In less than two weeks, five Albert Lea men will be vying for the position of mayor.

Facing off will be current mayor Randy Erdman, who is filing for re-election, along with candidates George Gillespie, Michael Murtaugh, Dave Reisewitz and C.E. Vollum.

When interviewed, each man said they are ready to face the challenges that might come their way if elected to the position and that they are ready to help make the city a better place.

Ultimately, however, it will be up to the voters on Sept. 9 to select two final candidates to face off during the general election.

The following is a description of the interviews with each of the five candidates. The candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

Randall Erdman

Elected to the position of mayor in November of 2006, Erdman said one of the main messages he would like to portray this election is how he’s built relationships with other governmental bodies during his last two years in office.

“It’s very important to have those because you can’t do anything alone,” he said. “If this city is to become the regional center it should be, you need that. You need to know who to contact.”

Because of these relationships and other factors, the city is moving in the right direction, he said, with investment coming in from all sides of town.

In fact, it is because he believes the community is headed in the right direction that he decided to run for office again, he said.

Previously serving as 2nd Ward city councilor before he was elected mayor, Erdman said he hopes people see that he portrays a positive message for the city and helps the city put its best foot forward.

“I hope they know that I’ll do the job,” he said. “I’ll put in the time, the effort and perseverance.”

He said he tries to be as professional as possible and look the part of mayor.

“You don’t get a second chance at a first impression, you just don’t,” he said. “Who do you want sticking their hand out to the governor?”

In an interview in July, Erdman said he is most proud of accomplishments that have happened during his time in office including gaining the necessary funding for the North Edgewater Park Landfill Project; developing strong relationships with Gov. Tim Pawlenty, state legislators, Freeborn County officials, Albert Lea School District leaders and Shell Rock River Watershed leaders; and completing the bike/walking path with pedestrian lighting from Brookside School to Pioneer Park.

There has also been much progress for the downtown, he said.

Though it is nice to receive accomplishments for these successes, Erdman said he has learned the position of mayor is one that sometimes faces criticism.

“Criticism for anybody is difficult,” he said. “My belief is if you’re too critical of yourself and others, it’s difficult to be objective.

“I think if you’re going to be praised for your accomplishments, you have to take criticisms — and you get better at it.”

Criticism does make a person stronger, he said.

Regarding the controversial preagenda meetings, Erdman asked whether people want a council who is informed and who has the chance to process a subject before they vote on it.

“There’s no conspiracy, believe me,” he said. “We want to make everything transparent. There’s never been a decision made at those Thursday meetings ever. There’s never been anything pre-rehearsed.”

George Gillespie

Raised in Missouri on a dairy farm, Gillespie has lived in Albert Lea for 23 years.

He ran for mayor in 2006, but was eliminated in the primary.

Whether he gets elected this year, Gillespie said he’s grateful he gets to bring up issues and concerns in the city each time he runs for office. Many of the issues he brings up usually get addressed.

Regarding his campaign this year, Gillespie said one of his major points is that instead of offering negativity to fix the city’s problems, Albert Lea city staff need to offer a a can-do attitude.

When it comes to finding more industry, the city needs to put on its “can-do cap” to prospective businesses and even to city members, Gillespie said.

Albert Lea needs to find more industry, get something for children to do and work to clear the junk found in some yards.

“I want to make the city government more friendly to the populous,” he said.

When asked what qualities make him a good mayor, Gillespie said he’s in touch with people and is patient.

As a bartender at Eddie’s Bar for 12 years, he said he’s ready to take on even the toughest of the city’s critics.

“I believe if I can handle somebody under the influence of alcohol I can handle Roger Bok,” he said, jokingly.

Gillespie said he thinks people shouldn’t be limited to one topic during the public forum portion of council meetings and they shouldn’t have a fear of addressing the council.

“I don’t think Roger would get nearly as out of hand if they made sure he understood the answer to his questions, he said.

Regarding criticism, Gillespie said in order to turn criticism around, officials need to win the faith and the support of the people.

“I’m a fair business man — honest with people,” he said. “I don’t try to pretend I’m somebody I’m not.”

The owner of the Web Room in Albert Lea, Gillespie has eight children and eight grandchildren.

Michael Murtaugh

Out of an attempt to get the city to be more transparent in its actions, Murtaugh said he decided to run for mayor after toying with the idea for a couple of years.

“I think if we as a city are open and people have time to see what’s going on before the council meeting, the people will have less reason to be upset,” Murtaugh said.

Though it’s a fact of life that people may not always get what they want, if there are disagreements with people, he always tries to make amends, he said.

During his time at the Freeborn County Fair, Murtaugh said he has had good response from people about the different topics he is pressing. One of those topics is eliminating the Thursday preagenda meeting before the Monday council meetings.

People don’t get to see the discussions that lead up to all decisions, he said, and the council needs to avoid last-minute resolutions, he said.

