Hiawatha City Council: Dick Olson

I am honored to serve Hiawatha for over 15 years to include the last 12 years as a city councilman. I previously served on planning and zoning and was a past board of adjustments chairman. I am also a founding member of the Hiawatha Economic Development Corporation. HEDCO is a 12-member board of Hiawatha business owners committed to Hiawatha's continued commercial growth. During my 15 years of community service Hiawatha has experienced unprecedented economic growth benefiting all city stakeholders.

The current mayor and city council are passionate, committed and dedicated in their collaborative pursuit of fiscally responsible Hiawatha growth initiatives. We have made significant progress in making Hiawatha the best City in the metro area to raise a family and grow a business. However, there still is much work to be done. I am running for a fourth city council term because I firmly believe our best days are ahead of us.

My wife Rita and I are totally invested in Hiawatha. In addition to my community service investment we had our home built in Hiawatha 17 years ago and our corporate office and distribution center building was built in Hiawatha five years ago. We firmly believe Hiawatha is the best place to live and conduct business in the Metro area.

I will continue to use my proven business and city council background to diligently analyze all Hiawatha growth opportunities. All city council solutions will result in a maximum return on every hard earned taxpayer dollar the city invests while ensuring our budget is balanced every year. I will continue to advocate for investments to upgrade Hiawatha's police department, fire department, ambulance service and arterial system to maintain public safety as the council's No. 1 priority.

The city council's major investment initiatives over the next four years will be to redesign the Center Point Road and Emmons Street intersection creating a safer intersection for use by motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists and complete the Tower Terrace Road and I-380 interchange to alleviate the current Boyson Road congestion problem. The council also will balance the city budget every year while confronted with the challenging headwinds of lower commercial property taxes and decreases in state and federal spending.

My pledge is to LISTEN to our residents, diligently LEARN about and resolve all issues and LEAD the continued economic grown of Hiawatha for the greater good of all residents and business owners.

l More information: dickolson@hotmail.com