New Pine City mayor Kent Bombard hopes to push the city forward in his recently-appointed role.
He said hitting the ground running has meant learning on the fly.
"It's been like drinking out of a fire hose for the past few weeks, that's for sure," Bombard said in an interview with WCMP on Tuesday.
Bombard was sworn in as mayor of Pine City at a ceremony on Monday, July 8.
He grew up in Pine City Township. Both of his parents served on township and community boards, which fostered his drive for public service.
"I grew up in a household of giving back to the community," Bombard said. "So, when I moved into town in 2013, I ran for council then. I didn't get on council, but I was appointed to the planning commission after that, and I served there for about eight and a half years."
Bombard ran against incumbent Carl Pederson in the 2022 mayoral race, losing by a margin of 37 votes.
Pederson resigned from the position in February, citing his desire to focus on his health and spending time with family.
Bombard said council member Dave Hill reached out about the vacancy, and his appointment was confirmed in a 2-to-1 vote at the council meeting on June 20.
Housing is Bombard’s top priority as Pine City mayor.
"I'd love to help increase housing in our city," Bombard said. "I think that's first and foremost dire need. We need more housing, we need more businesses. If we can increase that median salary for households in Pine City, I think that would go a long way in reassuring citizens that we do have their back."
Bombard also said coming to a resolution about the courthouse at 315 Main Street is something he’d like to see happen under his watch.
"I think the old courthouse has been a battle that's been going for a long time at this point," Bombard said.
He said that, as mayor, he’s here to listen to the community.
"I'm here to listen, I'm here to help, I'm here to listen to everybody's view," Bombard said. "I'm not here to bring in my agenda and shove my agenda down everybody's throat. I'm truly here to serve the community."
He plans to run for the mayoral seat in November’s election. In the meantime, balancing the city’s budget is one of Bombard’s primary concerns.
"I know there were some things that may not have come to fruition last year for this year that was expected, but I'm here to see what we can do and see if we can push this city forward as far as we can over the next five months."
In his spare time, Bombard said he enjoys "kicking around" with the pottery wheel in his garage. He has a tech-based side job, and is part of the Pine County Fair Board.
"Getting ready for the 2024 fair has been a journey in itself," he said.
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