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International Falls 2024 Election Guide

Sharon Ball, Wayne Hiebert, Pete Kalar and Andrew Donald "Jesus Dubs" Piekarski are running for International Falls mayor.

KAXE contacted every candidate twice using contact information submitted to the Secretary of State's Office to invite them to participate in our Election Guide.

Candidate responses have not been edited and are published as submitted.

As necessary, our news team added contextual information clearly marked with an "editor's note" and in italics, though responses have not been uniformly fact-checked. With our small team of three, we are unable to proactively fact check every statement made by candidates. But we will make every effort to make note of inaccuracies if they come to our attention.

Please contact our news team at news@kaxe.org with questions or comments or to report any errors.

KAXE's Election Guide only includes candidates in contested races. Visit our full list of who's running for office in Northern Minnesota to see who else is on the ballot.

Election Guide Homepage


Mayor

Sharon Ball

Sharon Ball is running for International Falls mayor in the 2024 election.
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Sharon Ball
Sharon Ball is running for International Falls mayor in the 2024 election.

Incumbent: No
Age on Election Day: 62

Where are you currently employed, and what is your role?
I own Ball’s Dog Retreat

Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office.
I have 3 college degrees, ranging from Behavioral Sciences to law enforcement and Counseling. I worked in Criminal Justice and law enforcement for over 15 years and have been a small business owner for over 13. I have lived in this community for over 30 years and have 2 adult children who were born here and have their families here. I have a deep passion for our community and felt that I was the most qualified person for the position.

Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
I’m no longer running & am asking our community to write Drake Dill in on the ballot.

Why are you running for office?
I’m no longer running

What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.
I’m no longer running but am endorsing & campaigning for Drake Dill.

Across the region, renters and owners are struggling to afford housing. If elected, what would you do to address the issues of availability and affordability for your constituents?
I’m endorsing Drake Dill for Mayor

What effective policies will you support that will prepare your city now, next year and in the future to improve resiliency against climate change?
Once again, I am endorsing Drake Dill

High taxation is a concern for many Northern Minnesotans. Please share any specific opinions you hold related to taxation, and how you plan to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
When I was running this was extremely important to myself and my constituents. Our current Mayor Harley Droba has voted to raise our taxes for almost 4 years and every year that he’s been in office our taxes have been raised through frivolous spending and due to an incompetent City Administrator. I believe that we need to raise the budget for our Police Department and start curbing spending in other areas starting with our City leaders. We also need better investments that will bring in more tourism, add jobs, and add activities for our families and community.

How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in government?
As I mentioned, I have dropped out of the Mayoral race in order to endorse Drake Dill. I have listened to his plan and have investigated his background. I was so impressed that I made the decision to back his campaign completely.

Wayne Hiebert

Wayne Hiebert is running for International Falls mayor in the 2024 election.
Contributed
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Wayne Hiebert
Wayne Hiebert is running for International Falls mayor in the 2024 election.

Incumbent: No
Age on Election Day: 35

Where are you currently employed, and what is your role?
Packaging Corp. of America, I am a Heavy Equipment Operator (specifically: Chipper Line)

Please share any prior experience that you believe qualifies you for office.
I have received leadership training through the Army National Guard, equipping me to tackle challenges with effective planning. My experience as a union member has further deepened my understanding of teamwork alongside my military background. I've held various jobs that provide valuable insight into the working lives of our residents. Additionally, my experiences living and traveling in different cities have helped me learn from and embrace new ideas.

Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
As mayor, I know that my main job is to provide strong leadership and a clear vision for our community's needs. This means making informed decisions that impact our residents’ lives, with a focus on implementing policies and laws that truly matter. I will manage our community’s budget wisely, ensuring that we use our resources effectively for everyone’s benefit.
Collaboration is another responsibilities which I plan to work closely not just with our elected officials, but also with our residents, county government, state government, and federal representatives. Together, we can bring together all those who want to help improve our community.

Why are you running for office?
Having seen previous generations take their turn in office, I believe it’s now time for my generation—Millennials—to step up and lead. We need a voice at the local level that not only listens to us but also learns from those who came before. I’m running for mayor to advocate for Millennials and younger generations, showing that we are here and ready to work hard for a better tomorrow. Together, we can create positive change and ensure our community reflects the betterment of all.

What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific policy goals.
Family-Friendly Events
We need more family-friendly events in our parks. Families are the heart of our community, and it's important for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others to have fun activities to enjoy with their kids throughout the year. We can create some policies to allocate funds and approve the types of events, allowing local businesses to sponsor these activities.
Revamping the Blight System
While our blight system works, I believe we can make it even better with some changes.
Affordable Housing
We need to focus on affordable housing, whether it’s through city initiatives or by supporting others in making this happen. I propose guidelines that cover how much housing we need, where it should go, and how long it should stay. This plan would also consider job opportunities related to housing development.
Road Safety
To improve public safety, we should install more road signs, like stop signs, and work with the Department of Transportation on this goal. The plan would involve placing signs in selected areas to enhance safety.
Childcare Support
I also want to develop a policy that supports childcare and daycare services in our town. This is important because it helps parents and guardians have the time they need to work, go to school, or improve their skills.
I have a few more priorities I’m working on, and I’ll share those drafts soon.

Across the region, renters and owners are struggling to afford housing. If elected, what would you do to address the issues of availability and affordability for your constituents?
While I can’t make any promises just yet, I do have some exciting plans in the works. One initiative I’m particularly hopeful about is the creation of city-owned and operated apartment complexes. Although the exact details are still being researched, I believe this could be a viable solution that benefits both the city and our residents—a true win-win situation. Additionally, this initiative would also create jobs, further contributing to our community’s growth and stability.

What effective policies will you support that will prepare your city now, next year and in the future to improve resiliency against climate change?
One important focus is waste operations, especially recycling, as it directly impacts climate change. Local businessman Wade Friend has been actively promoting this initiative, and our county waste sites support it as well. I believe increasing recycling efforts would greatly benefit our community and the environment.

To enhance our recycling initiatives, we could revise the blight policy to allow businesses to recycle more effectively. Additionally, implementing a program to motivate residents to recycle would have a positive impact. For example, some towns offer rebates on garbage services based on recycling participation. Corpus Christi, Texas, successfully used a rewards system, using RecycleBank, for local businesses in 2009, which resulted in a significant increase in recycling rates—sometimes doubling or tripling—over two years. This kind of approach could help us reduce waste and combat climate change more effectively.

High taxation is a concern for many Northern Minnesotans. Please share any specific opinions you hold related to taxation, and how you plan to ensure tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
Budget cuts can effectively reallocate our current tax revenues. By identifying non-essential expenditures, we can redirect funds to services that are more critical. Additionally, exploring tax breaks at both the state and federal levels can provide valuable information to our residents. We'll ensure that details about any available tax assistance programs or rebates are communicated before tax season.

How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in government?
I plan to enhance transparency and trust in government by sharing information through various channels, including social media, local newspapers, and radio. Keeping residents well-informed empowers them to support our goals and assist their neighbors. Engaging with the community in this way fosters a collaborative environment and strengthens public trust. My goal is that this approach will help build trust between local residents and our government.

Pete Kalar

Incumbent: No

KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.

Andrew Donald "Jesus Dubs" Piekarski

Incumbent: No

This candidate declined KAXE’s invitations to participate in the Election Guide.


Return to Election Guide

Still have questions for the candidates? Contact information for all those who've filed to run for office can be found at candidates.sos.state.mn.us.