City Council

The Red Wing City Council is made up of (left front) Dean Hove, Lisa Bayley, Dan Bender, Carol Duff, (left back row) Ralph Rauterkus, Mayor John Howe, Mike Schultz and Jerry Cook. As your government representatives on the local level, these officials should be commended for their commitments of time and thoughtful decision-making as they are confronted with issues and concerns on an ongoing basis. Working together with city staff, they work to create and maintain an excellent standard of living within Red Wing.

The Red Wing City Council meets regularly the second and fourth Mondays in the Council Chambers at City Hall at 7:00 p.m.

To view the most current City Council regular meeting agenda, Click here.  

To view the special City Council meeting agenda for July 8, Click here.

To be added to an e-mail distribution list to receive City Council meeting agendas, Click Here.

To view City Council past meetings agendas, minutes, and more, visit the City of Red Wing LaserFiche.   You may be prompted to log into the server. If you are, the username is public and the password is public.

Mayor John Howe

Term: January 2009 to January 2013
Phone: 651.385.3610
Email: john.howe@ci.red-wing.mn.us

Mayor John Howe and his wife Lisa have three children. John is a Reverse Mortgage Consultant with Wells Fargo Bank. In the past, John has owned the local Sears store, was Chairman of the Sears Dealer Store Council in 2000 to 2005, was a Minnesota Department of Correction Caseworker in Red Wing and a Corrections Counselor in Saint Cloud and was a Sears District Loss Prevention Manager. John holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Saint Cloud State University and is practicum to finish his M.S. in Criminal Justice from Saint Cloud University. John is very active in the community and belongs to the following organizations: Red Wing Conservation Club, Red Wing Collectors Society, Izaak Walton League, YMCA, Police Officer Standards and Training, Minnesota State Fire Certification, Firefighter I & II (94-96), Federal Firefighter, S-130/S-190 Firefighter, Squad Boss and Crisis Intervention Institute-Hostage Negotiations.

When asked why he ran for Mayor, John responded, “Red Wing is a great community to live, work and raise a family. We must work together with residents, educators and local businesses to have a sustainable community. We need to work with Excel energy and the State of Minnesota on a cooperative venture to solve Red Wing’s tax issue, especially school district #256 situation. We need long term solutions that will allow future generations to enjoy this great community. Working together we can have a positive impact on the economy, education, and the environment. I have work for the State and Federal government as well as being a successful business owner. I believe this makes me uniquely qualified to help solve issues. I will bring enthusiasm and energy that will best serve the residents of Red Wing.”

Dan Bender

Council Member, First Ward
Term: January 2009 to January 2013
Email: ddbender@charter.net
Phone: 651.385.7521

Council Member Dan Bender is a retired software engineer from IBM. He and his wife, Dee, moved to Red Wing in 2004 and were drawn here by the natural beauty of the area, the unique style of the city and the many opportunities for community involvement. Since moving here, Dan has been a committed volunteer for several local organizations: Goodhue County Habitat for Humanity, Red Wing Area Food Shelf, United Lutheran Church Adult Missions, Connecting Connections, and the Sheldon Theatre. Dan said he is “looking forward to serving on the City Council as a new level of involvement in Red Wing.”

When asked what motivated him to run for City Council, Dan responded, “I ran for a position on the Red Wing City Council to give the residents of Red Wing’s Ward One a choice – the choice to be listened to and the choice to be heard. The people of Ward One expect two-way communication; they want to be heard by their City Council representatives and they want City Council decisions to be open and understood. I want to assist in creating a vibrant business community, focusing on expanding small business opportunities that bring quality jobs to Red Wing. I am thoughtful and sensible in the use of tax dollars. I want to preserve the unique characteristics of Red Wing, while planning for a future that enhances that uniqueness.”

Lisa Pritchard Bayley

Council Member, Second Ward
Term: January 2009 to January 2013
Email: lpbayley@yahoo.com
Phone: 651.388.7638

Lisa has a Bachelor's Degree from Harvard University and a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Lisa said, "I want to work on building a strong Red Wing for the future. My professional and personal experiences, in the public sector as a public prosecutor, as counsel to the Wabasha County Board and a community volunteer have prepared me well. I want to be an active advocate for citizen involvement, strengthening Red Wing's economic base, and building on the traditions of our community. I ran on a platform of open government and common sense decision making. Working together, we can make Red Wing stronger now and for our children."

Dean Hove

Council Vice President, First & Second Wards (combined)
Term: January 2007 to January 2011
Email: deanhove@charter.net
Phone: 651.388.1072

Dean Hove has lived his entire life in Red Wing. He and his wife, Teresa, were longtime owners of the Pantry Restaurant. Having served in the Minnesota National Guard for 10 years, Hove is an active member of the American Legion. He is the owner of Hove Metals of Red Wing.

According to Hove, "Everyone in Red Wing has a stake in our city's future. As a lifelong resident, I understand the hard choices facing City Council Members. I believe we can find solutions to our city's financial issues that will still allow us to provide the high level of services we currently enjoy. People expect a good value for their tax dollar. Reasonable taxation is no accident. It takes discipline."

