by Dennis Dalman
The three candidates facing off for the mayoral position are (in alphabetical order) Jon Hazen, and incumbent council members Bob Loso and Adam Scepaniak. If Scepaniak loses the race for mayor, he could still retain his council seat because that term does not expire until 2026.
(Editor’s note: The candidate stories are based on questionnaires given to the candidates.)
Hazen wants to give back to a city he loves
Mayoral candidate Jon Hazen decided to file for election because he deeply loves St. Joseph, a city that has given him so much that he wants to give back and to help move the city in ways that benefit all its residents.
Hazen is operations and project supervisor at Granterian 3PL Solutions in St. Cloud. He is also a diving coach for the high schools of Sartell High and Sauk Rapids.
Hazen has lived in St. Joseph for most of his life. He has a degree in community psychology from St. Cloud State University. After getting his degree, he and his wife, Tina, moved back to St. Joseph where they are raising their children Niko, 9; Wes, 7; Cal, 5; and Helena, 2.
“I love that they can grow up where I did – St. Joseph,” he said.
Hazen is no stranger to civic commitments. He has served on the city council, planning commission, joint planning board, fire board, St. Joseph Jaycees and St. Joseph Dollars for Scholars.
He is passionate about facing the challenge of the city – challenges that include parks, roadways, downtown parking, sustainability and creating more opportunities for young people.
“My vision for St. Joseph is one where we preserve our small-town charm while embracing innovative solutions for future growth,” he said.
Which skills/experiences would help him as mayor? Hazen listed his record of community involvement, working closely with residents and organizations on key issues, strong communication skills, listening closely to others, being a good problem-solver, to build consensus and collaborate with others, able to navigate complex challenges while developing practical solutions and experience in financial management.
Hazen listed St. Joseph’s biggest strengths: sense of community, rich cultural-historical heritages, so many people who care about one another, the excellent colleges, the natural beauty of the area, a thriving economy, engaged and forward-looking leadership.
“Our location is another strength,” he said. “It offers the charm of a small town while being close to larger cities.”
And what about things that could be improved? Hazen mentioned the following:
• More activities and job opportunities for young people to do (including a planned community center/YMCA) so youth can be invested in the city.
• Affordable housing is needed for young families, first-time homebuyers and lower-income families.
• Public transportation (such as bus service) so residents can access jobs, education and services in St. Joseph and surrounding cities.
• A need for ongoing investment in city infrastructure.
• Efforts to attract more businesses and industries for jobs and to further strengthen the local economy.
• Ensuring all voices are heard and are part of the decision-making process. There should not be just five people running the city and making the decisions, but all residents having a say in how our city grows.
Hazen said he has specific policies and initiatives he would work on as mayor. Among them are:
• Develop a community center/YMCA, expand recreation, keep developing parks and rec programs for children.
• Affordable housing as a high priority, including more mixed-use developments and collaborations with housing developers to ensure options for all income levels.
• Support for businesses that could include grants, tax incentives, local entrepreneurship and continuing to revitalize downtown as “a vibrant hub for commerce and community life.”
• Investment in education and training, including partnering with local colleges (CSB/SJU) to enhance educational opportunities, including internships with the city.
• Starting sit-down talk meetings once a month with residents to hear their concerns and ideas.
• Infrastructure improvements that include roads, parking, utilities and public facilities.
“You can’t win for all, but you can fight for all,” Hazen said. “We have an amazing city which is growing quickly. I want to serve and look forward to connecting with St. Joseph residents and listening to them on the issues they value.”
For more on Hazen, check: JonHazenforMayor@gmail.com, Facebook: JonHazenFor Mayor, Website: ElectJonHazen.com
Love for city compels Loso’s bid for mayor
Incumbent St. Joseph City Council member and now mayoral candidate Robert “Bob” Loso would like to be elected mayor because of a love for the city instilled in him long ago by his ancestors.
