Our town...

"This year a good friend of mine is running to hold the job. I call him a futurist. He calls himself a visionary. I think we are both right."

Sorry. This is not about Grover's Corner in New Hampshire. Nor is it a fictional novel penned by a world class playwright such as Thornton Wilder. It is about a small but growing town on the northwestern outskirts of the Twin Cities. And this tale is not set in the early 1900's. It is based on the early 2000's. It is the town of Andover MN.

Bit of disclosure. This is my town also. I have lived here, out in the woods, for over 30 years. I have watched this town grow up around me. So what does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Simple. I love this town. And as it grows into a much bigger "bedroom community" of 40,000, I want to see that development happen with mission and purpose.

Every two years, Andover elects a new Mayor. This year a good friend of mine is running to hold the job. I call him a futurist. He calls himself a visionary. I think we are both right. Ben Riechers is a man for all seasons when it comes to leading Andover to the next level. I have known Ben for quite a while and I understand where Ben wants to take this town. I know how he wants to use his many years of corporate experience to help to mold the future of Andover.

The current Mayor of Andover is a non-practicing lawyer. Never worked. No corporate experience. And it shows how she works with the staff and council in plotting the direction of the city. Ben on the other hand, has always been "in the thick of things" in the corporate world. He understands collaborative thinking. He understands how teams works. Yet, he also understands leadership. Ben knows how to lead, when leadership is necessary. 

For the past weeks, Ben has been out door knocking, meeting the citizens, introducing himself, and listening to concerns. Did I just say listening? Yes I did. Of all Ben's core strengths, I think his ability to listen is one of his best. Ben epitomizes that old axiom which Will Rogers taught us. We have two ears and one mouth - we should use them in that order. 

That is a lesson our Mayor's position has been missing for the past couple of years. If you live in Andover, please vote for Ben. If you do not and know of someone who does, please encourage them to vote for Ben. I know I will be.