Ed Potzler's hoping the second time's the charm for a run at a seat on the Mitchell City Council.
Potzler, 68, is the latest of five candidates who filed their nominating petitions by Thursday morning, well in advance of the March 28 deadline. And Potzler, who lost by a 77-23 percent margin to longtime Councilman Marty Barington in 2015, currently faces no official challenger for the seat on the eight-person board.
"Well, if I don't run against anybody, I think I have a good chance," Potzler said.
The expiring term is held by Councilman Dan Allen, who has sat on the council since 2006, with a brief break when he moved from Ward 2 to Ward 3 in 2014. Allen said he took out a petition to run for re-election in the northeastern section of town, but he had not yet filed a nominating petition with the required 50 signatures to the Mitchell Finance Office.
Despite Allen's decision to run for re-election, which he confirmed after The Daily Republic interviewed Potzler, his challenger hopes to bring a voice to a group he believes has felt voiceless by the current council. He expressed his intent, if elected, to listen to all voters in Ward 3 and to consider their input.
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Potzler said he also wants to bring a "conservative" mindset to the council, questioning city decisions to raise water rates, approve an $8 million aquatic center and continue to funnel funds into the Corn Palace. He also is looking to represent his fellow retirees in Mitchell, a town he said is becoming "very expensive for the retired person."
As of Thursday morning, Potzler joined Ward 1 Councilman Steve Rice, Ward 2 candidate Tara Volesky and Ward 4 Councilwoman Susan Tjarks and candidate Sue Bennett to seek office in the June 6 election. Other candidates, Clay Loneman in Ward 1 and John Doescher in Ward 2, have expressed an intent to run for City Council but had not filed formal petitions as of Thursday morning.
