HURON — Huron voters will head to the ballot box on Tuesday - those who haven’t already voted by absentee ballot or through the mail - to elect a new member, either Rich Bragg or Drew Weinreis, to the Huron City Council. It is the only active election on the ballot, as there are no primaries in either the Democratic or Republican parties and races for Huron Mayor and a seat on the Huron School Board saw one candidate in each.
Beadle County Auditor Jill Hanson reminds voters that June 2’s voting will take place at the Madison 2-3 Center, on Idaho Avenue SE in Huron, between 16th and 18th Street. The polling station will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and those voting in person are encouraged to take COVID-19 safety precautions and to observe social distancing in any wait lines.
Current Huron City Commissioner Gary Harrington was the lone candidate to put his hat in the ring for the Mayor’s seat, after current Mayor Paul Aylward chose not to seek another term. Bragg and Weinreis are running for Harrington’s seat on the commission.
Likewise, Huron School Board member Shelly Siemonsma was the only person to file a petition for the seat she currently holds on the board of education.
Let’s get to know the Huron City Commission candidates a bit better.
Drew Weinreis is a 32-year-old who grew up in Huron and graduated from Huron High School, where he was active in the Huron Youth Advisory Council and was the first student elected to the school board. Since then he has participated in Leadership Huron, is a member of the Huron Chamber and Visitors Bureau’s Ambassadors committee, which promotes local business and provides resources and sits on the board for the area Junior Achievement organization. He works in Member Services at Dakotaland Federal Credit Union.
Rich Bragg is 42-years old, is married (Jen) and the couple has two children an 11-year-old son and a nine-year-old daughter. Bragg is originally from St. Paul, by way of Chicago, and came to Huron in 2005, when his family looked to expand its Slumberland Furniture footprint. He has served as the Huron Chamber and Visitors Bureau’s board chairman, its president and past president. He is now a member of the Greater Huron Development Corporation board of directors and is also a member of the BID board.
Plainsman: Why did you decide to run for City Commission?
Bragg: I have really enjoyed the opportunities that there are for people to get involved. Those chances exist in a big city, but they feel much more available here. I find my involvement with the different boards all very rewarding. Huron is our home. We are staying here and since we are, why not get involved and be in a position to give back by making a difference on the front lines.
Weinreis: My main reason for running is to be a beacon and and to inspire the next generation of people in Huron to get involved. I want to be a voice for all citizens and taxpayers of Huron and feel that my life, my training and my work have all helped me prepare for this. I enjoy helping people and the challenge of gathering information, determining the problem and working to find a solution that is most beneficial.
Plainsman: What talents would you bring to the commission, if elected?
Weinreis: I feel that I am a very good listener. In my position in Member Services, we work with a wide range of needs, requests and emotions. I feel that I am good at listening to those needs and then that I can be innovative in solving those problems. Sometimes you have to think outside the box. These are great attributes, I feel, to help the city continue to grow in the trying times ahead.
Many people have told me that is is the first time they are voting, because I am running, Several others don’t really know how government works at the city level. So, educating the citizens is on the list of wants as well.
Bragg: I bring a wealth of experience, serving on the different boards and committees in town. There will certainly be a monumental amount of things to learn, but I feel my experience working with the city on other boards has me prepared. My past involvement is an asset.
I also bring a business owner’s perspective. We have great leaders, but it has been awhile since there has been a small business owner - a retail business owner - on the commission. As an owner, you never really clock out. You think about the next day, having enough staff, protecting that staff in these strange times, taking good care of my business. The ability to find a way to just make it work will be good.
Plainsman: Tell the voters why you are the best choice for Huron City Commission.
Bragg: I know I am repeating what I said before, but my experience as a leader in every capacity helps me every day. I have taken the responsibility and that lead. A commissioner is one person and government is a team game; it takes a team. I feel that I am ready to take that next step.
Weinreis: I feel that I am the best choice because I wish to serve on behalf of my town. I have the problem solving experience and ability to innovate. I have the leadership skill and I bring the attitude of How do We do it better for the citizens, without raising taxes.
These are trying times for our city, state and nation. But Huron has been remarkable. We have come together. I want to be the person who helps lead Huron into the times ahead by growing our community and our businesses, which will increase our tax base and make things better for all of us.
