Meet the Candidates: Independence Mayor

A pair of candidates are vying for the Independence mayor's seat in the November election - George "Trey" Lachicotte and Brad Lee Spencer.

Each candidate in contested races was asked the same set of questions by the Laker Pioneer, and candidates were asked to limit their responses to 100 words or less. Lachicotte did not respond to the questionnaire. Unedited responses from Spencer 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 to office?

Brad Lee Spencer: I am currently serving as an elected City Councilmember in Independence (for the past 15 years). The current Mayor, Marvin Johnson who has been our Mayor for 45 years, has decided not to run for re-election and asked me to run for Mayor in his place. I have been the acting mayor (Mayor when Marvin is unavailable) for many years and he is confident in my ability to take over his role.

Question 2: What is your long-term vision for the community

Spencer: Our city is a gem; great schools, a rural feel with great services and close to the metropolitan area for all its entertainment and services. I would like to continue in Marvin’s stead with the same emphasis on practical development, public safety, and fiscal responsibility.

Question 3: If elected, how would you handle balancing economic development with maintaining a sense of community?

Spencer: Independence doesn’t have much in the way of commercial development. Our strategy for housing is growing the eastern 1/3 of the city first with an emphasis on more density adjacent to our neighbors in Maple Plain and lower density agriculture / larger residential lot sizes in the areas in the western 2/3.

Question 4: What do you believe is the best way to address aging infrastructure and acquiring the funding to replace/update that infrastructure?

Spencer: Roads represent the only infrastructure that would be addressable, during the last 8 years we have already implemented a paved road repair and maintenance plan with a CIP budget to cover scheduled regular maintenance like sealcoating and overlays at appropriate intervals. Our gravel roads are now being addressed with a bond issue scheduled for 2025 which will fund repair and updating of most of the gravel roads in Independence in summer 2025. Additionally, a Capital Improvement Plan will be created to provide for better maintenance on a regular schedule going forward. All of this has been done without any assessments to the adjacent property owners. CIPs have also been created to cover projected costs for future Public Works equipment replacement/repair such that issuing debt for equipment/vehicles is no longer necessary.

Question 5: What in your background/experience best qualifies you for office?

Spencer: Experience. 15 years Independence City Council, 6 years Independence Planning Commission, 5 years Pioneer-Sarah Creek Watershed Management Commission. Lisa and I have lived in this community since 1997 and raised our family here. I love my city and will do everything I can to keep it a great place for families to live and grow. Our mantra - Be good, Do the right thing, leave a place better than it was when you arrived.