Being an elected official for John Ward is nothing new. He served as the mayor of Proctor, MN in the 1980s before moving to Brainerd and serving as the House District 10A Representative for eight years. But the opportunity to become the newest member of the Baxter City Council was one he almost missed.

“I got a call from a couple of people that there was an open position at the Baxter City Council,” said John Ward. “After talking to several people, I decided to do a write-in campaign.”

At 70 years old, Ward has dedicated his life to serving the communities he has lived in. I asked Ward about why he decided to become an elected official again.

“I come from a family that has been engaged in their community efforts,” said Ward. “Some people just have it in their blood and that is me, I have it in my DNA.”

Ward started his position this week, and his term runs for four years.

By — Nick Ursini