As a man who has actively watched or listened to the Albert Lea City Council meetings for years, Murtaugh said, he believes the council should maintain the public forum because it shows that the council is willing to take input.

“I know we don’t have to do that, but it’s been good we have,” he said.

If elected mayor, Murtaugh said he’s going to be willing to listen to people and let them have their say. But, he noted, he won’t get into “shouting matches” week after week at council meetings because that reflects badly on the city.

In addition to making the city government more transparent, Murtaugh said he is also concerned with some of the spending decisions that have happened in recent years, including the city’s commitments to the Tiger Hills and Wedgewood Cove developments.

“It’s a matter of priorities, what we need to do now,” he said. “These things should be the developers’ responsibility, especially when we’re going into a $1.2 million shortfall.”

Another spending decision he questioned was the new lights on East Main Street, he said.

Though he’s been paying attention to all levels of government for several years, Murtaugh said his real interest is in the city side of things.

“I’m interested in those issues the city faces,” he said.

He worked for six years at an electric cooperative and understands energy usage, he said. Energy usage is one of the city’s biggest expenses.

He also understands the need for good public relations, whether you’re talking about a business or a city, he said.

In 2006 he went through the Albert Lea Police Department’s Citizens Academy.

“People know me,” he said. “And I’ve tried to get to know them.”

He is currently a board member of the Bayside Ski Club and has served as a board member for St. Theodore’s Catholic School, the Cloverleaf Lions Club, and the former Albert Lea Campus Foundation for Riverland Community College.

He has also been a member of a computer technology advisory committee for Riverland’s computer technology classes.

He is married to the Tribune’s assistant editor, Geri Murtaugh. Together they have two children.

Dave Reisewitz

As a city at the intersection of two major highways, Albert Lea is much smaller than it should be, Reisewitz said.

“It has two intersecting major highways, and it’s only under 20,000 population,” he said. “This town should be at least 40,000.”

When he first moved to Albert Lea with his wife in 2005 — after spending 34 1/2 years working for a state agency — Reisewitz said he noticed there’s very little work for the people of this town.

“I’d like to get jobs in here so our young people — once they’ve graduated from school — stay here,” he said.

He wants to have business brought into town with good paying jobs and health insurance, he said. And he wants to do something for the young people to keep them out of trouble, like an activity center or something similar.

Reisewitz said he and his wife moved to Albert Lea because they like small towns and because they had family here.

The couple was told the Cubby Hole business was for sale, so they decided to buy it.

During the day Reisewitz works at Interstate Molding, and everyday between 4 and 5 p.m., he begins works at the Cubby Hole.

“I’m a friendly, people-person and I’d talk to anyone,” he said.

Because he’s a people-person, Reisewitz said, he thinks people should be able to express their opinions at the council meetings, he said. “I’m the kind of person — I feel that as an elected official, you’re there to work for and represent the citizens of Albert Lea. I feel that’s what I can do.”

Regarding the public forum portion of the council meetings, Reisewitz said he thinks public forum time should be at least five minutes, with people being able to ask at least two issues if need be.

He said if elected he would be able to any handle criticism with a grain of salt.

“If you can’t take criticism, and you shouldn’t be on the job,” he said. “I can take the heat.”

C.E. Vollum

Vollum is a man who wants to offer solutions to the problems ailing Albert Lea.

As an Albert Lea High School graduate of ’67, he returned to Albert Lea the Christmas of 2002.

Since being back, he said, he’s found that Albert Lea needs more jobs — especially jobs that are well-paying. He wants to work to bring in small, good-paying industries that employ somewhere between 20 and 30 people as opposed to trying to land a huge company with no success.

In addition to a problem with jobs, Vollum said, he’s also found in recently that Albert Lea’s housing situation corresponds with the national crisis.

“For the slow learners out there, we’ve been in a recession,” he said.

Graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1973 with a split major in soil science and crop production, he was in the active duty Marine Corps from 1968 to 1970. From 1970 to 1998, he was in what’s called the Ready Reserve, and he will not officially be out of the Marine Corps until Jan. 13, 2012, he said.

He used to make commercials with KATE radio and has been a certified back country leader and guide for the National Parks Service for 20 years.

He’s in Albert Lea seven months out of the year.

When asked if he could handle the criticism that comes to the position of mayor, he said he “feels like he can take the heat in a reflective manner.”

He said he will not listen to people who yell.

“I’ll have to wait and see what happens,” he said.

During the recent city budget meetings that the council and the candidates have been able to attend, Vollum said he has gained much knowledge, including knowledge of what a good job the present council is doing, he said.

He said his qualities of openness, good communication and knowledge of budgeting on a national basis would help make him a good mayor.

Since he’s filed for office, he said, he’s been thanked by many for running.

“People have told me they’re glad I’m running,” Vollum said.