said.

About the candidate

• Age: 36
• Residence: Has lived in Bemidji for 5 years
• Education: Has a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
• Occupation: Director of Annual Giving at the Bemidji State University Alumni and Foundation

Ron Johnson, 74, is the current council representative for Ward 3, a position he is unable to run for again due to the redistricting in 2022.

Johnson has represented Ward 3 since 2000 and his current term ends this year.

He retired in 2023 from Lakeland PBS and previously served 10 years in the Minnesota Army National Guard.

During his time on the council, Johnson has served on several committees and as president of the board of directors for both the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities and the League of Minnesota Cities.

Johnson said he wants to continue to be involved in city council because 鈥淏emidji is experiencing tremendous growth and with that growth comes many opportunities and also some challenges.鈥�

If elected, he will focus on three areas: improving public safety by fully funding the city鈥檚 police and fire departments, working with community partners to address Bemidji鈥檚 housing shortage and growing Bemidji鈥檚 economy to provide better-paying jobs.

As a homeowner in Bemidji, Johnson said he is committed to keeping local property taxes in check and believes these goals can be accomplished without increasing property taxes.

鈥淚 am extremely proud of the many accomplishments I have helped the council achieve during my nearly 24 years on the Bemidji City Council,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚 believe I have the leadership skills, experience, connections and 鈥榗ommon sense鈥� to continue moving Bemidji in a positive direction.鈥�

About the candidate

• Age: 74
• Residence: Lifelong Bemidji resident
• Education: Has a bachelor's degree from BSU and degrees from Alexandria Technical College and Brown College in Minneapolis
• Occupation: Retired Promotions and Design Manager at Lakeland PBS