1.2 Consider Appointment to Fill Council Vacancy

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January 10, 2024 To: Pequot Lakes City council members I am writing to express my interest in the open council seat vacated by Mrs. Seils. considered running for election at the 2022 election, but didn't feel the time was quite right for me to fully commit to the position and decided to wait a couple years. I grew up in Aitkin, MN, but I have lived in this area for the last 24 years. I previously lived in Nisswa and Lake Shore, then we moved to Pequot Lakes in 2018. 1 am married with 2 children who have always attended Pequot Lakes school, our son will be graduating this spring and our daughter is in 9th grade this year. I have been involved in this community in different aspects, including coaching youth sports when my kids were involved in those programs and I am currently a captain with the Pequot Lakes Fire District. I started my firefighting career in Nisswa in 2010 and joined Pequot Lakes in 2018, we have a great group of firefighters in this city and I am very proud to be a part of that family! I helped start and was an original board member for the Pequot Lakes Diamond Club, which is an organization that sponsors the youth traveling baseball program here in town and has since grown to include youth girls softball as well. The current board of directors is doing a great job and that program has really grown in the 10 years or so that it's been around. My wife Cedar and I started the Fellowship of Christian Athletes program at the high school a few years ago. We planted the seed and God provided a teacher and coach at the school that was willing to run the program and he has done a great job with it. When we first started we had a handful of kids coming and now it sounds like there are over 200 kids attending that program weekly with some of them attending extra meetings working on leadership skills! I have been attending some of your council meetings the last few years as I feel it is beneficial to hear directly from the council members rather than just reading about the meetings in the newspaper. I also have been watching/listening to council meetings from some of the other towns in the area, and I appreciate the way the meetings are run in Pequot Lakes and the respect the council members have for each other. I strongly believe that all council members have to be willing to work with each other to come up with what is the best solution for the city and its residents. I will admit that I still have a lot to learn about city government and how things operate, but I consider myself a quick learner and appreciate new challenges. If I am chosen to fill the vacant seat I will be committed and represent the City of Pequot Lakes well. I realize that in that position there will be hard decisions that will need to be made and there will be times that not everyone will like the decisions that are made. But, all we can do as a council is discuss the options and different opinions respectfully and come to an agreement on what we feel is the best action for our city and the residents. If you have any questions for me please feel free to reach out and ask me, I will be happy to answer any questions you might have. Thou, 4� 4 Brad McGuire 218-330-1593