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The City of SAUK CENTRE

Sauk Centre is a growing community of 4,210 residents, located in northwestern Stearns County approximately 90 minutes from the Twin Cities metro. Coursing through the town are the Sauk River and the Lake Wobegon Trail.

City Government
A five-member council, consisting of four council members and one mayor, governs the city. Council members include Keith Johnson, David Thomas, Warren Stone and Allan Coenen. The mayor is Brad Kirkof. Vicki Willer is the city’s administrator. Willer manages 19 full-time and 31 part-time and seasonal city employees.

City Services
Police Chief Bryon Friedrichs took office in August 2008. He manages a force of five full-time and two parttime officers, who are visible in the community. Keith Polipnick is the fire chief, and manages a 30-member volunteer staff. Kathy Struffert, ambulance director,
and assistant Tim Deschene, manage a volunteer staff of 18 EMTs and two first responders from the fire department. Butch Wessel has been public works director for eight years, and a city employee for 35 years. He supervises a 5-member full-time crew that maintains city streets, parks and other public areas. Del Christianson administers St. Michael’s Hospital and Nursing Home. Owned by the city, the facility was built in 1950, but recently underwent a major, multi-million dollar remodeling project in order to improve its service to the community. Lakeview Medical Clinic currently has six doctors, one physician assistant and 25 other staff members. Lakeview Medical Clinic leases its space from the hospital.

Utilities
Marty Sunderman is superintendent of the Sauk Centre Public Utilities Commission,
serving under five commissioners. Sauk Centre continues to have one of the lowest power rates in the area. CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco provides natural gas services to more than 85 percent of the city. Qwest Communications and Mainstreet Communications
LLC provide phone and internet services. Mainstreet Communications and Charter
Communication provide cable television services. i Want Communications provides satellite TV and wireless phone.

Transportation
One of the greatest advantages of Sauk Centre is that it is one of the rare rural communities to be a crossroads of three major highways - Interstate 94, US Highway 71 and State Highway 28. Sauk Centre is home to the only airport in Stearns County. The Sauk Centre Municipal Airport is approximately three miles southeast of downtown Sauk Centre on Stearns County Highway 186. For more information, call the city hall at 320-352-2203. Residents can call 1-800-600-7498 for the Sauk Centre city bus, which provides handicapped accessible transportation throughout the city.

Major Employers
Major employers include Wal-Mart, School District 743, St. Michael’s Hospital and Nursing Home, Kane Transport, Cabinet Components, Standard Iron & Wire Works, Felling Trailers and Coborn’s.

Financial
Three financial institutions serve Sauk Centre, including First National Bank, First State Bank and Central Minnesota Federal Credit Union.

State Services
The Minnesota Motor Vehicle Department Registrar and Driver’s License Office is located at 342 Main Street North (320-352-2853). Drivers license testing is done at the civic arena. For more information call 320-255-3044, option 4.

*Information from the Sauk Centre Visitors Guide 2009 published by the Sauk Centre Herald.