Candidate profile: At-large district candidate Gary Rustad

Gary Rustad says he has had many people urging him to run for the Decorah City Council this fall because the public is upset with the way the current city council is spending money.  He says several proposals have won funding even though they were not included in the official 2019-2020 budget.

Rustad is promising to work with Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce and Winneshiek County Economic Development officials to encourage economic development in Decorah.  He says brainstorming sessions with members of the city council and the two community groups could produce a program of incentives to expand existing businesses, relocate out of town businesses to Decorah or encourage new start-up businesses.  He says tax incremental financing has been effective in the past and should be considered in the future.

Rustad also says the City of Decorah is suffering now from previously pushing back needed repairs to streets in Decorah.  The large and expensive Short Street project and the pending Locust Road project have taken a lot of funds, so city officials neglected maintenance on other streets.  "It starts catching up to you," he says.

Gary Rustad has spent 20 years previously on the Decorah City Council, including 12 years as Mayor Pro Tem.