Golden Valley Mayor Shep Harris Announces He Won’t Seek Re-Election
Golden Valley Mayor Shep Harris announced on Tuesday that he won’t seek re-election this fall.
Harris said he was “extremely torn” by the decision, but says his family and professional work were significant factors in deciding not to run for a fourth term.
“For those who may think this decision has been made in the past few months, or due to recent challenges in Golden Valley, it is not. It is something that I have actually agonized with and agonized over for several years,” said Harris. “My family has made significant sacrifices for me for the past 12 years.”
Harris was first elected mayor in 2011. He acknowledged the city’s police staffing issues, but said it’s something that can be fixed.
“Right now we are facing some public safety challenges, but the city council, our city staff, our city commissions, and many, many people in this community are rising to the occasion,” he said.
The three-term mayor said he chose this time to make the announcement so community members could vet prospective mayoral candidates. He also spoke about a characteristic he would like to see in the city’s next mayor.
“Rally around someone who is a healer. That will be a critical element for the next four years,” said Harris.
You can view Harris’ full announcement at the 2:22:15 mark of Tuesday’s meeting.
On Wednesday, current Golden Valley City Council member Gillian Rosenquist became the first candidate to declare a run for mayor. Rosenquist has served on the council since 2018.