Hove continued, "For several years, friends and neighbors encouraged me to run for City Council. When my wife and I sold our business, I decided I would have the time to give something back to my hometown. Public service has been a very challenging and rewarding opportunity. I am proud to serve."

Michael Schultz 

Council President, Third Ward
Term: January 2007 to January 2011
Email: michael.v.schultz@charter.net
Phone: 651.388.3178

Mike has been the CEO/Administrator of St. Brigid’s at Hi Park for 13 years, Operations Manager for Health Dimensions and Benedictine Health System for six years, and County Commissioner for Carlton County for four years.

He has Bachelor’s degree’s from the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin-River Falls in Business Administration and Community Planning.

"I want to keep spending in line with revenues. We need to be vigilant to keep our tax dollars in line with what citizens and businesses can truly afford. Citizens want wise planning for future growth. I support a Comprehensive Riverfront Plan and moratorium on building in the Upper Harbor. I will work to keep our natural areas pristine and available to everyone. Low taxes, wise spending and smart growth - combined with a strong focus on public safety measures - will maintain our excellent quality of life well into the future."

Gerald Cook

Council President Pro Tem
Council Member, Fourth Ward
Term: January 2007 to January 2011
Email: craftycook5@msn.com
Phone: 651.388.8923

As a long time member of the City Council, Gerald reflects on what motivated him to run for City Council, "To help build a stronger community." He has a strong conviction to creating awareness and closeness within Red Wing's neighborhoods. He enjoys talking to people and telling them about current issues, finding out what they think and he encourages them to take action to achieve solutions.

A Red Wing native, Jerry has worked with many local contractors doing carpentry. He currently handles building maintenance at the St. James Hotel. The issues he feels the city should focus on consistent code enforcement, creating proactive methods of preventing crime and maintaining the current level of services for residents.

Cook states that "The small town feeling and the chance to get to know your neighbors," is what he appreciates most about Red Wing.

Ralph Rauterkus

Council Member, Third & Fourth Wards (combined)
Term: January 2009 to January 2013
Email: Email: ralph.rauterkus@charter.net
Phone: 651.388.7303

Council Member Ralph Rauterkus has been a resident of Red Wing for 22 years and served for five years on the Advisory Planning Commission. He played a key role in developing the Riverfront Redevelopment Plan and the Comprehensive Plan. He also serves on the Riverfront Trail Steering Committee and is a volunteer at the Sheldon Theatre.

Ralph has 28 years of experience working in the manufacturing field. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science. He is employed as a Software Engineer/Business Analyst for Polar Semiconductor, a technology firm in Bloomington. In his job, Ralph has to understand all details of his business: financial, engineering, manufacturing and customer service. He said, “I will put that knowledge and experience to work for Red Wing.”

When asked why he ran for City Council, Ralph responded, “After participating in Leadership Red Wing in 2003, I wanted to get more involved in our community. Red Wing has a unique historical and natural character and I want to be a part of supporting healthy growth for our city while still preserving that character. I feel sound financial stewardship is needed and can be accomplished through cost management and growing our tax base. Effective economic development and quality infrastructure are vital for the growth of Red Wing. I am committed to a fair and open public process, collecting all the facts and making decisions based on what is best for our community. I feel public participation is the key to quality government.”

Carol Duff

Council Member-At-Large
Term: January 2007 to January 2011
Email: cmduff@redwing.net
Phone: 651.388.3875

When asked what her reason is for her involvement on the City Council, she replied, "I would like to contribute to the city of Red Wing, my home for more than 33 years. Our city has not yet solved many economic and tax challenges facing us. I want to participate in all forms of partnerships so we can work together to better utilize our tax dollars. Taxes need to be lowered or held. We need to attract businesses to Red Wing which will add to our tax base and provide good wages. We also need to work with Xcel Energy because of the importance of its contribution to the economy of Red Wing. It is important that we preserve our riverfront image for historical Red Wing. Most important, I was elected by the votes of Red Wing citizens. I will work to continue their involvement in the process and will listen carefully to them.

Carol has a long list of groups and organizations she is a part of: developer and administrator of private home care qualifying for Medicare, Medicaid and Insurance reimbursement, Assistant Director of Nursing/In-service Director and Instructor Seminary Memorial Home, RN Fairview Hospital and HCMC, Past President of Red Wing 2020, leadership in several nonprofit organizations: Board Member Goodhue County History Center and Red Wing Area Seniors, member Kiwanis Club and 1st District Bar Association Ethics Committee, President Duff Endowment Fund, leader Community Conversations, participant in previous Economic Development Session, recipient of American Legion Award as graduating Senior, Past President of 3rd District Minnesota Nursing Student Association, Investigator for the First District Bar Association's Ethics Committee, national Board Member of Citizen's for Global Solutions: non-profit (educational) board.

Duff invites all citizens to ask questions, make comments, disagree or agree with concerns, and submit information at her blog. Click here for Duff's blog

Each member of the existing City Council encourages residents to contact them, not only with questions and concerns, but also to offer potential solutions or show support for a decision. It is only by knowing the thoughts of their constituents that they can be successful in representing the community in council issues.