Four candidates are running for two seats on the Rosemount City Council in November’s election.
General information about the Nov. 3, 2026, election is online at twincities.com/news/politics/elections including information on candidates for races in Ramsey, Dakota and Washington counties.
To find out what’s on your ballot, where to vote and other election information, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s elections page at sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting.
City Council (Elect 2)
Age: 42
What would your top priorities be if elected?
My top three priorities would be smart growth, accessible parks for all, and addressing further data center development. I want Rosemount to grow responsibly while protecting our neighborhoods and ensuring infrastructure and city services keep pace with development. I will advocate for safe, inclusive parks that residents of all ages and abilities can enjoy. I will also closely examine proposals for additional data centers, considering their impact on our neighborhoods, infrastructure, resources, and Rosemount’s long-term future.
What qualifies you to hold this position?
I am a husband, father of four, educator, school leader, entrepreneur, and Rosemount resident. My family came to the United States from Somalia in 2000, and that journey taught me the value of democracy, opportunity, and community. My experience in education, leadership, and business has taught me how to listen, manage resources, solve problems, and work with people from different backgrounds. I am running to bring a practical, community-focused perspective to the City Council and to help ensure residents have a meaningful voice in Rosemount’s future.
What do you think is the primary role of government?
I believe the primary role of government is to serve the people. At the local level, that means protecting public safety, maintaining essential services and infrastructure, managing taxpayer dollars responsibly, and creating an environment where families and businesses can thrive. Government should listen to residents, operate transparently, and make decisions with the long-term interests of the community in mind. Most importantly, government should remain accountable to the people it serves.
How do you work to understand, and then learn from, opinions that differ from your own and people who disagree with you?
I start by listening. I believe disagreement is an opportunity to better understand another person’s perspective, not a reason to dismiss it. I ask questions, listen to the experiences behind someone’s opinion, and look for areas where we agree. I may not always change my position, but I am willing to learn and reconsider when presented with new information. In public service, we can disagree respectfully while still working together to find solutions that benefit our community.
Justin Buehler-Hoard (candidate did not submit responses)
Age: 38
What would your top priorities be if elected?
1. Restore transparency and accountability – I will work to ban future NDAs for developments and to ensure full accounting for city spending. 2. Protect our environment and natural resources – I will work to ban data centers, hold Meta accountable its existing data center’s effects, and make our water quality a top priority. 3. Keep Rosemount enjoyable AND affordable – I will work to bring more retail, restaurants, entertainment, and affordable housing, and to stop your taxes from going up.
What qualifies you to hold this position?
I spent most of my life working in factories, stretching my dollars to make ends meet. I worked my way through college as a nontraditional student with a family, went on to law school, studied for and passed the bar exam, all with one goal: to help people. My qualifications for City Council are the sum of these experiences. I know the struggle of the working people in Rosemount because I’ve been there. I know how to get things done in government because I know the law. Most importantly, I know that I will never stop fighting for Rosemount because I know what’s at stake – our community, our water, our environment, our future.
What do you think is the primary role of government?
The primary role of government is summed up in the “three P’s”: Protect, Preserve, and Promote. The government must protect the rights, persons, and property of its people—which includes the environment and natural resources which belong to us all. The government must preserve order and peace—maintaining safe communities and providing necessary services to its people. And the government must promote the general welfare—fostering community engagement, providing economic opportunity, and safeguarding public health.
How do you work to understand, and then learn from, opinions that differ from your own and people who disagree with you?
The most important thing I can do to understand and learn from opinions that might differ from my own is to listen earnestly and with an open mind. I remind myself that those who disagree aren’t mere disgruntled “screen warriors,” but people who care deeply about the issue, hold sincere convictions, and often share the same end goal—even if we don’t see eye to eye on how to get there. The key is finding those shared values and goals and then building on them. Take data centers, for example. I know some disagree on my position to ban them. They come from a place desiring what they see as economic benefit for the community. My position is also based on desiring what I believe is best for the community. Knowing that, the conversation can be on what unites us: finding alternatives that benefit the community economically and environmentally. It’s important that the goal is not to convince or condemn, but to incorporate the goals and values of every person and to build consensus toward finding the best path forward for everyone.
Website or contact information: www.Justin4Rosemount.com.
Age: 56
What would your top priorities be if elected?
I will continue to focus on bringing in businesses and services that serve our residents and also provide economic development to support the investments needed in Rosemount. We have a unique hometown feel that many Twin City suburbs don’t have. I will continue to support initiatives that maintain and grow that hometown feel of Rosemount that our residents enjoy and appreciate. Lastly we continue to drive engagement initiatives with the community so that residents who want be aware of what’s going on and/or get involved have the opportunity to do so.
What qualifies you to hold this position?
I have served on City Council for the past eight years and am seeking reelection. My strong financial background (CFO for over 20 years) in various roles has also provided me a great deal of experience in financial matters in various organizations so many of the learnings apply to city government as well. Lastly I spent nine years in real estate development so I am very experienced in land use and entitlements.
What do you think is the primary role of government?
I believe for city government, it is our primary responsibility to provide public safety and city services to our residents and also engage in initiatives that improve the quality of life for those living in the community at a reasonable cost to our residents.
How do you work to understand, and then learn from, opinions that differ from your own and people who disagree with you?
We have continued to drive initiatives to increase engagement with our residents. This is in the form of public forums and town hall events, social media communication and one on one communication via email and phone calls. I am very involved in the community and seek feedback from all residents. By design I seek out those that may have differing opinions and have discussion to reconcile our differing perspectives but also incorporate their many good ideas into our efforts and initiatives.
Website or contact information: Paul Essler, [email protected], www.facebook.com/paul.essler.3.
Age: 52
What would your top priorities be if elected?
My top priorities are: 1) Hometown Feel. Preserve and enhance our hometown feel through engaging community outreach and events, and more. 2) Hometown Amenities. Building a robust local economy with strong retail and small business nodes, making Rosemount an ideal place to live, work, shop and play. 3) Hometown Safety. Growing and enhancing our first responder teams and facilities, and implementing a dedicated water treatment solution. 4) Hometown Growth. Making planful, careful decisions regarding the growth of our town.
What qualifies you to hold this position?
I am a Rosemount resident of over 19 years, and past president and board member of one of our largest local nonprofits, Rosemount Area Athletic Association (RAAA). I have also been an active volunteer with Angel Foundation, Rosemount Traveling Baseball, and Drake University Parent & Family Advisory Council. I have served on Rosemount City Council since 2023, as well as Rosemount Port Authority which I currently chair. I am Rosemount’s alternate representative to the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA). My husband and I co-own a small business in Dakota County, Farmington Lanes.
What do you think is the primary role of government?
We often talk about our local government “making normal happen,” which entails strong public and water safety infrastructure and enhancing the quality of life for residents. Here in Rosemount, this includes planful and careful decisions regarding the growth of our town, both residential and commercial.
How do you work to understand, and then learn from, opinions that differ from your own and people who disagree with you?
I regularly engage with residents through multiple channels, ranging from 1:1 in-person conversations to social media outreach. I strive to listen first, and I thoughtfully deliberate on decisions based on the disparate viewpoints of residents.