Councilmember challenges incumbent in mayoral race

Mayoral elections are on the horizon for the city of St. Joseph, and current city councilmember Kelly Beniek is looking to unseat incumbent Mayor Rick Schultz, who has held the position for the past 12 years.

Schultz, a resident of St. Joseph with his family for 38 years, has won the past six mayoral elections, each consisting of two-year terms. Beniek, who moved to St. Joseph 32 years ago with her husband, Paul, an IT manager at CSB+SJU, started working in the St. Joseph government two years ago when she was elected to the city council. Day-of elections take place on Nov. 8 at Heritage Hall, the St. Joseph Government Center and Resurrection Lutheran Church. On-campus Bennies and off-campus Johnnies living in St. Joe can vote in the election.

**Kelly Beniek**

After serving as a member of the St. Joseph City Council for the past two years, Beniek is hoping to be in a new position in the city government after next week’s elections: mayor.

Some of her goals include crafting a mission and vision statement for the city, making the government center a more welcoming place for community members and getting CSB+SJU students more involved in the city. She is running against incumbent Schultz.

“I am not a politician, but I think as I saw things in talking with more of the community, I think it was time,” Beniek said. “I have nothing against Rick. He has done some amazing things in the city, but it’s been 12 years and I say, ‘Why not?’ It’s the democratic process for us to be able to do that, and I think it’s time.”

If elected, one of Beniek’s initial goals is to meet with city councilmembers to establish a relationship with them. The mayoral position in St. Joseph is a weak mayorship, meaning the mayor has no more voting power than any member of the city council. Then, a large part of her plan involves collaboration with CSB+SJU students. She proposed having students attend city council meetings to voice their concerns and build community, along with providing internships with the city to enable students to experience working in a government setting.

“Of course, I have my ideas, but I’m sure the students have their ideas. How do they want to be involved? How would they like to see being more involved in the city?” Beniek said. “I think it’s great that they are utilizing our business areas, but there’s more to you guys than that.”

Beniek met with CSB+SJU President Brian Bruess to introduce herself as a candidate and to set the stage for potential future conversations. She said students are an essential part of the St. Joseph community.

“I think the biggest thing is I just want the students to realize that they are important to this city, and not just because of a pocketbook, but because of their diversity, because of their talents, because of what they can bring to the table,” Beniek said.

During her time on the city council, Beniek has requested that the fire chief and the police chief attend city council meetings due to their importance to the community. She also started a process to offer onboarding for new city council members.

“I got into running for council two years ago because I have enjoyed this community,” Beniek said. “I’ve enjoyed raising kids here. I’ve loved the college, and so I just thought it would be the perfect opportunity to do something.”

For Beniek, strengthening the relationship between St. Joseph and the schools, which two of her children attended, is key.

“I’m a mama bear. I loved it that my children chose this school,” Beniek said. “I think [students] should vote for me because I’m transparent. I hope that they look at me as a family member. You guys are family to me. This is a part of me.”

**Rick Schultz**

For the past 12 years, Schultz has served as the mayor of St. Joseph, home to almost all Bennies and some off-campus Johnnies. He hopes that after next week’s elections, his tenure will extend to 14 years for a total of seven two-year terms.

This time around, some of Schultz’s goals include providing more youth activities, improving trails throughout the city and growing the relationship between CSB+SJU and the city of St. Joseph. Current city councilmember Beniek is running against Schultz for the position.

“I’m running for mayor because it’s a great job,” Schultz said. “It’s humbling yet one of the most rewarding experiences anybody will ever go through, and I think we’ve had a good track record under my leadership. We’re doing really well.”

His plans if elected include promoting a baseball camp in the city and pushing for more trails that “connect the dots” for easier transportation and recreation. Additionally, Schultz said he hopes to help grow interaction between CSB+SJU students and St. Joe residents. Students working with the Lions Club and volunteering with senior citizens in St. Joe were some things he said students could do, while he said he aims to increase St. Joe residents’ awareness of events at the schools and access to the libraries. He met with Bruess to discuss this earlier in the school year.

“[President Bruess] and I kind of agree on how to break down the barriers between the colleges and the city, so that it’s not the college and the city, but it’s a big community where residents will feel comfortable coming on campus to use the library or to go to events and college kids maybe feel more comfortable coming to our events or participating with some of the senior communities,” Schultz said.

During his time as mayor, Schultz has overseen the construction of a new administrative building. He also helped the city get a $1.24 million state grant to help build an industrial park.

Trobec’s busing has since housed their buses at the location, and Schultz hopes other businesses follow suit in using the area. St. Joseph has also been one of the safest cities in Minnesota during Schultz’s tenure. Action is something Schultz said is important to him and is one reason why he initially ran for mayor back in 2010.

“My perception [of the city government then] was of analysis paralysis, where people would evaluate things but not really make any decisions,” Schultz said. “It wouldn’t move forward very much, so I ran on a platform that moves the needle a little bit to start planning a little better, making decisions to try to grow the city and try and show people that we’re a growing community.”

Before being elected mayor, Schultz served a two-year term on the St. Joseph City Council. For him, St. Joseph is home.

“I know my neighbors. You can walk downtown and everybody will recognize me, and we’ll wave at each other,” Schultz said. “We get along and work together really well.”

Schultz hopes to get St. Joe residents’ votes on Election Day.

“Being mayor is a humbling, but very rewarding position,” Schultz said. “I serve at the pleasure of the people, and I enjoy what I do. I think I’m very lucky to have been mayor as long as I have, and I appreciate their vote and their confidence in me.”