City Council and Mayor

(Left back row) Mayor Dennis Egan, Red Wing City Council Members Michael Schultz, Dean Hove, Ralph Rauterkus, (Left front row) Council Members Lisa Bayley, Dan Bender, Marilyn Meinke, and Peggy Rehder.  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.  Residents can find their ward and precinct information by visiting:  http://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/.

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.  

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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 Dennis Egan

Term: February 28, 2011 to January 2013
Phone: 651.388.9841
E-mail: dennis.egan@ci.red-wing.mn.us

A Special Election was held in the City of Red Wing on Tuesday, February 8, 2011, for the purpose of electing a mayor for the balance of the term expiring January 2013. 

Mayor Dennis Egan was sworn into office at 6:45 p.m. on Monday, February 28, 2011.

Dan Bender

Council President Pro Tem
Council Member, First Ward
Term: January 2009 to January 2013
E-mail: 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 Vice President
Council Member, Second Ward
Term: January 2009 to January 2013
E-mail: lisa.bayley@ci.red-wing.mn.us
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 Member, First & Second Wards (combined)
Term: January 2011 to January 2015
E-mail: 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 Member, Third Ward
Term: January 2011 to January 2015
E-mail: 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."

Peggy Rehder

Council Member, Fourth Ward
Term: January 2011 to January 2015
E-mail: peggy.rehder@ci.red-wing.mn.us
Phone: 651.388.4651

As one of the fifth generation of Rehders here in Red Wing, I ran to help invigorate our downtown, preserve our historic neighborhoods, and encourage responsible growth and economic development.

Community service is a Rehder family tradition. My grandfather John was instrumental in the building of the original Colvill Swimming Pool. He also served on the St Johns's Hospital Board for many years, as did my father Bob Sr. My mother Loraine volunteered throughout the city, and was a Juvenile Probation Officer for 20 years.

My background includes service on the staff of a U.S. Congressman, Director of Congressional Affairs for the United States Patent and Trademark Office, lobbyist for Minnesota local government entities at both the State and Federal level, Chair of the Goodhue County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, and member of the Board of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority. I enjoy volunteer activities in church and throughout our community.

Ralph Rauterkus

Council President
Council Member, Third & Fourth Wards (combined)
Term: January 2009 to January 2013
E-mail: 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.”

Marilyn Meinke

Council Member-At-Large
Term: January 2011 to January 2015
E-mail: marilyn.meinke@ci.red-wing.mn.us
Phone: 651.388.1004

Marilyn Meinke is a retired university researcher and teacher. She and husband Mike Melstad moved to Red Wing in 2008 to be part of a vibrant community that solves its own problems and creates its own future. Meinke chairs the Sustainability Commission and is an active volunteer at United Lutheran Church Stephen Ministry, AAUW, PEO and the Fairview Red Wing Hospital Auxiliary. She stays active in science by volunteering at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Meinke said, "I am running because citizens should be represented by a councilperson that listens, researches issues carefully and makes thoughtful decisions that address the best interests of all. I believe:
Citizen involvement is central to sustainability and essential to building on our strong traditions.
Decisions must be open and inclusive.
We must live within our means, making financial decisions that best match what we need with what we can afford."