There are two candidates vying for the Orono mayor’s seat: challenger Bob Tuneheim and incumbent Dennis Walsh.
Each candidate in contested races was asked the same set of questions by the Patriot, and were asked to limit their responses to 100 words or less. Unedited responses from the candidates can be found below.
Early voting in Minnesota opened on Sept. 20, and Election Day is Nov. 5. Find your local polling place online at pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/
Question 1: What prompted you to seek election (or re-election) to office?
Bob Tuneheim: Strong encouragement from a number of community members convinced me it’s time to bring positive, ethical leadership to Orono City Hall. As Chair of the Orono School Board for 7 of my 13 years of service, I’m able to do that. The current administration has lost the trust of our citizens and has isolated us from virtually all of our neighboring communities, embroiled us in needless and embarrassing legal battles, and through reckless spending, has doubled our debt and raised our taxes by 80%. I will use my skill-set to restore civility, fiscal responsibility and data-driven decision-making in our city.