Ron Johnson files for Bemidji’s Ward 1 election – Bemidji Pioneer
BEMIDJI — Longtime councilman Ron Johnson, who represents District 3 on Bemidji City Council but is unable to run for his current seat due to a reallocation, has run as a candidate in the upcoming District 1 election.
“My residence was recently moved out of Ward 3 and I now reside in Ward 1,” Johnson explained.
Johnson, a lifelong resident of Bemidji, has represented Ward 3 on the city council since he was first elected in 2000.
“My years on the council have been extremely rewarding and I believe my leadership has had a positive impact on Bemidji and the surrounding area,” he said.
A 1968 graduate of Bemidji High School and a 1975 graduate of Bemidji State University, Johnson also holds degrees from Alexandria Technical College and the Brown Institute of Minneapolis. He is Design and Promotions Manager at Lakeland PBS in Bemidji, a position he has held for the past 43 years.
Johnson believes his experience on the City Council, its committees and as the city’s representative on two statewide organizations makes him an excellent choice for a District 1 candidate.
“I represent Bemidji on several committees, including the Bemidji Regional Airport Authority and the Headwaters Regional Development Commission,” Johnson said, adding that he has served on both committees since 2001 and currently serves as vice chairman and vice president, respectively.
“I also represent Bemidji on two prominent statewide organizations: the League of Minnesota Cities and the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities,” he shared.
Both organizations have members from cities across the state and focus on legislative advocacy. Johnson currently serves as President of the LMC and has served on the CGMC Board of Directors since 2005.
In addition, Johnson is a former adjunct faculty member at BSU and was honored as an Outstanding Alumni of Bemidji State University in 2010.
Johnson also served 10 years in the Minnesota Army National Guard as a member of a local Bemidji unit and received an honorable discharge in 1979.
He has been married to his wife Carol for 40 years and has one daughter, Jennifer, who is a music teacher in Aitkin, Minn.
The special election for District 1 will take place on Tuesday 11th April and was called by the City Council now that General Councilwoman Audrey Thayer has vacated the seat for her current position. Johnson also ran for the at-large seat in the November general election, but lost to Thayer.
Gwenia Fiskevold Gould is the only other candidate who has applied so far. The registration period for the election began on January 31st and runs until February 14th.