“My ancestors were some of the original settlers of the town and I have a strong sense of community and service instilled in me since I was a child,” Loso said.
Loso, now retired, has lived in St. Joseph for most of his life. He has been married to Noreen Loso for 46 years. They have three adult sons: Pete (Virginia), Nick and Nate (Jessica), as well as seven grandchildren.
Loso studied instrumentation technology at St. Cloud Vo-Tech.
Loso said he has many skills, experiences and talents that would make for being a good mayor. He served for 34 years on the Sartell City Council and participated on many boards, the planning commission, the park board, the fire board and more.
Loso listed St. Joseph’s greatest strengths as people and safety, great schools, and excellent fire and police protection.
“Life is simple here,” he said. “It’s a great place to raise a family.”
What are the city’s weaknesses or things that could be improved?
“We don’t have a high school and do have a minimum number of activities geared toward high-school-aged teens, Loso said.
What policies, developments, amenities and more would you like to help accomplish as mayor?
“I would rewrite the archaic winter parking restrictions,” he said “I would facilitate council meetings where all council members’ voices are heard. As mayor I would encourage the council to participate in the conversations that lead up to the decision-making done on motions made in council meetings.”
Loso noted the city’s current personnel policy is under review at this time and should be completed before the end of term. If it is delayed, completing that process, he said, would be one of the first agenda items for 2025.
Scepaniak seeks to build on city’s strengths
Adam Scepaniak, one of three candidates for mayor of St. Joseph, said he believes his experiences as a businessman and city official will dovetail to help create a dynamic city by building on the city’s current strengths and on its future potential.
Scepaniak has lived in St. Joseph for six years. He is currently a St. Joseph City Council member, as well as the city’s acting mayor, standing in for Mayor Rick Schultz when Schultz cannot be at a council meeting. He is also a member of the city’s planning commission and a St. Joseph firefighter. Scepaniak is managing editor of AllOutdoor.com and a freelance writer for “Hunting/Outdoors” with its more than 10 print and online publications. He is also the manager of the Guns and Gear store in Waite Park.
He and wife Andrea are expecting their first child, due in mid-November. His parents are Bob and Cindy Scepaniak, and he has a brother, Bobby.
Scepaniak earned a bachelor’s degree in elective studies from St. Cloud State University, where he majored in liberal studies.
Why did he decide to file for the mayoral position?
“I want St. Joseph to have a younger yet experienced voice and leadership,” he said. “I believe I can fill that role. I want to support our businesses, emergency services (police, emergency medical services), and I want to ensure St. Joseph continues on its path of being a thriving, welcoming community.”
He said his varied experiences will suit him well if he becomes mayor, citing his work as acting mayor this year in working with city staff, fellow council members and Mayor Rick Schultz.
“I am no stranger to navigating difficult government paperwork as I have been a writer/editor for close to a decade and work with BATFE (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms) on a near daily basis.”
Scepaniak listed St. Joseph’s strengths as growing and attracting new businesses, a good place to raise a family and job opportunities because of new businesses popping up on Minnesota Street and in the city’s Industrial Park.
A drawback in the city is the sparse parking in the downtown area, something the city has to work on as it welcomes new businesses and the city continues to grow.
But he added that despite of or because of the lack of parking spaces, “We are still a wonderful walking community.”
Among the things Scepaniak would like to help St. Joseph achieve are these: a community center to be complete as a place of gathering and health; perhaps opening a cannabis dispensary, which could mean an enormous draw of revenue to the city and offer a healthier alternative to pharmaceutical drugs. In addition, as mayor he would like to keep working on things he has always supported: businesses, emergency services and making sure St. Joseph remains an open, welcoming city.
“I understand being your mayor is a position of public service, and I will treat it as such,” Scepaniak said. “I hope to be elected by you, to represent you and to serve you. I am not a career politician. I am here to serve.”
Jon Hazen
Robert “Bob” Loso
Adam Scepaniak